- 2017Approved/Agreed
- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Completed
Objectives
For vocational education and training, the strategy will focus on: developing new and more relevant CPD programmes for VET teachers (e.g. in new technologies through on-the-job training and courses organised by representatives of the labour market); developing VET teacher education in close cooperation with school owners aiming to meet schools' needs for skilled teachers; prolonging the teacher specialist scheme in VET, ensuring that skilled teachers will be able to progress and continue teaching; helping to recruit and upskill more VET teachers through education and training recruitment scholarships; developing a survey to ensure a better match between VET and the labour market; further developing VET to respond to technological changes in cooperation with the labour market.
Description
A digitalisation strategy for 2017-21 (Fremtid, fornyelse og digitalisering) was published by the government on 25 August 2017. The strategy identified overall perspectives, challenges, the main goals and key action areas, i.e. learners' learning, school content, competence, infrastructure and VET. For VET, the focus is on upskilling vocational teachers in line with technological change and schools' needs, and on cooperation with businesses. During the school year 2018/19, a total of 29 teacher CPD courses were developed. Participants received grants for attending a course. For example, the title of one course was Century skills and new technology.
A strategy on digitalisation for the public sector was published in 2019. Digitalisation is a priority at all levels.
Activities will continue until 2021.
The strategy expired in 2021. However, the focus on digitalisation continues as a priority for the new government from 2021.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Education and Research (KD)
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Adult learners
Education professionals
- Teachers
- School leaders
Entities providing VET
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences
Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.
This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.
The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.
This thematic sub-category is in line with the EU policy focus on the digital transition, and refers to professional development and other measures to prepare and support teachers and trainers in teaching their learners digital skills and competences. It also covers measures and support for them to increase their own digital skills and competences, including for teaching in virtual environments, working with digital tools and applying digital pedagogies. Emergency measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic also fall into this sub-category.
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Digitalisation strategy 2017-21: Norway. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28469