Vocational training

Vocational education and training (VET) can equip learners with practical skills for specific jobs and transversal competences needed for both personal development and the labour market.

Article 14 of the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights grants everyone the right to education and to have access to vocational and continuing training.

Article 166 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union recognises that EU countries are responsible for the content and organisation of national VET and that the EU’s role is to complement their actions. EU policy thus seeks to address common challenges such as ageing, skills deficits and global competition, with the goal of improving employability and skills.

As underscored in the Council recommendation of 24 November 2020, VET has a pivotal role to contribute to sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience for the preparation of young people to successfully enter working life and for the upskilling and reskilling needs of the working-age population, to empower everyone with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to thrive in their professional, social and personal development.

The Erasmus programme for 2021-2027, managed by the European Commission, the European Education and Culture Executive Agency and the Erasmus+ national agencies, aims to improve the quality of VET across the EU and offers opportunities for placements and professional development abroad. It also encourages partnerships between VET organisations and businesses and other stakeholders.

Other EU bodies active in the field of training are:

• the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), in Thessaloniki (set up in 1975);
• the European Training Foundation, in Turin (set up in 1993 and operational from 1994);
• the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training, set up to assist the Commission in carrying out its policy;
• the meetings of the directors-general on VET, composed of high-level representatives from the ministries in charge of VET in 35 countries.

SEE ALSO

• Charter of Fundamental Rights
• Competitiveness
• Distribution of competences
• Education
• European Union agencies
• Youth
• Cooperation in vocational education and training (summary)
• Ensuring quality in vocational education and training (summary)
• European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (summary)
• European Training Foundation (summary)
• Lifelong learning — European qualifications (summary)
• EU policy in the field of vocational education and training (European Commission).