Reflections: What Can We Learn from Skills and VET Practices Across Europe?

On June 18, 2025, the University of Jyväskylä and and University of Leicester, hosted a timely workshop titled “What Can We Learn from VET and Skills Practices Across Europe?”, under the Skills2Capabilities project, co-funded by the European Union. 

VET in Transition: Shared Themes Across Europe

Through country case studies from Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Norway, and the UK, the workshop revealed a diverse but converging landscape of VET innovation:

• Estonia is extending compulsory education to age 18, introducing flexible learning pathways, digital platforms, and integrated career guidance.
• Bulgaria is scaling up dual education, closely aligning vocational schools with local businesses to deliver real-world work experience.
• Austria’s “Vienna Weeks” initiative brings education and guidance directly into communities, lowering access barriers.
• Germany continues to strengthen local youth employment agencies and peer-led career awareness via vocational training ambassadors.
• Finland’s Ohjaamo centres offer one-stop, low-threshold support for young people, integrating education, health, and employment services.
• Norway and the UK are piloting multi-agency approaches and modular, just-in-time training like Skills Bootcamps, tailored to fast-changing labour market needs.

Despite national differences, common threads emerged: the importance of employer engagement, multi-agency collaboration, and personalised, accessible career guidance.
 

Beyond Structures and Strategies

Professor Terence Hogarth’s commentary added valuable depth to the discussion. He raised five key considerations that deserve ongoing attention:

Skills Ecosystems Are No Quick Fix
While ecosystems of employers, providers, and governments can drive transformation—as seen in Flanders’ textile revival—they rely on long-term trust, funding, and clearly defined roles. Importantly, the learner’s voice is often missing from these networks.

Uncertainty Is the New Normal
With AI, climate change, and geopolitical shifts reshaping work, skills anticipation is becoming more difficult. In response, Hogarth urged systems to prioritise foundational knowledge and adaptability over narrow, short-term skillsets.

Just-in-Time Training: Fast but Fragmented
Short, targeted learning (e.g. bootcamps, micro-credentials) is gaining ground. But is it sustainable for individuals constantly updating skills in a fluid labour market? What’s the cost to career identity and long-term development?

CVET: The Weak Link?
While initial vocational education (IVET) is generally well-structured, continuing vocational education (CVET) remains fragmented and underfunded—just as lifelong learning becomes more essential.

The Changing Employment Relationship
As labour markets become more flexible and less secure, employers may invest less in training. This shifts the burden to public systems—raising tough questions about who should pay for upskilling in the future.

Takeaway: A Time for Rethinking, Not Just Reform

The workshop made one thing clear: VET systems across Europe are innovating—but they must also adapt to deeper social and economic changes. Building strong guidance systems, fostering collaborative ecosystems, and ensuring inclusive access are all vital steps.

Yet, without grappling with uncertainty, funding, and the lived realities of learners, reform risks becoming superficial. The challenge is not just to train for today’s jobs—but to equip people with the confidence and capability to navigate tomorrow’s unknowns.

To explore the case studies and project findings, visit skills2capabilities.eu

Vocational Education and Training systems in practice:
Country Case Studies (PDF)

Coming this autumn: A cross-country comparative report with policy recommendations