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- Education & training
- Lifelong Learning Policy
Vocational education and training (VET)
Better vocational education is vital if Europe is to respond adequately to its challenges of global competition, high numbers of low-skilled workers and young unemployed, and ageing populations.
EU-wide cooperation
The Commission acts together with EU governments, employers' and workers' groups and countries outside the EU to strengthen vocational education across Europe. The basis for this is the Copenhagen Process.
In 2010, these 33 countries agreed a package of common goals in vocational training for 2011-20, backed-up with concrete national measures and EU support. This package is known as the Bruges Communiqué 
.
EU agencies
The Commission's work on vocational education is supported by 2 agencies:
- European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) – provides information and analysis of education & training systems, policies, research and practice.
- European Training Foundation (ETF) – works on the development of education & training systems in EU partner countries, strengthening cooperation and coordinating funding.
Leonardo da Vinci programme
The Leonardo da Vinci programme (one of the EU's lifelong learning programmes) funds a wide range of vocational training measures, ranging from placements abroad to cooperation projects between training organisations in different countries.
As of 2014, it will be part of the Erasmus For All programme.
Priority areas
Quality & attractiveness
VET's popularity needs to be fostered among young people. Therefore, the EU is proposing policies to improve the quality of training (initial education, continuing development) and of teachers, trainers and other professionals in the sector, and make courses more relevant to the labour-market. Methods include:
- work-based-learning – Apprenticeships and alternative education models in Europe
- skills competitions – we support events like World Skills 2011Euroskills 2012
- improvement of national systems through the European quality assurance framework for vocational education (EQAVET).
Research by the Commission
Rethinking Education, the Commission's new strategy for education reform, proposes a number of initiatives in the field of VET to support smart and sustainable growth:
- The working document "Vocational education and training for better skills, growth and jobs " which is attached to the strategy, outlines suggestions for reforms of the VET sector
- Workshops on vocational excellence to support smart and sustainable growth which will bring together stakeholders from all over Europe – background documents and synthesis reports
- Final report "The role of vocational excellence for smart sustainable growth
- Report on US community colleges
Training the trainers
The Commission brings together experts from different countries to exchange good practice in teaching/training and support reform in national systems. It supports these with its own studies.
- Working group on vocational trainers UPCOMING
- Peer learning activities for vocational trainers
- Studies on vocational teachers & trainers
Lifelong learning & study/training abroad
Under its Youth on the move and Youth opportunities initiatives, the EU has set a target of 6% of learners in initial vocational education to undertake part of their training abroad.
It will also launch a quality framework for traineeships by end 2012 that will push for clearer legal/administrative information on study periods abroad and encourage employers to offer high-quality work placements.
The Commission is also encouraging employers to offer European traineeships, which will be accompanied by action to improve the quality of traineeships, including trainee feedback tools and more cooperation between business organisations and education/training institutions.
For example,We mean business, an initiative aiming to raise awareness among European employers of the positive benefits of hosting a trainee from the Erasmus or Leonardo da Vinci programmes.
Other lifelong learning/mobility instruments
Innovation & entrepreneurship
The Commission works to facilitate collaboration between providers of vocational education/training and drivers of innovation (innovating companies, design centres, the cultural sector and higher education) – by encouraging all sides to streamline their capacities within Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances.
The European Business Forum on Vocational Training promotes creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship in the sector.
Generally, entrepreneurship initiatives in initial and ongoing vocational education as well as the use of ICT in training are high on the EU's agenda.
Equity & social cohesion
This is about ensuring access to training for individuals and groups at risk of being excluded (the low- and unskilled, people with special needs or from disadvantaged backgrounds, and older workers, etc.).
The Commission is currently identifying best practice for this purpose.