Towards the ETUCE 2020 Conference: Workshop on Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Education trade unions from across Europe came together to share their experiences and discuss the main trends and challenges in the VET sector. Lack of public investment, high private competition and the low attractiveness of the VET teaching profession are the common issues that cause shortages of VET teachers and undermine the quality of the VET sector over Europe.
In the framework of the quadrennial ETUCE Statutory Conference a series of pre-conference workshops bring together European education trade unions to discuss the main challenges in the education sector.
On 2 November 2020, the first workshop on Vocational Education and Training was held online bringing together more than 50 unionists to share views and exchange experiences on the main trends and challenges in the VET system.
Regardless of the differences of the national VET systems, education trade unions see that VET is still not a highly valued education sector and is very often perceived as a second choice for underperforming students. Some countries still train students for low and medium paid professions instead of providing them with high quality professional qualifications.
Many member organisations argue that the lack of public investment in the sector is one on the main obstacle for improving the quality of the VET systems. Across Europe, ETUCE member organisations report a problematic shortage of VET teachers due to the lack of funding and the low attractiveness of the VET teaching profession. Moreover, surveys conducted by trade unions report that the majority of VET teachers are not provided with updated equipment for training and lack support for continuous professional development.
In addition, the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic seriously impacted the VET sector as practical training could not be switched to online learning. ETUCE member organisations reported that during the lockdown several VET teachers and trainers lost their contract as a result of the shutdown of private companies. As private VET providers create high competitiveness in the sector and VET teachers are underpaid compared to their colleagues from other education sectors, education trade unions demand more cooperation between VET institutions and companies, social dialogue at national and European level and collective bargaining to enhance the quality of the VET system.
In views of these issues, education trade unions call on European governments and the European Union to guarantee adequate public funding to ensure a quality VET sector. The European Skills Agenda should also address national governments encouraging them to allocate more public funding to VET schools for adequate updated equipment for training, attractive salaries and fair working conditions for teachers. At European and national level, education trade unions demand more cooperation between VET institutions and companies and more social dialogue and collective bargaining to support VET teachers.
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