As digitalisation and the green transition change labour markets around the world, vocational education and training can help get people ahead of the curve and support job growth. According to the just released 2023 edition of Education at a Glance, 45% of all upper secondary students are enrolled in vocational programmes across the OECD. This rises to more than two-thirds in some countries. We need to ensure that the training they get is relevant and connects them to the labour market.
The most successful programmes usually include some form of on-the-job training. This gives students crucial workplace experience where they can apply classroom theory, learn from co-workers, get feedback and find out whether they actually enjoy the role. However, not all vocational programmes offer learning in the workplace. In fact, on average less than half of learners in upper secondary vocational courses have substantial work-based learning experiences, according to OECD data. In several countries, such programmes are practically non-existent. Many experience little more than their classrooms. This is a missed opportunity for both learners and employers.
In a world where technologies increasingly stretch the limits of our imagination, vocational courses are only going to become more important. A wider array of education and skills-building programmes will be needed. Employers can take more responsibility for designing vocational courses to make them more effective and relevant. They should work with teachers, policymakers, and other stakeholders to provide guidance on what skills are needed, what content should be taught, and how learning should be assessed. This cooperation already happens in different forms – but not often enough and typically with a small group of employers only. For example, many countries have set up dedicated structures at the national, sectoral, regional and institutional level to engage relevant stakeholders in an effort to make the system more responsive to their needs.
