How do you get more young people to choose vocational education?

The declining interest in becoming a bricklayer, electrician or social and healthcare assistant is one of the biggest political headaches of recent years.

This is because the number of young people opting out of vocational education is in direct contradiction to the growing need for skilled labour for the transition to sustainability, the healthcare sector and the care of older people. Analyses have shown that there will be a shortage of 100,000 skilled workers in Denmark by 2030.

So why is it that fewer young people are taking a vocational education in Denmark, whereas the number of young Spaniards and Estonians who are turning to vocational programmes is increasing? And how did Croatia manage to get 70 per cent of its young people to choose a vocational education?

Ask the young people themselves

These are some of the questions that education researchers from the University of Southern Denmark and four other European universities will find in-depth answers to in a major new EU research project that has just received DKK 21 million.

The core of the project is to ask the young people themselves. For instance, they will be asked about their choice of youth education and what is required for them to complete their education.

Therefore, researchers in the project will ask 7,500 young Europeans across borders about their educational choices and follow their journeys through vocational education.

And Ane Qvortrup, professor and head of SDU’s Center for Gymnasie – og Erhvervsskoleforskning [centre for high school and vocational education research], who is heading the project, is looking forward to introducing some solid knowledge into the debate about vocational schools.

- In Denmark, we don’t have much solid research on vocational schools, but with our project we’ll get nuanced answers to what makes young Danes and other young Europeans choose or opt out of vocational education and either complete or drop out of the programmes, she says and maintains:

- It is our hope that over the next three years the project will contribute to better vocational education and training both in Denmark and at the European level.

Plenty to learn from other countries

The SDU professor has no doubt that there is plenty of learning and inspiration to be gained from gathering and sharing knowledge and experience about vocational education programmes.

- In Denmark, we have challenges with educational counselling and bridge building between school and youth education. The transition can easily come down to where the best canteen and the coolest buildings are. I’m sure we can learn something from other European countries about support and guidance during the transition,’ says Ane Qvortrup and elaborates:

- In the project, we will also be investigating how school can prepare young people to make educational choices based on knowledge about what can be gained from vocational education and other youth education programmes.

Another perspective of the project is to look at the value placed on vocational education and training in different parts of Europe.

- We will focus on the different narratives associated with vocational education in different parts of Europe. In this way, we can map the social mechanisms that influence young people’s educational choices in different areas. We’re looking forward to learning a lot more about this in the coming years,’ says Ane Qvortrup.

For the researchers in the EU project, it is crucial that they also get to share the knowledge gathered in the project. Therefore, co-creation seminars will be organised annually during the project period to bring together researchers, students, stakeholders and politicians in the field of vocational education for inspiration and knowledge sharing.

- It is crucial that the development of vocational schools happens in practice. So we’re looking forward to inviting stakeholders, students and politicians to annual seminars, so that both politicians and stakeholders gain solid knowledge and have ample opportunity to discuss the development and transformation of the area,’ says Ane Qvortrup.