In several European countries, fewer students now opt for initial vocational education and training (VET), preferring higher, academically oriented education. The cause and extent of this trend is unclear. Outside traditional VET, however – often at higher education levels – vocationally oriented education and training is gaining ground.
So, falling numbers in initial VET could be deceptive. Vocational education and training in Europe is evidently finding new forms and new roles, and it is being delivered by a wider range of institutions, both public and private.