{"id":36555,"date":"2025-07-04T13:25:22","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T11:25:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/?p=36555"},"modified":"2025-07-04T13:26:22","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T11:26:22","slug":"the-role-of-vocational-education-and-training-in-green-transformation-transformational-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/2025\/07\/04\/the-role-of-vocational-education-and-training-in-green-transformation-transformational-practices\/","title":{"rendered":"The role of vocational education and training in the green transition: Transformational practices"},"content":{"rendered":"

In light of growing environmental challenges and ambitious climate goals, vocational education and training (VET) plays a key role key role in securing a skilled workforce<\/strong> for the green transformation. It is essential that young people entering the labour market, as well as adult workers, were equipped with the necessary skills to contribute to this transition and benefit fully from it. "Greening" VET<\/strong> It includes not only technical and craft skills, such as installing renewable energy systems, but also a broader environmental awareness that helps students understand the broader meaning of climate goals. This approach applies to all levels of the European Qualifications Framework, whether in formal educational settings or in informal settings linked to the workplace.<\/p>\n

Since 2021, the European Education Area Working Group on VET and the Green Transition has been working intensively on this topic, with this report<\/span><\/a> is its final publication. It synthesizes key insights and experiences from their mutual learning activities, webinars, and meetings.<\/p>\n

Building flexible and agile VET systems<\/strong><\/p>\n

The lack of green skills represents a significant obstacle to progress in Europe. Skills prediction systems<\/strong> they need to be able to collect up-to-date and detailed data from a variety of sources, including \u2018big data\u2019 techniques from online job postings, skills forecasts and surveys, so that programmes and qualifications can be quickly adapted to changing market needs. An example is Ireland\u2019s \u2018Green Skills 2030\u2019 strategy, which identifies strategic priorities including the integration of green and transversal competences into all programmes. In Germany, the \u2018Greenness of Jobs Index\u2019 research project examines the environmental transition in occupations and finds that climate-friendly occupations are better paid and require higher qualifications. VET programmes are being adapted to include not only technical but also transversal skills such as environmental awareness, teamwork and problem-solving. France has adopted holistic approach<\/strong>, which includes a common core of green awareness for all VET students and the development of specific qualifications for green jobs.<\/p>\n

Developing lifelong learning for a green transformation<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is important that there is coherence between all phases and types of VET, from initial VET to upskilling and reskilling of workers. This often requires creative innovations in the provision of adult VET<\/strong>, the use of both formal and informal opportunities, new delivery models based on public-private partnerships and new ways of accrediting skills, for example through micro-accreditations. In Germany, an updated national standard for all apprentices in the dual system on \u2018environmental protection and sustainability\u2019 has been in force since 2021. An example of retraining workers is the Irish \u2018Peatlands Climate Action Scheme\u2019, where workers from the peat extraction sector were retrained to restore peatlands. Guidance, coaching and counselling are essential elements of lifelong learning for the green transition, helping young people find training and adult workers retrain for new occupations.<\/p>\n

Pioneers in the development of green technologies, innovation and entrepreneurship<\/strong><\/p>\n

VET is ideally placed to develop the skills needed for green technologies, for example through practical project-based learning and competitions<\/strong>. It can link technology, innovation and entrepreneurship by integrating cutting-edge technologies and sustainable practices into the curriculum. The EU-funded GREENOVET project is an example of an effort to develop VET excellence with a focus on green innovation. Other initiatives, such as the E2MILY GT project in Austria, have shown significant progress in the development of zero-emission electric cars using sustainable materials. Supporting entrepreneurship is key to turning skills and innovative practices into business opportunities. The ENVIPARK Competence Centre in Turin (Italy) supports companies, research institutions and public administrations in innovation and access to test sites.<\/p>\n

Building broader partnerships and ensuring an inclusive transition<\/strong><\/p>\n

Complex environmental challenges require multidisciplinary solutions and involvement of a wide range of actors<\/strong> in VET. Cooperation and partnerships bring new approaches and expertise. An example is the CHEMIE3 initiative in the German chemical industry, which is an alliance between trade associations, unions and employer organisations to embed sustainability as a guiding principle. VET is also key for ensuring an inclusive transition<\/strong>, especially for communities affected by job losses in carbon-intensive sectors. Upskilling and reskilling ensure that the benefits of the green transition are shared fairly. An example is the \u00d6KO Booster project in Vienna, which targets young people aged 18 to 24 who have not yet completed their education and supports them in technical and craft occupations.<\/p>\n

International involvement<\/strong><\/p>\n

Climate and other environmental crises do not recognize national borders, which is why it is international cooperation in VET is key<\/strong>. Mobility programmes such as Erasmus+ allow students and teachers to gain knowledge about different approaches to environmental issues. Transnational projects such as AppInternN or the Climate Change Teachers' Academy (CLIMADEMY) facilitate the sharing of good practices and the development of solutions to common environmental challenges. International partnerships and tools based on shared reference points help to avoid duplication of efforts and offer opportunities for mutual learning. The work of the Task Force, documented in this report and in the two editions of the Compendium of Inspiring Practices, is highly relevant in the context of initiatives such as the 'Skills Union' and the 'Clean Industry Deal', which highlight the need for a skilled workforce for the transition to a low-carbon economy. Spring<\/strong><\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In light of growing environmental challenges and ambitious climate targets, vocational education and training (VET) plays a key role in ensuring a skilled workforce for the green transition. It is essential that<\/p>","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-znizovanie_co2_cdr_ccs_ccu_dac"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36555"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36555\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}