In late June, the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) considered a crucial own-initiative draft report by Dutch MEP Brigitte van den Berg. Titled "Boosting skills in the Union - opportunities for vocational education and training in times of transition," the report is intended to lay the groundwork for the European Commission's forthcoming Vocational Education and Training (VET) Strategy, which is scheduled for release this October [1]. While it might seem like standard parliamentary procedure, this report represents a significant signal regarding how Europe intends to navigate the profound economic and technological shifts currently underway, particularly the integration of artificial intelligence into the workplace.

The core argument of the draft report is a call for a fundamental societal and cultural shift in how vocational education is perceived and supported [2]. Despite nearly half of all upper-secondary students in the European Union being enrolled in vocational programmes, VET continues to be undervalued compared to traditional academic education. The report highlights that this perception gap is not merely a matter of prestige; it creates tangible barriers to economic resilience. It exacerbates critical skills shortages in the very technical and vocational occupations that are essential for driving both the green and digital transitions [3].

To address this, the rapporteur makes several bold proposals. She argues that VET must be recognised as a genuinely equal learning pathway. Notably, the report calls on the European Commission to reconsider the EU-level target for higher education attainment as the primary benchmark of educational success, arguing that such a target inadvertently undermines the intention to value vocational pathways equally [3]. Furthermore, the report insists on a substantial increase in the budget allocation for VET within the Erasmus+ programme. The aim is to significantly boost learning mobility for VET students and apprentices, moving toward practical parity with the mobility opportunities long enjoyed by university students [2].

This push to elevate the status of VET is deeply intertwined with the ongoing debate about artificial intelligence and the future of work. As AI systems become more capable and ubiquitous, the nature of many jobs is changing rapidly. The assumption that AI will primarily automate manual labour has proven incorrect; instead, we are seeing significant impacts on cognitive tasks, administration, and technical roles. In this environment, a responsive, high-quality vocational education system is not a luxury but a necessity. If European industries are to adopt AI effectively and ethically, they require a workforce equipped with a blend of practical technical skills, critical digital literacy, and the adaptability that good VET provides.

The debate surrounding the Van Den Berg report has galvanised various stakeholders across the European education and employment landscape. Organisations such as the European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (EfVET) and the European Vocational Training Association (EVTA) have been actively shaping the discourse leading up to the October strategy [4] [5]. In a recent position paper, EfVET echoed the need to ensure the quality and labour market relevance of VET, stressing that systems must be agile enough to respond to fast-changing economic realities [4]. They highlight the paradox where many young people feel overqualified for their current roles, while small and medium-sized enterprises simultaneously struggle to find workers with the specific technical skills needed to implement new technologies like AI.

Similarly, discussions facilitated by the VET4EU2 network have emphasized that VET must be viewed not merely as a mechanism for short-term skills delivery, but as a strategic public infrastructure [5]. This infrastructure is vital for Europe’s digital transformation, social cohesion, and long-term societal resilience. The consensus among these provider networks is that the upcoming strategy must adopt a systemic, ecosystem-based approach. It must support learners with flexible pathways, empower teachers and trainers to update curricula rapidly, and foster robust innovation ecosystems through initiatives like the Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs).

The implications for the intersection of AI and education are profound. Modernising VET to meet the demands of the AI era requires more than just adding a module on machine learning to existing courses. It demands a holistic approach to institutional readiness, encompassing updated curricula, continuous professional development for educators, and investment in sovereign, interoperable digital infrastructure. If the Van Den Berg report’s recommendations are taken seriously in the forthcoming VET Strategy, we may see a much-needed shift in resources and political will toward the vocational sector. Equipping the workforce for the AI transition depends entirely on building a VET system that is agile, well-funded, and finally accorded the societal respect it deserves.

References

[1] EU Agenda. (2026). Highlights - Boosting skills in the Union VET opportunities in times of transition - Committee on Employment and Social Affairs. https://euagenda.eu/news/928478

[2] SwissCore. (2026). Van den Berg’s VET agenda: A societal change is needed. https://www.swisscore.org/van-den-bergs-vet-agenda-a-societal-change-is-needed/

[3] Pontydysgu. (2026). The Future of Vocational Education and Training in Europe: Signals from the Parliament, Spain, and Beyond. https://pontydysgu.eu/2026/06/the-future-of-vocational-education-and-training-in-europe-signals-from-the-parliament-spain-and-beyond/

[4] EfVET. (2026). A contribution to the European Strategy for Vocational Education and Training: Position Paper. https://efvet.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/European-VET-Strategy-EfVET-Position-Paper.pdf

[5] EVTA. (2026). From Evidence to Action: Shaping the Next European VET Strategy Together. https://www.evta.eu/2026/01/29/from-evidence-to-action-shaping-the-next-european-vet-strategy-together/