Page 21 - t_en

MET-VET – Metacognition for
Environmental Thinking in VET
Project number:
2021-2-PL01-KA220-VET-000050783

PART B - Pan-European VET mentoring and professional
development schemes

2.1 The role of VET Systems/Centres in green and digital transition

Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems are crucial in guiding the green and digital transitions,
that are pivotal to achieve the EU's climate neutrality and digitalization goals, as defined in the
European Green Deal and the Digital Strategy.
VET systems have the essential role of equipping the workforce with the skills needed for emerging
jobs related to green and digital sectors. This involves integrating sustainability and digital
competencies into VET curricula, improving the quality of training, and enhancing innovation. The
European Commission highlights the necessity of VET reforms to support sustainable competitiveness,
social fairness, and resilience.
The European Commission has outlined many strategies and initiatives to support VET systems in the
green and digital transitions. Key documents such as the “Strategic Foresight Report” and the "Towards
a green and digital future" emphasize the importance of managing these transitions in a proactive and
integrative way. They are interconnected: digital technologies can help to achieve climate neutrality
through the optimization of energy use, the reduction of emissions, and the enhancing of sustainable
practices in different sectors.
The European Union has made important strides in integrating green and digital transitions within VET
systems. These efforts are mainly guided by the European Green Deal, which aims for a climate-neutral
continent by 2050, and the Digital Education Action Plan, which supports the development of digital
competencies.
For example, in the framework of the European Education Area, that fosters collaboration among
European Union Member States to build more resilient and inclusive national education and training
systems, the European Commission has created the “Working Group on VET and the Green Transition”.
The main objective of this Working Group is to facilitate technical exchanges to support Member States
in adopting the principles and goals of:
- the Council Recommendation on VET for enhancing sustainable competitiveness, promoting social
equity, and strengthening resilience.
- the Osnabrück Declaration, which positions VET as a crucial factor for recovery and equitable
transitions to digital and green economies, with a strong emphasis on the green transition.
The working group has been instrumental in promoting environmentally sustainable practices, among
them, the integration of green skills into VET curricula and raising awareness of sustainable practices
among learners. As a part of its activity, the “Working Group on VET and the Green Transition” has
gathered in a Compendium key lessons from inspiring practices applied across Europe .
The policy brief “Cities in transition - How vocational education and training can help cities become
smarter and greener” by CEDEFOP underlines the role that VET systems have in making cities smarter
and greener: this involves providing learners with the skills needed for jobs in sustainable urban
development and environmental management.
Regarding the Digital Transition in VET, the Report “Integrating digital skills and competences in VET
curricula and programmes” by CEDEFOP emphasizes that the adaptation of VET curricula to include
digital competencies ensures that graduates are prepared for the digitalized labor market.
21
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not
necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither
the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.