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

2.2 Research on the role VET teachers/trainers in green and digital
transition

VET teachers and trainers play a crucial role in the educational landscape, particularly in the context
of preparing learners for specific industries, professions and careers. Their influence goes beyond
traditional teaching: they are central in shaping the future workforce to meet changing labor market
demands and societal evolutions. VET teachers are central to driving the green and digital transitions
within vocational education. Their pedagogical role encompasses:

➢ Design VET curricula, that combine theoretical knowledge with practical skills. They customize
training content aligned with industry standards and technological advancements,
guaranteeing relevance and applicability
➢ Focus on competence-based learning, to ensure learners develop both hard and soft skills
through practical training and real-world applications
➢ Embedding sustainability and digital competencies into the curriculum and ensuring that
learners are equipped with the skills needed for the future workforce

Regarding the integration of environmental sustainability into vocational education, all teachers
and trainers, despite of the specific subject taught, can include in their teaching elements of
sustainability and environmental protection, being transversal issues that can be linked into many
topics and themes. Energy and resources saving, waste management and recycling are topics that
apply to all the working fields. Naturally, however, as regards the more technical subjects that
allow it, teachers can develop and deliver curricula that emphasize environmental-related
elements, such as: renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable practices applied to the
specific industries. The relevant contribution of VET teachers could include even the creation of
specialized courses and practical training modules focused on green technologies. By doing so,
they can ensure that students gain hands-on experience and relevant knowledge to work in
emerging green industries. In addition to curricula integration and development, VET trainers and
teachers can play a crucial role in raising awareness about sustainability issues. Like all kinds of
educators, they can promote eco-friendly practices within educational institutions, enhancing a
culture of environmental responsibility among learners, colleagues and the management staff.
This can include, for example, the organization of events, workshops, discussions, and projects that
emphasize the relevance of sustainability in learning and working environments all the aspects of
human life and encourage learners to adopt green practices in their daily lives. VET teachers and
trainers are key-actors also in driving the digital transition. Currently, and especially after Covid-19
pandemics, they have adopted blended learning approaches that combine online and face-to-face
education, making the learning process more flexible, adapted to different needs in a view of
inclusion and accessible. They use a wide range digital tools, supports and platforms. These digital
tools help create interactive and engaging learning experiences, enabling learners to develop the
digital competencies needed for their future careers. VET teachers and trainers could also support
the integration digital skills into all vocational programs, ensuring that digital literacy and advanced
digital skills are key-elements of the VET curricula. This embeds teaching basic digital
competencies, update programs including the teaching of specific ICT tools and technologies
related to the VET sector learners are studying as well as specialized skills such as coding, data
analysis, and cybersecurity. The integration of digital tools and green technologies into VET

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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.