GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

They provide opportunities for initial training of young people as well as the continuing up-skilling and re-skilling of adults, through flexible and timely offer of training that meets the needs of a dynamic labour market, in the context of the green and digital transitions. They act as catalysts for local business innovation, by working closely with companies and in particular SMEs. 

The concept of Vocational Excellence proposed here is characterised by a holistic learner centred approach in which VET:

• Is an integrated part of skills ecosystems, contributing to regional development140, innovation141, smart specialisation and clusters strategies, as well as to specific value chains and industrial ecosystems
• Is part of knowledge triangles, working closely with other education and training sectors, the scientific community, the creative sector, and business
•  Enables learners to acquire both vocational (job specific) as well as key competences146 through high quality provision that is underpinned by quality assurance
•  Builds innovative forms of partnerships with the world of work, and is supported by the continuous professional development of teaching and training staff, innovative pedagogies, learner and staff mobility and VET internationalisation strategies

Centres of Vocational Excellence will operate at two levels:

1. At national level involving a wide range of local stakeholders creating skills ecosystems for local innovation, regional development, and social inclusion, while working with CoVEs in other countries through international collaborative networks. 2) At international level bringing together CoVEs that share a common interest in:

• specific sectors or industrial ecosystems
• innovative approaches to tackle societal challenges (e.g. climate change, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, sustainable development goals, integration of migrants, upskilling people with low qualification levels, etc.), or
• innovative approaches to increase the outreach, quality and effectiveness of existing CoVEs