Green Transition and Sustainability in Vocational Education and Training

In 2024, Greece launched a nationwide apprenticeship class focused on green skills during the post-secondary year of initial vocational education and training (VET), aiming to prepare thousands of young learners for roles in sustainable industries such as renewable energy and circular economy practices. This initiative, highlighted in a European Commission report as a lighthouse practice, has already shown promise in bridging skill gaps and promoting employment in eco-friendly sectors, according to the 2024 Compendium of Inspiring Practices.

This example illustrates the growing momentum behind embedding sustainability into VET systems worldwide. As economies shift towards climate-neutral models, vocational education plays an important role in equipping individuals with the tools to navigate these changes. In this post, we'll explore how the green transition is reshaping VET, drawing on recent developments from Europe and beyond, including insights from the OECD's 2025 report on the topic.

Understanding the Green Transition in VET

The green transition refers to the shift towards an environmentally sustainable, circular, and climate-neutral economy. This transformation has profound implications for employment, requiring workers to adapt to new technologies, practices, and mindsets. Vocational education and training (VET) is at the forefront of this change, as it directly prepares young people and adults for evolving workplace demands.

According to recent analyses, nearly one-quarter of young VET graduates in OECD countries are employed in "green-driven" jobs—roles influenced by sustainability efforts, such as reducing fossil fuel dependency or enhancing energy efficiency. These positions span sectors like construction, transport, energy, and manufacturing, where VET qualifications are particularly prevalent. However, the transition also poses risks: around 8% of young VET graduates work in high greenhouse gas-emitting industries, making them vulnerable to job displacement.

Integrating sustainability into VET ensures that learners gain not just technical expertise but also the attitudes and competencies needed for a socially just transformation. This approach helps mitigate economic disruptions while promoting innovation in green technologies.

Key Green Skills for a Sustainable Economy

To support the green transition, VET programmes must prioritise a range of specialised skills. These competencies enable learners to contribute to decarbonisation and resource efficiency across industries. Key areas include:

• Energy Efficiency: Techniques for diagnosing, implementing, and monitoring solutions that reduce energy consumption in buildings and facilities, including smart energy management systems.
• Renewable Energy: Hands-on training in installing, maintaining, and managing sources like solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power, with emphasis on green electricity generation and renewable gases.
• Water Efficiency: Strategies for conserving water resources, such as wastewater treatment, rainwater harvesting, and intelligent monitoring to minimise losses and promote reuse.
• Sustainable Mobility: Skills in developing eco-friendly transport options, including electric vehicle maintenance, infrastructure for soft modes like cycling, and decarbonisation of heavy-duty vehicles.
• Circular Economy: Knowledge of material reuse, waste reduction, industrial symbiosis, and lifecycle assessments to extend product longevity and enhance resource management.
• Green Construction: Practices for using eco-friendly materials, designing energy-efficient structures, and applying sustainable building standards to lower environmental impacts.
• Sustainable Agriculture: Methods like organic farming, permaculture, and precision agriculture to optimise yields while preserving biodiversity and soil health.

Beyond technical skills, transferable competencies—such as leadership, project management, negotiation, and digital literacy—are essential. These enable VET graduates to adapt to rapid technological changes and advocate for sustainable practices in their workplaces.

European Initiatives Integrating Green Skills into VET

Several European countries have made significant strides in embedding the green transition into their VET frameworks, as noted in Cedefop's 2023 policy briefs and updated in 2025 reports. These efforts demonstrate diverse approaches to curriculum development and trainer preparation:

• Austria, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Hungary, and Slovenia: These nations have implemented specific measures, including updating VET curricula to incorporate sustainability modules and providing targeted training for VET instructors on green technologies.
• France and Latvia: Emphasis on future-oriented skills, with references to the green transition in national strategies for VET qualifications.
• Bulgaria, Estonia, Spain, Portugal, and Slovenia: Integration of green skills into qualification standards and training programmes, focusing on sectors like renewable energy and circular economy.
• Germany: A strong focus on upskilling VET trainers through specialised programmes on sustainability, ensuring knowledge transfer to learners.
• Portugal's Green Skills for Jobs Programme: Launched in 2023 with a €20 million budget, this initiative targets unemployed individuals and workers affected by energy costs. It offers certified modular courses (25-375 hours) in areas like energy efficiency and sustainable mobility, implemented by public employment services in collaboration with energy agencies. Priority is given to at-risk workers and underrepresented groups, promoting job retention and creation in low-carbon sectors.

Recent updates from the OECD highlight Finland's expansion of post-secondary VET in clean energy, battery technology, and electric vehicles, adding thousands of places in 2024 to meet green demands. Similarly, Greece's 2024 apprenticeship class serves as a model for nationwide rollout of green-focused training.

These examples underscore the importance of collaboration between VET institutions, governments, and industries.

The Importance of Sustainability in Vocational Education

Incorporating the green transition into VET offers multifaceted benefits, extending beyond environmental gains to economic and social advantages:

1. Upskilling the Workforce: VET equips learners with adaptable skills, helping them remain competitive as jobs evolve. This is vital in sectors facing rapid change, reducing unemployment risks.
2. Supporting Sustainable Industries: Graduates with green competencies drive growth in eco-friendly sectors, generating new jobs in renewables and circular practices while boosting economic resilience.
3. Promoting Social Justice: Accessible training ensures marginalised groups aren't left behind, facilitating a fair transition for workers in declining industries like fossil fuels.
4. Driving Innovation: Sustainability-focused curricula encourage creative solutions, leading to advancements in green technologies and efficient manufacturing processes.
5. Addressing Global Challenges: VET contributes to combating climate change, resource depletion, and biodiversity loss by preparing implementers of real-world solutions.
6. Enhancing Competitiveness: Nations prioritising green VET attract investments and create high-quality jobs, positioning them strongly in the global green economy.
7. Raising Environmental Awareness: Learners become advocates, spreading sustainable practices in communities and workplaces, amplifying the transition's impact.

As the OECD notes, VET graduates in green-driven roles often need higher-level qualifications for emerging high-skill jobs, highlighting the need for progression pathways.

Challenges in Implementing Green Transition in VET

Despite progress, integrating sustainability into VET faces hurdles:

• Rapid Technological Change: Green industries evolve quickly, demanding frequent curriculum updates to avoid outdated training.
• Trainer Expertise: Many instructors lack current knowledge in green technologies, necessitating ongoing professional development.
• Regional Disparities: Variations in implementation across countries and regions create unequal access to green skills training.
• Industry Collaboration: Stronger partnerships are needed to align VET with market needs, including work-based learning in sustainable enterprises.

Gender gaps also persist, with women underrepresented in green-driven jobs and men overexposed to displacement risks. Low participation in adult reskilling, especially among at-risk workers, compounds these issues.

Future Directions for Sustainable VET

To overcome these challenges, policymakers should:

• Develop national strategies with clear targets for green skills integration.
• Invest in trainer development through sustainability-focused programmes.
• Encourage cross-border sharing of best practices, as seen in EU compendiums.
• Implement monitoring to evaluate training impacts on employment and the environment.

The OECD recommends dynamic curricula using labour market data, expanded post-secondary options, and personalised reskilling with micro-credentials. Career guidance tools, like digital platforms highlighting green opportunities, can address biases and boost engagement.

By prioritising these steps, VET can empower workforces for a sustainable future, enhancing economic competitiveness and social cohesion.

In conclusion, the green transition in VET is not just an environmental imperative but a pathway to inclusive growth. As global challenges intensify, investing in sustainable education ensures no one is left behind in the shift to a climate-neutral world.

FAQs

What is the green transition in vocational education and training (VET)?
The green transition in VET involves integrating sustainability and green skills into curricula to prepare learners for a low-carbon economy, focusing on areas like renewable energy and circular practices.

Why are green skills important for VET learners?
Green skills enhance employability in emerging sustainable industries, support innovation, and contribute to addressing climate change while promoting social justice in workforce transitions.

Which countries are leading in integrating sustainability into VET?
Countries like Germany, Portugal, Finland, and Greece are at the forefront, with initiatives such as trainer upskilling, modular green courses, and nationwide apprenticeships.

What challenges does the green transition pose for VET systems?
Key challenges include keeping pace with technological changes, ensuring trainer expertise, addressing regional disparities, and strengthening industry partnerships for relevant training.

How can policymakers support the green transition in VET?
Policymakers can develop national strategies, invest in professional development, encourage collaborations, and establish evaluation mechanisms to measure impacts on sustainability and employment.