Preparing today for tomorrow’s world of work
Vocational education and training (VET) has always changed together with the labour market. Today, however, the pace of change is making this relationship more demanding. Digital technologies and artificial intelligence are changing how people work, the green transition is creating new skills needs, and demographic change is affecting the availability of workers across Europe. For VET providers, the challenge is not simply to respond to these developments when they become visible. Training programmes take time to update, teachers need time to develop new competences, and investment in equipment and learning resources needs to be planned in advance. This means that VET also needs to look ahead. Foresight can support this process. It helps educators explore emerging trends, consider different possible futures and discuss what these developments could mean for occupations and skills. It is not about predicting exactly what will happen. It is about being better prepared for change. This is increasingly important in European skills policy. Cedefop’s skills forecast to 2035 points to continuing changes in the structure of employment and demand for skills, driven by factors including digitalisation, the green transition and demographic developments (Cedefop, 2025).
Source: Magnific
| The future of VET needs to be built together
VET providers cannot prepare for future skills needs alone. Employers have direct knowledge of changes taking place in workplaces. Teachers and trainers understand how these changes can be translated into learning. Learners can provide another perspective on how training prepares them for real working environments. Cooperation between these groups makes future planning stronger. This cooperation is particularly useful when change is uncertain. Employers may see early signals in their sector, while educators can consider what these signals mean for training. Together, they can decide which developments require action now and which should continue to be monitored.
Source: Magnific
| Teachers and trainers are central to change
Teachers and trainers are often the link between curriculum requirements, learners and the changing world of work. They need not only up-to-date occupational knowledge, but also the confidence to recognise emerging skills needs and adapt learning activities when circumstances change. This is an important part of the SkillWIZ approach. Foresight should not remain a specialist activity used only by policymakers or researchers. It can become a practical competence for VET professionals.
New technologies and new learning methods can create opportunities, but not every learner starts from the same position. Future planning should therefore consider who may need additional support and how new training opportunities can remain accessible to learners with different backgrounds and needs.
| From foresight to everyday practice
For a vocational education provider, the result of future foresight might be a minor curriculum update, new learning activities, closer collaboration with an employer, or additional training for teachers. In other cases, it might lead to a broader program review or investment in new equipment.
Through a competency framework, training materials, workshops, and a handbook, SkillWIZ aims to facilitate the use of future foresight in everyday vocational education practice. These resources can help trainers recognize signals of change, explore possible future scenarios, and translate them into decisions about skills and learning. The goal is not to know exactly what the workplace will look like in 2030 or 2035. No vocational education provider can know this with certainty. The goal is to be prepared to ask better questions, spot significant changes earlier, and respond before skills gaps become intractable.
| Key Takeaways
The future of vocational education will be shaped by technological, environmental, economic, and demographic changes. Vocational education providers cannot control these changes, but they can better prepare for them.
Foreseeing the future is a practical way to look ahead, and collaborating with employers, educators, and learners helps turn future thinking into action. By implementing these practices into everyday vocational education, providers can adapt training earlier and prepare students for a job market that will continue to evolve.