In February 2026, the European Apprentices Network (EAN), together with OBESSU, submitted a joint contribution to the EU VET Strategy Consultation, led by DG Employment. Following desk research and an extensive consultation process – including three online consultations, two surveys, and one in-person meeting with EAN and OBESSU members – and building on the positions included in the Position Paper on the Herning Declaration, the two organisations developed a series of recommendations. The outcome combines reflections on the challenges identified by VET learners and apprentices with key priorities to be addressed in the upcoming Strategy.

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The document covers five major topics, highlighting both the main challenges learners face and possible ways to address them:

1. Attractiveness of VET systems, pointing out that their negative perception is not only a communication issue, but also the result of structural challenges that leave VET systems under-resourced and its learners with fewer opportunities, compared to general education.
2. Lack of learners’ right and representation, which are essential components of learner-centred and whole-school approaches. Their limited presence reduces the attractiveness of VET and fails to adequately protect learners and apprentices in their dual status as students and workers.
3. Mental Health and Well-being, which require targeted measures, as VET learners and apprentices face specific challenges that are often not shared by their peers in general education. 
4. Mobility and Skills Portability, as international mobility remains out of reach for many VET learners and apprentices due to barriers such as insufficient funding and limited cross-border recognition of qualifications.
5. Digital VET, calling for a digitalisation process that genuinely supports learners and apprentices, through education-specific regulatory frameworks and adequate teacher training.

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As key representatives of VET learners and apprentices, and strong advocates for their meaningful involvement in decision-making, EAN and OBESSU call for the systematic integration of learners’ perspectives in the design, implementation, and monitoring of the upcoming VET Strategy. VET learners and apprentices are experts in their own education and training. Their voices are therefore essential to ensuring effective, impactful, and sustainable change in the long term.

Find the full document here.