IT
Since 2010-11, the VET system has been an official part of the national education system. Together with upper secondary school and apprenticeships, it allows for the fulfilment of the legal requirements for education, as well as the right and duty to education and training established by law.
The VET pathway provides third-year qualifications and fourth-year diplomas, which are listed in the National Register of Professional Profiles, referenced at EQF levels III and IV, respectively.
Since 2016, the dual system has been introduced as a method of delivering VET programmes. This system includes a greater portion of practical training in workplace settings (at least 400 hours of the entire training programme).
VET programmes are recognised as part of the second cycle of education, and the qualifications awarded are valid across the entire national territory. Offered by accredited training institutions, upper secondary schools, and businesses, the system provides flexibility and customisation in teaching and organisational pathways, emphasising practical learning in real-world contexts as opposed to purely academic pathways.
Mandatory internships with businesses are required starting from the second year, with the possibility of professional integration as early as the end of the third year.
The VET system, together with the IFTS and ITS Academy training pathways, forms the so-called extended professional training system. This system comprises independent training segments that can be combined into a single specialised pathway. In this pathway, VET serves as the starting point after secondary school, with the ITS system as the highest level.
The professional training system represents an opportunity to bridge the gap between the skill sets of graduates and the profiles sought by companies. This facilitates the matching of labour supply and demand, contributing to employment growth and the country’s economic development.