January 30, EuropeOn’s Secretary General, Julie Beaufils, attended the launch of the VET Students Advisory Board at the European Parliament. Organised by MEP Brigitte Van den Berg, a long-standing advocate for skills development, the initiative aims to shift the conversation from talking about VET students to working with them.

The launch brought together VET students and experts working on vocational education and training in Europe. Developed in partnership with the Dutch VET ecosystem, the Advisory Board will meet twice a year and contribute to a report addressing better recognition of VET degrees, improving the attractiveness of VET pathways, and promoting Erasmus+ for VET.

During the event, MEP Van den Berg highlighted how greater mobility can make VET careers more attractive across Europe. Julie Beaufils emphasised the urgent need to attract more VET students, particularly those with strong technical skills, to support Europe’s energy and digital transitions. She also showcased a best practice from our Dutch member Techniek Nederland: the campaign “De makers van morgen” (The makers of tomorrow).

During a short exchange with first-year students in digital technologies, Julie noted their optimism about rapidly evolving technologies and the exciting career opportunities they are opening for the next generation.

This initiative sends a clear signal that policymakers are taking concrete steps to promote vocational education and training. Its timing is particularly relevant, as the European Commission has recently opened a consultation on the upcoming VET Strategy, expected to be released later this year. EuropeOn looks forward to this new strategy, and has already contributed input, offering recommendations to the European Commission and raising some concerns on the use of microcredentials and the automatic recognition of qualifications.