Commission Communication on a New Impetus for Vocational Education and Training

On 9 June 2010, the European Commission released a Communication on a New Impetus for Vocational Education and Training.

The Communication provides a full review of how VET should support the Europe 2020 strategy, the Commission's new economic strategy for the decade ahead.

Although the Communication does not address in detail the opportunities of a greater use of ICT in Vocational Education and Training, it identifies the need for "initial vocational education and training (IVET) (to) equip young learners with skills directly relevant to evolving labour markets, such as e-skills, and highly developed key competences; such as digital and media literacy to achieve digital competence". It furthermore emphasises that "Virtual mobility" through the use of ICT (e-learning) should be promoted to complement physical mobility". It also underlines the "need to promote active learning in both work and school-based VET and give individuals the opportunity to control and develop their own learning, also through the use of innovative, creative and tailored made ICT tools, including e-learning, to improve the access to and flexibility of training".

A full copy of the Communication can be downloaded here.