The standing and status of vocational education and training in Denmark

Looking at the current figures for enrolment and completion, vocational education and training (VET) in Denmark is in a bad way. Over the course of the last 15 years, significantly fewer students have enrolled in VET, whereas enrolments in general upper secondary education have increased. Furthermore, approximately half the students enrolling in VET do not complete the programme. This has been widely interpreted as reflecting a loss of prestige for VET. This article examines assumptions regarding the reasons for the low standing and status of VET among young people that inspired the initiatives comprising the 2014 reform of Danish VET. It also summarises the findings of research on the impact of these initiatives. Concluding that the 2014 reform has had no impact on either enrolment or completion rates, the article provides a number of explanations for the lack of effect; explanations that can be used to assess the likelihood of success for current and future measures to improve the standing and status of VET.