The future of vocational education in EU

Up to day from founding Turkish Republic as a new country, the qualitative andquantitative results of VET are threatening to Turkey?s economy of 21 century. Tostruggle this threat Turkey should promote VET with European partners.Nevertheless VET is not becoming popular among scientists and politic makers inTurkey. There are not sufficient researches and works related VET for politic makersand specialists working on this area. Some civil organizations -doing independentacademically researches and project- do not exist. Turkish National EducationMinistry uses its own sources from some authorities acting under himself. Thisimplies great contrast between privatization understanding and realty. The numberof academic studies is really below because of the lack of interest from bothacademic and politic life.General purpose of the study is to make a contribution for Turkish VET system byreviewing merely VET systems of competitive countries such as USA, Canada, EUand Australia. Educational and economical reports of countries? relatedorganizations were used in this study such as CEDEFOP and NAVE or Turkishauthorities such as ministry of education and NGOs such as TUSIAD.EU is lacking back in economical competing. To maintain the competitive position,EU is strengthening European human capital by supporting vocational and technicaleducation as a complementing part of life long learning that is European Politics onhuman resource.The main instruments of improvement VET are ?mobility- to provide mutual andpeer learning, - identification of all qualifications- to simplify mobility and to widentransparency (Europass), -quality assurance- for competence standardization, -incentives- to involve all stakeholders into life long learning from all sector level.EU is trying to create a learning encourage pact in public and state level to ensurelife long learning. Turkey stands extremely far from creating such an atmosphere thathas potential to take interest from all stakeholders. Turkey should break this viciouscircle and get them involved all related organizations into VET systems both inplanning and implementing.Salim KOCABAS, February 2008www.salimkocabas.com