Flourishing democracies not only require strong institutions, but cultures in which citizens hold democratic values and have access to opportunities to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to sustain democracy. Recognising this, the Council of Europe has made the development of Competences for Democratic Culture (CDC) central to its Education Strategy, outlining 20 competences essential for effective participation in democratic societies. Vocational Education and Training (VET) sits at an interesting intersection here. VET learners move regularly between classroom and workplace, creating unique opportunities to practice democratic participation in real-world settings. However, VET learners also have significantly less access to participation activities than their academic peers, and are more likely to come from socioeconomic backgrounds where fewer participate in activities like voting. In short, those placed to benefit most from developing democratic competences currently have the least access to them.
Contributing to a new anthology from the Council of Europe, we discuss how learner participation within VET can help develop competencies that promote democratic culture and help develop democratic citizens. Learner participation takes many forms, including feedback, contributing ideas, expressing perspectives (or ‘voice’), and otherwise contributing to decision-making. The big question is how to create systematic opportunities within VET to develop these competences in meaningful ways.
What democratic learner participation looks like in VET
Democratic participation exists along a spectrum, from learning about democratic rights to actively wielding power in national decision-making. Understanding this range helps us clarify what meaningful learner participation involves. At one end, learners can develop foundational knowledge that strengthens their political awareness. In the UK, for example, many apprentices complete workbooks requiring them to read and critically engage with workplace rights and responsibilities. This is an essential first step.
Further along the spectrum, learners can experience democratic practices in action. Examples include Erasmus+ programmes that expose VET learners to new cultural and professional contexts, or regional initiatives like The Acro Park in south-east of Norway – a youth fellowship space within a vocational school. It includes makerspaces, studios, and recreation areas co-governed by learners and adults, who jointly decide which activities to run, what equipment to purchase, and how to manage budgets.
Finally, learner participation can involve influencing national policy. The UK’s National Society of Apprentices (NSoA), which represents 700,000 apprentices, discovered that nearly 200,000 young apprentices were excluded from statutory sick pay. By gathering evidence, presenting to parliament, and mobilising collective voice, NSoA successfully had the law changed. Similarly, the European Apprentices Network (EAN) has supported learner organisations, like JobMBO in the Netherlands, to make representations to government about access to VET. These examples reveal how VET’s dual environments can offer unique opportunities for democratic participation. But without intentional coordination, learners can easily experience disconnected practices, making it difficult to develop a coherent understanding of their role as active citizens.
A key challenge facing VET is learners’ inconsistent access to participation. Enthusiastic teachers, trainers, or employers can create powerful learning opportunities, but this model is inherently unstable and inequitable. True empowerment requires systemic structures that strengthen learners’ political efficacy, instilling ownership and responsibility. Ideally, VET should integrate frameworks that combine dedicated staff roles for facilitating learner participation, regular forums for dialogue between learners and decision-makers, and training programmes that develop advocacy skills. Austria already models this approach with federal learner and youth trust councils for pupils and apprentices, while Norway has embedded the right to participation directly into its Education Act and core curriculum.
As discussed, representative bodies like NSoA and EAN also play roles in amplifying collective voice. Through these organisations, learners can access debate, formulate policy and advocate for peers. The role of digital platforms is also an area to watch, especially in work environments that create logistical barriers to VET learner participation, such as scheduling conflicts. Crucially, what these systemic structures provide is an essential equalising function that can offset disadvantage. When learners understand their rights and the power of collective voice before entering the workforce, they are better equipped later to challenge unfair treatment, engage with unions and professional bodies, and build inclusive practices within their workplaces and wider communities.
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What this means for democracy
Democratic health is often measured by a society’s level of active citizenship. Strengthening learner participation within VET is a key way of nurturing both skilled professionals and engaged citizens, who are empowered to shape both their careers and the societies around them. Over recent decades, enhanced focus on participation has already transformed traditionally top-down VET systems. Learners are increasingly involved when major decisions are made, while legal frameworks have repositioned participation as the norm, rather than as a radical experiment. Across Europe, we are seeing a growing shift from individual to systemic approaches to learners’ democratic participation.
However, ensuring that VET and participation become inherently intertwined requires continuing commitment. Policymakers must create legal frameworks and funding structures that support learner participation. Educators and trainers must facilitate it as a core practice, not as ‘optional extra’. Employers must recognise apprentices with rights to voice and influence, not just junior workers. And learners themselves need to engage with the representative structures and opportunities that are available to them. The goal is clear – namely, democratic participation must be woven into the fabric of VET so that learners become skilled professionals and active, empowered citizens. But only a systemic approach will ensure every learner has opportunities to participate, influence, and shape the world around them.
Written by
Andrea Laczik, Director of Research at Edge Foundation, Tessa Eriksen Grevle, Ph.D. Candidate at Oslo Metropolitan University and teacher, Simon Hawthorn, Leadership Team of National Society of Apprentices and Portfolio Sponsor at Transport for London