Democracy can no longer be taken for granted in Europe. Perhaps it never really was, but a series of overlapping crises has made its fragility more visible than ever. Few would dispute that democracy depends on education, and that education plays a crucial role in sustaining democratic societies. What is far less clear is what this means for vocational education – and, more specifically, for the training of vocational teachers. This matters because vocational education reaches learners who are often most exposed to social, economic and political tensions, yet democracy education is still treated as marginal in this field.
Work and politics are widely seen as separate worlds, and in most workplaces heated political discussions are deliberately avoided. This separation is reflected in vocational education, where political questions are frequently seen as irrelevant or inappropriate, even though work itself is deeply shaped by political decisions. However, treating vocational education as politically neutral does not remove politics from learning – it simply leaves learners unprepared to understand or influence the forces shaping their working lives. What does this imply for the education of vocational teachers? First, the diversity of vocational teachers needs to be acknowledged. There is no other sector of education where teachers come with such varied qualifications, training routes, professional backgrounds and work experiences.
This diversity makes simple solutions impossible, but it does allow some general principles to be identified. One important step is to include dedicated courses on democracy learning in vocational teacher education. This does not contradict the idea that democracy is a cross-cutting theme. On the contrary, it is a precondition for embedding democratic learning across subjects. Schools and teacher education institutions need experts in this area, but all teachers also need basic awareness and competences.
Secondly, work and politics need to be linked within vocational subjects themselves. Work shapes people’s lives, creates political problems and offers potential solutions. It reflects social inequalities and is structured by political frameworks such as labour law, social protection and economic policy. Teachers should be supported to explore these links critically, without placing vocational logic above democratic values, or vice versa. This approach not only strengthens students’ democratic competences, such as dealing with contradictions and forming independent judgements, but can also deepen subject-specific learning by connecting it to real societal challenges.
Thirdly, vocational teachers need opportunities during their training to reflect critically on their own educational and professional pathways, as well as on the living and working conditions of their students. This reflection is essential for democratic teaching and learning. It also helps both teachers and learners to orient themselves in a world marked by uncertainty, crises and conflicting demands. Learning about democracy is never merely a matter of conveying content; rather, it must always align its goals and methods with the learners’ everyday life contexts.
Hence, contrary to common assumptions, vocational education does not offer fewer opportunities for democracy education – it offers more. Realising this potential depends on teacher education that takes a holistic view of work, education and society, and recognises democracy learning as an integral part of vocational professionalism.
Written by
Jörg Markowitsch is Founder and Senior Partner of 3s Research & Consulting and Honorary Associate Professor at the Institute of Employment Research at the University of Warwick. His areas of research and publication include lifelong learning, comparative studies in vocational education, skills governance and European educational policy.
Stefan Schmid-Heher is a lecturer at the University College of Teacher Education Vienna, specialising in citizenship education. Previously he worked as a vocational school teacher and in extra-curricular historical and political education. His main focus is on the challenges and potential of learning democracy in VET.