Unfairly seen as a dumping ground, vocational education is today at the heart of a profound transformation. We want to turn it into a positive, demanding and forward-looking choice, capable of meeting both young people's aspirations and society's needs.
On the occasion of “vocational education month”, this ambition takes on particular resonance. Behind the well-known findings lies a more complex reality: that of a system in which the Wallonia-Brussels Federation invests heavily, but whose results in terms of professional integration are not yet up to par.
High investment, insufficient results
Every year, €1 billion is spent on vocational education in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. Yet:
- only 63% of students find a job in Brussels (75% in Wallonia, compared to 89% in Flanders)
- more than 12% of young people remain without a job, training or education
- 80% of school drop-out concerns vocational education
These figures reflect a persistent gap between training and realities on the ground. At the same time, many sectors, particularly technical and technological ones, face massive labour shortages. According to Embuild, the construction sector, for example, will need to recruit 30,000 people by 2030 to achieve the energy transition, while thousands of positions already remain vacant today.
This paradox calls for a structural response.
Revaluing vocational education by changing our perspective
Vocational education is not a dumping ground, but a path to excellence. A path that values what some call “the intelligence of the hand”. Contrary to certain misconceptions, this is not about pitting general education against vocational training. The ambition is, on the contrary, to combine them: guaranteeing a solid foundation of basic knowledge for our young people while developing concrete skills linked to their professional orientation.
This is also why the CESS obtained at the end of vocational or professional studies can also lead to higher education.
Better guidance for a positive choice
Too often, students discover professions late, sometimes after a path already marked by failure. The reform aims to reverse this logic with a genuine “education in choice”:
- from the 1st year of secondary school, job discovery activities;
- in the 2nd year of secondary school, short internships, company visits, etc.;
- in the 3rd year of secondary school, the return of options allowing students to test different fields, with the possibility of combining, for example, 4 hours of electricity with 4 hours of science, to broaden the range of possibilities.
The aim is to enable every young person to build a chosen path, rather than one imposed on them.
Bringing school and business closer together
Today, these two worlds still know each other poorly. The School-Business pilot project, launched with Minister Jeholet in 15 institutions in the Liège and Picard Wallonia regions, fits fully into this dynamic. It aims to anchor training in its local economic environment and to make pathways more concrete and clearer for students. This pilot project is also built around institutional actors such as AKT or Forem, which will ultimately promote the socio-professional integration of young graduates.
Work-study as a model
The ambition is to gradually generalise this model, which combines school-based training with company experience. This requires close collaboration with professional sectors and making companies responsible for quality, genuinely formative internships.
Some sectors are already ready to commit strongly. Construction, in particular, is playing a pioneering role and says it is ready to significantly increase the number of internships, while ensuring their quality and relevance.
Training citizens above all
This transformation is not simply about adapting to the labour market. The ambition is broader: to train citizens capable of understanding the world, fitting into it and making their contribution. But also qualified professionals, proud of their trade, able to evolve in constantly changing sectors.
Because technical trades are no longer what they used to be. They increasingly incorporate technology, innovation and new skills. They also often offer attractive employment conditions and career prospects.
Vocational education is already a choice for many young people. Today's ambition is to make it a fully recognised, valued and encouraged choice. By bringing school closer to the field, developing work-study programmes and modernising training; hand in hand with the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region, with Pierre-Yves Jeholet, Adrien Dolimont and Boris Dilliès; we want to enable every young person to find their path, develop their talents and their project to integrate sustainably into society.