Vocational education and training (VET) offers young people an important entry point into the labour market, equipping them with capabilities to success over the course of their careers. VET prepares individuals for a wide range of skilled occupations while also providing second -chance learning opportunity for those who left compulsory education with few qualifications. For the labour market, VET provides essential skill which support growth and productivity.

Despite this importance, the VET system is often maligned, frequently under-resourced, and subject to frequent review and systemic overhaul. Change is required. VET needs to be an attractive option to young people that equips them with the skills to succeed in the labour market and flourish in their lives and provide accessible pathways to social mobility. To achieve this vision for VET, a new vision is required.  VET2050 seeks to create an ambitious, sustainable vision for VET and to underpin meaningful system-wide change.

The YFF’s ‘north star’ goal is to have the highest participation rate in education and employment across the OECD for young people. A high quality and successful VET system is critical to achieving this goal. VET can support the school-to-work transition, equip learners with the skills for a lifelong career, and support employers with a high skilled labour pipeline. The current state of VET in England is not yet up to this challenge, though it is certainly achievable. VET2050 will envision and craft implementation roadmaps to meet this north-star goal.

This scoping paper lays out the scope of the challenge and opportunity around reimagining the VET in England. It first assesses the current state and trajectory of VET in England, before identifying broad domains for reform. The brief concludes with an overview of the VET2050 approach to developing this vision. At the forthcoming VET2050 kick-off workshop, policymakers, scholars and practitioners will refine the scope of this vision and prioritise areas for action.