Vocational Education and Training Excellence Awards – Celebrating commitment to VET

The VET Excellence Awards are a celebration and a chance to come together to recognise best practices by organisations, schools and other VET stakeholders inspiring others through their passion and commitment to vocational education and training.

Thank you for participating in the VET Excellence Awards 2022! The winners were announced during the Awards Ceremony that took place on 18 May 2022, online

Find out who are the winners and nominees here

Watch the 2022 VET Excellence Awards!

Companies and learners awards

Companies and learners award aims to give visibility to good practices for career-long professional learning in enterprises, as well as to EAfA apprentices and companies.

VET innovators awards

Innovative VET provider: aimed at identifying a European VET provider that has contributed to VET excellence through innovative practices. It is organised by the European Commission in cooperation with the expert group Platform of European Associations of VET Providers.

VET Researchers: The award showcases researchers making an outstanding contribution to VET research in the field of green transition, in line with the Commission priorities for 2019-24: "A European Green Deal".

The Entrepreneurial School Award TES (Junior Achievement Europe) - The award encourages vocational and academic schools to put more emphasis on teaching entrepreneurial skills as a way to better prepare young people for the jobs of tomorrow. JA Europe has been invited by the European Commission to present a special TES Award rewarding one outstanding VET secondary school during the European Vocational Skills Week.  More information.

European funding for excellence in VET

European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) projects : giving visibility to excellent ESF+ practices in the area of VET and skills development that make people more competitive on the labour market, while ensuring fairness This year’s thematic focus is: "Up/re skilling workforces for a fair green transition - green skills and jobs”. This is a closed competition managed by the Commission in cooperation with the ESF Managing Authorities.

Erasmus+ The award draws public attention to the Erasmus+ programme’s success stories within projects focusing on “Innovative curricula for the green transition” and “learning opportunities for young people coming from disadvantaged backgrounds.” This is a closed competition managed by the European Commission in cooperation with the Erasmus+ National Agencies.

European Agencies awards

#CedefopPhotoAward – “Your green or digital skills story.” The purpose of this award is to mobilise VET learners throughout Europe to showcase what VET means to them through a series of photos and, optionally, video. Teams of up to four learners are invited to produce an original photo story on "Vocational education and training: your green story and digital skills story". For more information see #CedefopPhotoAward.
European Training Foundation (ETF)/Innovation & Skills Award
The award will showcase best practices in teaching and learning digital competence (knowledge, skills and attitudes) at schools, universities and training centres (public or private, formal or non-formal education) providing initial and continuing VET in ETF partner countries. For more information, see European Training Foundation (ETF)/Innovation & Skills Award

Guests of Honour at the VET Excellence Awards 2022

EuroSkills – International Skills competitions

Organised by WorldSkills Europe, the biennial EuroSkills event brings together hundreds of young people from 31 countries across Europe to compete in becoming the best of the best in their chosen skill or profession. The 7th EuroSkills event was hosted by Austria in the historic city of Graz in September 2021. The most coveted EuroSkills award – Best in Europe – was renamed in 2020 in recognition of the longstanding commitment to skills development by the founder and first President of WorldSkills Europe, Jos de Goey, who passed away suddenly in February 2020. The first winners in the ranking from a European Member State will be celebrated in Brussels.