Balancing the esteem of vocational education and social inclusion in four Nordic countries

The Nordic countries share a long-term commitment in education to equality, social justice and social inclusion, but it has also become apparent that it is a major challenge to maintain the high esteem of VET and include all students, regardless of social background, at the same time. When young people with few resources become dominant in VET, the status of VET tends to fall, which increases dropout rates and social problems. Although the esteem of vocational training is declining, VET remains an active choice for many students. VET provides alternative learning paths and attractive vocational identities.