site.btaIME Study: Half of Vocational School Graduates Will Not Work in Field of Study

The index of the relevance of vocational education to Bulgaria’s economic profile in 2024 is 53.1 points, the Institute for Market Economics (IME) reported in a study on Wednesday. 

The study entitled Vocational Education and Economic Profile Alignment Index 2024 covers a class of nearly 22,000 students who will study over the next five years in six different fields: agriculture, manufacturing, construction, transport, hospitality and information and communication technologies (ICT). The index shows that probably more than 10,000 of them will not work what they studied for.

Education in fields that are not in demand on the labour market continues. Vocational education is full of already outdated courses, such as agricultural disciplines, or in those with relatively low educational costs, such as hospitality and tourism.

Data at the regional level provide a clear picture of the relevance of vocational education to the national economic profile. In 2024, the index in Dobrich region is 62.9 points, followed by Sliven with 62.4 points and Sofia with 59.4 points. The lowest score of 31.2 points was reported in Lovech region.

Flexible education, dual training and vocational guidance are needed

The negative effects of the discrepancy between vocational education and the economy can be reduced if highly specialized classes are replaced by language and technology training, as well as the acquisition of soft skills. This will help to increase employability, according to the Institute.

Work-study programmes at vocational schools will increase the employability and attractiveness of vocational education because of the stronger practical skills. Also, starting a career with the first employer after completing secondary education will need less training. This approach should be complemented by the possibility of transfer between professions, as well as by vocational guidance for students, the IME wrote.