Further Education and Training in Denmark, Germany, Finland, and Norway

Countries in Europe are being confronted with inexorable changes to their labour markets. The broad uptake of digitalisation and artificial intelligence, as well as the transition off of fossil fuels, has caused a rapid change in skill requirements across the board, while previous work experience is increasingly losing value. In view of these kinds of labour market challenges, many European countries are becoming increasingly aware of the need for further education and training.

This study takes a closer look at the provisions for further education and training in Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway for those who need or want to improve their qualifications and skills or move into a new professional field. The focus of the study is therefore on individual further education and training. Against the backdrop of these four different institutional settings, the analyses provide useful insight into the factors that favour or hamper further education. The study thus is a must-read for policymakers committed to implementing further education policies that work.