Vocational Education and Training

The system

The goal of Vocational Education in Georgia is to enhance country’s economic development, social inclusion, life long personal and professional development.

In Georgia providers of Vocational education are:

• Vocational education institutions or colleges,
• Schools;
• Higher education institutions;
• Legal entities

In order to gain the status and get the permission to provide vocational education programmes, institution is required to undergo the authorization process, meaning the compliance of the programmes with the set of quality assurance standards. Duration of the authorization is 6 years.

The National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement works to safeguard the quality of vocational education.  

Description of Vocational Education System of Georgia (video-tutorial).

VET Programmes

Vocational education programmes in Georgia are diverse and they are placed on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th levels of National Qualifications Framework:

• Basic Vocational Education Programmes – that are linked to the third level of National Qualifications Framework. Prerequisite for admission to this type of programme is completion of basic education (e. the 9th grade); graduate of these programmes can enter the labor market;
• Secondary Vocational Education Programmes – fit the fourth level of National Qualifications Framework. Prerequisite for admission to this type of programme is a basic (the 9th grade) or general education (12th grade) certificate. Peculiarity of this type of programme is that complete general education components (grades 10-12) are integrated in it;
• Higher Vocational Education Programme - fits on the fifth level of National Qualifications Framework. Prerequisite for admission to this type of programme is completion of general education (12th grade). to the graduates of these programmes join the labor market or continue studies on higher education programmes;
• Short Cycle Education Programme - fits the fifth level of National Qualifications Framework. Prerequisite for admission to this type of programme is completion of general education (e. the 12th grade). These types of vocational programmes are embedded in bachelor or integrated programmes of higher education institutions. The graduates of short cycle education programmes receive an associate degree and can continue studies on respective bachelor programmes;
• Vocational Training Programme – fits the 2nd - 5th level of National Qualifications Framework. The goal of the programme is to develop specific, profession-related skills;
• Vocational Retraining Programme - fits levels from the 2nd to the 5th of National Qualifications Framework. The goal of vocational retraining programme is upskilling or developing additional profession-related skills for  

The duration of vocational education programmes is from one to three years.

Graduate of vocational education programme is able to get a job or continue education on further level of education. Duration of the programme varies  from one year to three years.

Today all vocational education programmes in the system are modular, which means that the programmes are designed to meet the demands of the labor market and are developed through wide involvement of employers. Major part of vocational programmes is oriented to acquisition of practical skills.

Admission to vocational education programmes

In general, there are two main ways to enter vocational education programme:

• Applicants wishing to enroll on basic or secondary vocational education programmes, or in dual programmes, have to undergo the selection procedure, which is carried out by educational institutions and their partner organizations;
• Applicants wishing to enroll on higher vocational education programmes have to undergo the exam organized by the National Assessment and Examination Center. Some vocational institutions may also set out additional selection procedures.

It is required to meet certain requirements to be enrolled on vocational education programmes. As a rule, these requirements are related to prior education, though according to specifics of the certain programme, there might be additional requirements defined.

In order to enroll in the programme, it is necessary for the applicant to register on www.vet.emis.ge in the time limits set by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.

Funding

Studying in public vocational educational institutions is fully funded by the government, while private vocational education institutions may be delivering both state-funded and self-funded programmes.

Vocational education in Georgia in numbers

Nowadays,  up to 100 VET qualifications can be obtained in Georgian vocational education system; there are more than 1100 vocational education programmes being implemented by authorized vocational colleges, higher education institutions and schools.. The system also offers more than 200 vocational training and vocational retraining programmes that are implemented by authorized educational institutions and legal entities.

Geographical accessibility of vocational education programmes in Georgia is improved constantly that makes vocational education programmes available to learners throughout the country.