Ingredients for Success: ETF’s Cookbook on Vocational Excellence

Presented at the IntVE Conference in Turin, the innovative "cookbook" provides vocational education and training (VET) providers with practical strategies and actionable insights, enabling them to craft excellence tailored to their unique contexts.

The ETF cookbook brilliantly positions vocational excellence as akin to a culinary process, reinforcing that “there is no single way to create the perfect dish, nor a one-size-fits-all approach to achieving vocational excellence” (ETF Cookbook, 2025). 

Each institution’s journey to excellence involves distinct elements—teacher quality, responsive curriculum, industry partnerships, and innovative pedagogies—all thoughtfully adapted to local educational needs.

Essential Kitchen Tools and Ingredients

The publication clearly identifies key conditions ("kitchen tools") and core elements ("ingredients") critical to the success of vocational excellence:

Kitchen Tools (Key Conditions):

• Strong governance and effective leadership
• Sustainable and diversified funding
• International collaborations and perspectives

Ingredients (Core Elements):

• Dedicated teacher professional development
• Industry-aligned, responsive curricula
• Robust partnerships between vocational providers and industry
• Innovative pedagogy integrated with workplace experiences
• Applied research with practical impacts
• Comprehensive lifelong career guidance

These structured components offer a reliable framework, adaptable by institutions to their unique contexts, thus fostering sustainable vocational excellence.

Global Recipes for Vocational Excellence

The ETF’s cookbook goes beyond theory, providing detailed "recipes" from 11 global Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs), each showcasing unique blends of the essential ingredients:

Digital Vocational Excellence (Tunisia, Singapore): The Centre de Formation et d’Apprentissage de Bizerte, Tunisia, and Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore, exemplify strong governance combined with digital innovation. Both institutions emphasise responsive curricula and dynamic industry relationships, critical to adapting swiftly to evolving digital job markets. According to CFA Bizerte, “Cultivating passion and resilience among educators and learners through mentorship programmes fosters innovation and growth” (ETF Cookbook, 2025).

Green Vocational Excellence (Moldova, Spain): The Centre of Excellence in Construction, Moldova, and Politeknika Txorrieri Bizkaia, Spain, highlight sustainability by integrating green economy principles into infrastructure and educational practices. These centres champion close collaborations with industry partners to ensure the relevance and practical applicability of green skills. Politeknika Txorrieri advises institutions to “gradually fold in strong partnerships and seek opportunities for international collaboration, broadening perspectives and enriching educational experiences” (ETF Cookbook, 2025).

Entrepreneurial Excellence (Morocco, France): Morocco’s École Supérieure des Industries du Textile et de l’Habillement (ESITH) and France’s Campus des Métiers et des Qualifications d’Excellence Industrie du futur Sud prioritise autonomy and entrepreneurial governance models. Their holistic approaches encourage entrepreneurial thinking across curricula and operations. ESITH underscores that “embedding a holistic vision for entrepreneurship within all institutional activities ensures entrepreneurial thinking permeates every aspect of learning” (ETF Cookbook, 2025).

Inclusive Vocational Excellence (Italy, Georgia): Cometa in Italy and Akhali Talga College in Georgia stand out by creating inclusive environments tailored to diverse student needs. Personalised learning, adaptive curricula, and community-centred support characterise their approaches, effectively combating social exclusion. Cometa stresses the importance of “building a community-centred educational environment, nurturing belonging and support for students and staff throughout their educational journey” (ETF Cookbook, 2025).

Serving Up Practical Excellence for Vocational Success 

The ETF’s Cookbook on Vocational Excellence is more than just a guide; it is a powerful call to action. 

By presenting global best practices within a practical, engaging framework, it equips educators and vocational leaders to confidently navigate the evolving landscape of vocational education. 

Ultimately, this cookbook is an essential resource for institutions dedicated to achieving sustainable, inclusive, and transformative excellence.

For more information on Voactional Excellence please visit webpage.