Georgia 2023

Initial VET in Georgia is accessible to learners and supportive of their learning. The Georgian Law on Vocational Education ensures that all citizens can enrol in initial VET programmes after basic education, and there is also financial support from the state for both public and private providers, especially for programmes aligned with national economic and social priorities.

While VET learners benefit from smooth transitions between educational levels, the system is less flexible when it comes to letting them shift between different tracks of education and training. Despite these challenges, efforts like midterm evaluations and the introduction of extracurricular activities aim to improve retention and further strengthen the supportiveness of VET for learners.

There are significant gaps in access for adult learners, however. Although enrolment in CVET grew by 159% between 2020 and 2022, adult education is highly fragmented and CVET in particular struggles to meet demand due to limited capacity. Short-term training and retraining programmes have been introduced, but they have yet to reach the level of accessibility seen in initial VET. There is also a need to improve lifelong learning opportunities, such as access to active labour market policies.

Georgia has already initiated several policy responses along these lines. The state has formalised short-term training and retraining programmes within CVET, engaging private sector providers to better meet labour market needs. The creation of the Skills Agency and other supportive agencies also aims to streamline coordination, improve data availability, and provide more structured support for lifelong learning and vocational training pathways.

VET in Georgia has fostered a strong connection to the labour market through initiatives in support of work-based learning and legislative reforms that promote flexible business partnerships. The introduction of dual learning models, where at least 50% of training occurs in real work environments, is a key step toward further improving the relevance of learning.

And yet, despite these efforts, VET graduates continue to face difficulties with below-average employability due to a persistent gap between the training provided and the skills demanded on the labour market. Surveys too highlight that there is a mismatch between the expectations of employers and the readiness of graduates for the workforce. Part of the issue may lie in the fact that current information regarding professions and education programmes is not always readily accessible to students.

At the same time, the VET system in Georgia is highly responsive to current and emerging labour market demands. If this responsiveness is maintained, it could help reduce employability challenges for graduates—provided that the system successfully translates this into relevant skills and addresses gaps in employability and access to information.

Ongoing reforms, such as the Skills Agency’s alignment with the Global Skills Taxonomy and private sector involvement in qualification development, aim to address the employability challenge for graduates by enhancing the relevance of VET programmes. Additionally, Georgia is actively promoting private sector involvement in the evidence-based development of new qualifications. There is also a strong focus on promoting excellence in the governance and management of the VET system, along with openness to innovation in access, social inclusion, and quality. However, innovative solutions often struggle to achieve system-wide dissemination.

Digitalisation is well addressed in the VET system of Georgia. Digital competences are a mandatory component of all programmes, which is a positive step toward aligning training with the demands of a technology-driven labour market. In contrast, efforts to integrate green skills into the curriculum are still developing, and the system has yet to fully incorporate emerging green competencies.

In terms of system organisation, major strengths of VET in Georgia are its accountability and robust quality assurance mechanisms, supported by external reviews and new authorization standards that incorporate feedback from stakeholders. The leadership of VET institutions is another strong point, with efforts to recruit and retain highly skilled professionals, particularly to the benefit of remote regions. The introduction of a Capacity Building Program and the creation of Skills Hubs and Excellence Centers have further strengthened management practices across institutions.

There are also notable efforts to improve the quality of teaching. There is a new teacher policy focusing on proper induction, evaluation, and continuous professional development. Human and financial resources are allocated relatively efficiently, with a new funding system linking financial support to key performance indicators. This system encourages VET institutions to attract teachers with up-to-date industry knowledge. The aim is to empower them as leaders in education.

Georgia has also made progress in consolidating VET data and in piloting models in support of VET research. And yet, some gaps remain. There are shortages in the availability of data on VET and in the involvement of external stakeholders in the governance of VET is still limited. The Skills Agency plays a key role in promoting solutions to these challenges.

Examples of policy solutions can be found in the domains of internationalisation and of infrastructure improvement. Efforts include aligning qualifications with European standards, the introduction of the Europass diploma format, and increased participation in Erasmus+. Infrastructure upgrades are underway, but there is more need for capital investment in the opening of additional VET schools or centres in regions that currently lack sufficient access to vocational education, especially for adults.