Vocational training in Belgium is a set of programmes and schemes designed to train and qualify individuals for specific occupations. These courses are designed to meet the needs of the labour market and can be taken by young people, adults undergoing retraining, jobseekers or workers wishing to upgrade their skills.

Here is an overview of the different types of vocational training available in Belgium:

Promotion sociale education :

promotion sociale in Belgium is an education system aimed primarily at adults who wish to return to education or improve their skills in a particular field. It provides recognised qualifications, ranging from basic certificates to university-level diplomas.

IFAPME and SFPME courses :

IFAPME or SFPME is a network of organisations in Belgium offering work-linked and continuing training, mainly for young people, adults and the self-employed.

VDAB, FOREM and Actiris training courses:

• VDAB (Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding) for Flanders.
• FOREM (Office wallon de la Formation professionnelle et de l’Emploi) for Wallonia.
• Actiris for the Brussels-Capital Region.

Sectoral training:

Sectoral training courses in Belgium offer workers/jobseekers the opportunity to upgrade their skills, retrain or meet new market requirements, while supporting the competitiveness of companies and the growth of the sectors concerned. Sectoral certification is organised by the sector in question in collaboration with work-linked training (SYNTRA Vlaanderen, IFAPME, IAWN), education and job-seeker training bodies (VDAB, FOREM and Bruxelles Formation).

In-company training :

In-company training is essential for developing employees’ skills and keeping organisations competitive. It enables companies to meet the challenges of the labour market and maintain a skilled and motivated workforce. In-company training enables jobseekers to learn a trade, complete a work placement and gain new experience in a professional environment. There are a number of grants and projects to support in-company training.

Example:

• In-company Individual Vocational Training (IVT) offers on-the-job training in the profession in which the person will be employed on completion of the course. In this way, employers can train a candidate to meet their company’s needs.
• Ateliers de Formation par le Travail – A.F.T. are schemes designed to help people who are no longer in the labour market to acquire vocational skills and to facilitate their integration or reintegration into the labour market. A.F.T. is aimed primarily at low-skilled jobseekers, young people without qualifications, the long-term unemployed and people experiencing particular difficulties in finding work.
• Stage de transition: is a scheme to help young people under the age of 25 enter the labour market. It is mainly aimed at young jobseekers who are having difficulty finding stable employment and who need to gain work experience.
• Stage First: is a scheme designed to help young people aged between 18 and 30 with few qualifications and no work experience to enter the labour market through work experience with an employer.
• Individuele beroepsopleiding: acquiring work experience in Dutch

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