Vocational training opens doors, but the labour stays shut for 70 percent of young people with special needs

In Lithuania, around 12 percent of pupils have special educational needs (SEN). More than 90 percent of them study alongside their peers, and young people with SEN who wish to do so are guaranteed the opportunity to continue their education at vocational education (VET) institutions. However, an audit carried out by the National Audit Office entitled “Educational Support in Schools” shows that although more than 90 percent pupils with SEN successfully obtain a vocational qualification, they rarely manage to integrate into the labour market – around 70 percent of pupils with SEN who graduate from VET institutions do not find employment.
  
“Vocational training must pave the way not only to a qualification but also to an independent life. Today, we see that for many young people with special educational needs, this path comes to an end upon completing their studies. Therefore, the most important next step is not only to ensure the opportunity to learn, but also to create the right conditions – a qualifications system, educational support, career guidance and employment services – so that the qualifications they have gained become a real opportunity to find employment and participate fully in society,” – says Auditor General Irena Segalovičienė.
  
In assessing conditions at VET institutions, the auditors point out that educational support for VET institutions is not currently being evaluated. Although educational support for vocational education is funded from the state budget (in 2024, the ratio of allocated to utilised appropriations stood at 121 percent – 7.5 out of 6.2 million euros), information on its use is not collected at national level, and institutions do not report on it. This raises doubts about the quality and scope of the support actually provided, whilst policymakers lack the data needed to make informed decisions.
  
In order to ensure the availability of support, the National Audit Office recommends that the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport (MESS) assess the extent of educational support recommended by the Pedagogical and Psychological Service and actually provided to pupils by the VET institutions.
  
Despite the fact that the scope of educational support in special education institutions is not currently being effectively assessed, audit data show that as many as 69 percent of pupils with SEN, who completed 10th and/or 12th grade at general education schools in the 2024–2025 academic year, continued their education at special education institutions the following year. An even higher figure was recorded among those who studied at VET institutions solely under general education programmes – as many as 95 percent (448 out of 473) of them remained at these institutions to pursue vocational qualifications.
  
Obstacles to obtaining a qualification arise as early as the learning stage – some young people with SUP are unable to start or continue their desired studies because the chosen vocational training programmes are simply cancelled due to insufficient numbers of pupils. The audit report suggests, as one of the solutions, closer cooperation and coordination between VET training institutions, enabling them to pool resources or redirect students so that young people are not left without the opportunity to gain a qualification.
  
However, the greatest challenge for young people with SEN lies ahead once they have obtained their vocational diploma. According to the VET institutions, the main reason for unemployment is employers’ preconceived notions regarding the abilities of young people with SEN and their reluctance to employ them. Furthermore, there is a lack of financial incentives for businesses. The European Union emphasises that targeted subsidies and the development of social economy enterprises would ensure a decent standard of living and inclusive employment.
  
Vocational training is becoming increasingly adapted to the needs of people with SEN due to intellectual disabilities – in the 2025–2026 academic year, 75 percent (33 out of 44) VET institutions operating in the country were already running such programmes or modules, while the number of learners doubled (to 955 students). Most of them choose the specialisms of cook (390 students) and painter - assistant plasterer (216 students).
  
The initiative implemented in general education schools, which allows pupils to choose individual vocational modules (e.g. pizza making, vehicle diagnostics), is also having a positive impact. According to representatives of VET institutions, this helps children with SEN to transition from school to the labour market or further education.
  
However, the auditors point out that some of the programmes offered by VET institutions, such as wicker weaving or pottery assistant, are narrow craft specialisms in which demand for the workforce is minimal. To ensure that VET programmes aligned with contemporary trends and focused on the acquisition of practical skills are accessible to people with intellectual disabilities, the National Audit Office recommends that the MESS initiate a review and expansion of the Level II qualification descriptions within the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework (LTKS), in line with the needs of employers and the labour market, by including new qualifications.