10 Years of DC dVET: SDC Celebrates a Decade of Advancing Dual Vocational Education and Training

The SDC joined partners in marking ten years of the Donor Committee for Dual Vocational Education and Training (DC dVET) at the Regional Workshop held in Durrës, Albania. The event brought together around one hundred participants from across the Western Balkans and beyond - including government representatives, private sector actors, development partners, and VET experts - to reflect on a decade of collaboration and to chart the future of dual vocational education and training.

As one of the founding members of DC dVET, SDC remains firmly committed to promoting inclusive and demand-driven vocational education systems that connect learners with the labour market and contribute to sustainable economic development.

The steering Committee — whos members include the SDC, the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ/GIZ), and the Liechtenstein Development Service (LED) - serves as a key platform for joint learning, coordination, and knowledge exchange among donors and practitioners.

Representing SDC on the DC dVET Steering Committee, Dominique Crivelli actively participated throughout the conference as both moderator and presenter, facilitating discussions on the evolution and continued relevance of dual VET in today’s rapidly changing labour markets.

Over two days, key insights included:

• The need for sound cost-benefit analysis and contextual understanding in assessing dual VET.
• Building trust with private actors takes time but delivers lasting returns, with benefits often tripling costs.
• The private sector highlighted dual VET as both a necessity and an investment, ensuring a skilled and motivated workforce.
• The importance of legal reforms to establish solid frameworks enabling dual VET to thrive.

Sessions showcased regional experiences from Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Moldova, and Serbia, while interactive workshops allowed practitioners to co-create solutions and share innovative practices.

The anniversary workshop also celebrated DC dVET’s achievements over the past decade — from building trust between education and business actors to strengthening institutional frameworks and capacity development.

SDC reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to advancing quality vocational education and training systems worldwide - systems that empower young people with the skills and opportunities to shape their own futures.