The VET2Sustain project organized a joint meeting for students and teachers in Belgium in November last year. Four students from Omnia, together with Kati Valtonen, Specialist in International Affairs, took part in the visit.
Around 40 vocational students and 12 teachers from Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and Belgium gathered in Brussels and Antwerp to develop vocational education and training. The visit began in Brussels with a tour of the European Parliament, where the group explored the history of Europe and the EU, as well as the principles guiding EU decision-making.
From Brussels, the group continued to Antwerp, Belgium’s second-largest city. There, a workshop was organized to collect students’ perspectives on the key success factors in vocational education and training. The workshop was held in a hybrid format, both on-site and online. Both approaches provided valuable insights and worked well in gathering feedback.
Lively Discussions in the Workshops
As part of the VET2Sustain project, various statements and ideas related to the attractiveness of vocational education have been compiled—and this was the moment to test them. Participants were encouraged to give open feedback and offer new ideas on how to make vocational education even more appealing.
“The small-group discussions were lively,” says Kati Valtonen, who attended the workshop in Antwerp as an observer.
Valtonen was pleased that students were genuinely heard and that they shared their thoughts openly.
“The project team received a great deal of meaningful feedback straight from the actual target group,” she adds.
Based on the workshops, the most important success factors in vocational education were identified as career guidance closely connected to working life, flexible learning opportunities, and mentoring and support services. Hybrid and online studies, as well as digital career-planning tools, received mixed opinions – some students found them useful, while others preferred more traditional approaches.
New Experiences and Connections
After the workshop, adult students from a local institution led an engaging city tour, offering an insightful glimpse into Antwerp’s history and modern life.
Omnia was represented by tourism students Liza Maksimenko, Oleksander Fostiuk, Anna Susandina, and Olga Perederij. For them, the best parts of the trip were visiting Belgium for the first time and getting to know Brussels and Antwerp. They also appreciated gaining new experiences and travelling together with other students. The Antwerp workshop was another highlight.
“Belgium is a beautiful country, and the event was very well organized. For me, the most valuable part was meeting and communicating with students from other countries,” says Oleksander Fostiuk.
Oleksander felt well-informed about the trip and supported by the organizers. He also thanked the teachers for their help during the journey.
“I can definitely recommend similar study trips to other Omnia students!”
VET2Sustain Continues in 2026
The VET2Sustain project will continue throughout 2026 and is expected to involve more than 300 students, over 150 representatives from working life, and a large number of teachers, decision-makers, parents, and future students. The project aims to strengthen the societal recognition of vocational education across Europe.