Digital skills are no longer an ‘add-on’ in vocational education; they are becoming a core part of teaching. As workplaces adopt automation, data-driven processes and artificial intelligence, VET teachers are expected to equip learners with relevant digital competences while maintaining strong links with industry and supporting increasingly diverse classrooms.

Yet new evidence suggests that this transition is placing growing pressure on VET teachers’ working conditions and wellbeing

Recent pilot findings from Cedefop’s European Vocational Teacher Survey (EVTS) give the first EU-wide picture of how VET teachers experience these changes (Psifidou, I., Papazoglou, M. & Pouliakas K. 2026 Cedefop working paper, forthcoming). Drawing on responses from 735 teachers across 23 EU countries, the findings highlight a profession that remains highly committed, but increasingly overstretched, as digitalisation adds to an already complex set of demands.

While the EVTS pilot is not representative at national level, it provides insights into emerging patterns and pressures faced by VET teachers across Europe, helping to inform the design and policy relevance of the forthcoming main survey.

Digitalisation in VET: driver of professional growth – and pressure

EVTS pilot results show that engagement with digital tools is strongly linked to teachers’ professional development. Teachers who use digital technologies for lesson preparation, classroom teaching, assessment or communication are more likely to report professional growth than those who do not. In this sense, digitalisation can be empowering: it supports innovation, enables new pedagogical approaches and strengthens teachers’ sense of professional accomplishment.

At the same time, nearly one in three VET teachers report that they need substantial further upskilling in digital competences. In short, this is less about resistance to change and more about the speed and scope of technological transformation. New digital platforms, sector-specific software, simulation tools and AI-based applications are entering VET faster than training systems can keep pace. Teachers are often required to adapt ‘on the spot’, learning through experimentation, peer exchange and self-directed effort rather than through structured training.

When digital demands meet VET teachers’ workload and wellbeing

The EVTS pilot makes clear that digitalisation interacts with workload, organisational support and wellbeing. Almost half of VET teachers report taking on additional responsibilities due to staff shortages, while more than one third experience high administrative burden. These pressures limit the time and energy available for professional learning, including digital upskilling.

At the same time, Cedefop’s work on digital inclusion and wellbeing in VET shows that digital tools and AI can reduce the administrative burden when used properly. Digital technologies can support assessment, documentation, communication and monitoring tasks, and free up time for teaching, mentoring and learner support. Whether digitalisation reduces or increases workload depends on teachers’ digital preparedness, institutional support and how technologies are embedded into school practice.

Wellbeing indicators in the EVTS pilot findings are particularly concerning. Around 60% of teachers report physical exhaustion and sleeping difficulties, while many experience stress-related symptoms such as anxiety or emotional exhaustion. Analysis of the pilot data shows that burnout and poor health are strongly linked to lower engagement in professional development, even after accounting for school and country differences. In other words, when teachers’ wellbeing deteriorates, their capacity to adapt to digital and pedagogical change is affected.

However, the analysis also points to a more positive dynamic: teachers confident in using digital tools and AI report higher professional development and a stronger sense of control over their work. This suggests that digital competence can help reduce workload pressure and support wellbeing when accompanied by adequate training and organisational support.

Curriculum design in vocational schools: the hidden burden on teachers

Insights from Cedefop’s ongoing work on digital skills in initial VET (IVET) curricula help explain part of this pressure. While many EU countries have introduced national digital competence frameworks and align them with the EU DigComp framework, analysis of IVET curricula across several European countries still reveals uneven integration of digital skills across occupations and programmes. In many cases, digital competences are embedded implicitly rather than clearly defined in curricula, which leaves room for interpretation on how they should be taught, applied and assessed.

As a result, much of the responsibility falls on teachers. They are expected to translate broad curriculum objectives into concrete learning activities, select appropriate digital tools and ensure occupational relevance, while also addressing inclusion, learner diversity and assessment requirements. When curricular guidance and institutional support are limited, digitalisation risks becoming a source of additional work and stress rather than an opportunity for pedagogical innovation.

Why teacher wellbeing matters for Europe’s digital ambitions

The EVTS pilot findings highlight that Europe’s digital ambitions for VET depend not only on infrastructure and curricula, but also on the sustainability of the teaching profession. Teachers’ professional development is more strongly associated with supportive organisational environments, high-quality learning opportunities and positive working conditions than with formal training alone. Informal and self-directed learning play a central role, but they cannot compensate indefinitely for high workloads and declining wellbeing.

Supporting VET teachers in the digital transition therefore requires a more holistic approach. Investment in digital skills must go hand in hand with measures to reduce the administrative burden, improve working conditions and prioritise teacher wellbeing. Clearer curricular frameworks, targeted professional development and school-level support can help digitalisation improve teaching quality rather than add pressure.

Building on the pilot phase, the European Vocational Teacher Survey provides evidence to inform EU and national policies on the VET teaching profession, digitalisation and teacher wellbeing. In short, empowering VET teachers to deliver Europe’s digital transition means recognising digital skills as a pedagogical, organisational and wellbeing issue – not just a technical one.