Development of In-Service and Pre-Service Vocational School Teachers’ Key Competencies in Accordance with the Digital and the Green Transformation of the Economy

Abstract

The proposed paper reflects on the European Commission’s recommendations targeted at accessible, more attractive, and flexible vocational training. An emphasis is placed on an active and conscious collaboration of the actors of the educational practice, and attention is paid to undergraduate teacher training and the efforts to increase the interest in developing professional and key competencies through the digital and green transformation of the economy. The paper is based on the European Commission’s declared commitments, presented in the European Green Deal in 2019 (European Commission, 2019) as a challenge to eliminating existential environmental threats. For its application in practice, teachers’ sufficient knowledge in developing knowledge, skills, and pro-environmental attitudes in their students is essential. Additionally, attention is paid to the document ‘Council Recommendation on Key Competencies for Lifelong Learning’ adopted by the European Council, which committed each Member State to implement it in its curricular documents. On the application level, the paper is focused on vocational schoolteachers’ preparedness for accomplishing demanding tasks and on promoting their undergraduate training by utilising appropriate teaching methods and strategies.