Editing Vocational education (section)

===Netherlands===
Nearly all of those leaving lower secondary school enter upper secondary (vocational) education (Middelbaar BeroepsOnderwijs, MBO), and around 50% of them follow one of four vocational programmes; technology, economics, agricultural, personal/social services & health care. These programmes vary from 1 to 4 years (by level; only level 2, 3 and 4 diplomas are considered formal "start qualifications" for successfully entering the labour market). The programmes can be attended in either of two pathways. One either involving a minimum of 20% of school time (apprenticeship pathway; BBL-BeroepsBegeleidende Leerweg) or the other, involving a maximum of 80% schooltime (BOL -BeroepsOpleidende Leerweg). The remaining time in both cases is apprenticeship/work in a company. So in effect, students have a choice out of 32 trajectories, leading to over 600 professional qualifications.
BBL-Apprentices usually receive a wage negotiated in collective agreements. Employers taking on these apprentices receive a subsidy in the form of a tax reduction on the wages of the apprentice. (WVA-Wet vermindering afdracht).
Level 4 graduates of senior secondary VET may go directly to institutes for Higher Profession Education and Training (HBO-Hoger beroepsonderwijs), after which entering university is a possibility. This co-existence of upper secondary (MBO) and higher professional (HBO) education creates opportunities for further education and development, as well as a tension in the labour market because many vocations can be studied at various levels, and employers may prefer higher educated employees.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=van Houten |first=Maarten Matheus |date=2018-01-02 |title=Vocational education and the binary higher education system in the Netherlands: higher education symbiosis or vocational education dichotomy? |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13636820.2017.1394359 |journal=Journal of Vocational Education & Training |language=en |volume=70 |issue=1 |pages=130–147 |doi=10.1080/13636820.2017.1394359 |issn=1363-6820}}</ref>
The social partners participate actively in the development of policy. As of January 1, 2012 they formed a foundation for Co operation Vocational Education and Entrepreneurship (St. SBB&nbsp;– stichting Samenwerking Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven; www.s-bb.nl).  Its responsibility is to advise the Minister on the development of the national vocational education and training system, based on the full consensus of the constituent members (the representative organisations of schools and of entrepreneurship and their centres of expertise). Special topics are Qualification & Examination, Apprenticeships (BPV-Beroepspraktijkvorming) and (labourmarket) Efficiency of VET.
The Centres of Expertices are linked to the four vocational education programmes provided in senior secondary VET on the content of VET programmes and on trends and future skill needs.
The Local County Vocational Training (MBO Raad www.mboraad.nl) represents the VET schools in this foundation and advise on the quality, operations and provision of VET.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.expatica.com/nl/education/courses_workshops/Dutch-vocational-education-and-training-in-a-nutshell_14318.html |title=Dutch vocational education in a nutshell &#124; Education &#124; Expatica the Netherlands |website=Expatica.com |access-date=2016-02-06 |archive-date=2014-07-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708072148/http://www.expatica.com/nl/education/courses_workshops/Dutch-vocational-education-and-training-in-a-nutshell_14318.html |url-status=live }}</ref>