TVETipedia Glossary

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET)

In the English-speaking world, there is a wide variety of terms and acronyms for the area of education that prepares learners for the world of work.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is the term used by UNESCO, the United Nations’ specialized agency for education. Until 2001, UNESCO was using Technical and Vocational Education (TVE)
The European Union uses Vocational Education and Training (VET)
The Commonwealth of Learning and some others use the term Technical and vocational skills development (TVSD)
UK and South Africa often refer to Further and Technical Education (FET) which is used as a synonym for TVET
The USA prefer Career and technical education (CTE)
A less used term is Vocational and Technical Education (VTE)

‘Technical and vocational education and training’ (TVET) is understood as comprising education, training and skills development relating to a wide range of occupational fields, production, services and livelihoods.

TVET, as part of lifelong learning, can take place at secondary, post-secondary and tertiary levels and includes work-based learning and continuing training and professional development which may lead to qualifications. TVET also includes a wide range of skills development opportunities attuned to national and local contexts. Learning to learn, the development of literacy and numeracy skills, transversal skills and citizenship skills are integral components of TVET.

Source:
UNESCO 2015: Recommendation concerning technical and vocational education and training (TVET)

Technical and vocational education and training, used as an equivalent term for vocational education and training (VET) especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

Source:
NCVER (Australia), VOCEDplus: Glossary of VET, (accessed 12/2022)
NCVER (Australia), VOCEDplus: Glossary of VET, (accessed 12/2022)
Access resource, available in English
This glossary is a compilation of Australian vocational education and training (VET) terms and acronyms. It includes both current and historical terms, concepts, acronyms and other abbreviations found in Australian VET research, policy and data.

Non-academic technical education and practical training that develop the skills and knowledge of apprentices (learners of trades or crafts) working in different sectors of industry and trainees / students trained in different TVET Institutions (TVET Institutes, Centres & Schools). The TVET is that part of the education system that provides courses and training programmes related to employment with a view to enable the transition from Secondary Education to work for young trainees / students (social objective) and supply the labour market with competent apprentices (economic objective). TVET is used as a comprehensive term referring to those aspects of the educational process involving, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences, and the acquisition of awareness, knowledge, skills, and attitudes relating to occupations in various sectors of economic and social life.

Source:
M. Wahba (TVET consultant), Glossary of Terms for TVET, Assessment and Verification, 2013
M. Wahba (TVET consultant), Glossary of Terms for TVET, Assessment and Verification, 2013
Access resource, available in English
The Egyptian TVET expert Moustafa Wahba developed a glossary based on his own experience as a consultant in TVET.

TVET stands for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

Technical refers to: subject matters that are technical in nature, relating to hardware and software, including trouble shooting practises and engineering processes.
Vocational relates to: an occupation or an employment, often referring to hands-on skills within professional trades.
Education refers to: formal education, starting in high school and also including post secondary education, such as colleges, polytechnics and universities.
Training refers to: informal education, also called life long learning or continuing education, often used in initiatives of reskilling or upskilling company staff or a wider workforce.