Statistical presentation

Data description

The statistics about vocational education show the number of students taking a vocational education in Denmark. The statistics are a part of the Student Register and is publicized yearly as a part of this. In StatBank Denmark, you can sort by students active by 1. of October, completed students and new students distributed by educational fields, age, ancestry, national origin, sex, education part and enrolment type (see under "Begreber og definitioner").

Classification system

Statistics Denmark's education classification DISCED-15 is used to define vocational education.

The vocational educations consist of both basic courses and main courses. Before the vocational education reform of 2015 the split between basic courses and main courses in DISCED-15 was clear: Basic courses were under level 29, while main courses were under level 30. With the vocational education reform the basic courses were separated into two: basic course 1 and basic course 2. In DISCED-15, basic course 2 is placed under level 30, because you have to choose a specific vocational education before starting on basic course 2. Therefore, only basic course 1 is now under level 29.

Sector coverage

Not relevant for these statistics.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Students per 1 October: Persons enrolled on an education 1 October in the given year, for example 2017.

Erhvervsuddannelse: A professional education which gives the student a vocational qualification. A vocational education typically consists of a basic course and a main course, which both varies in content and length. The typical length of a vocational education is 4 years. Examples of vocational educations are bricklayer, carpenter and electrician.

EUX: An education where you combine an vocational education with an upper secondary education, which gives you competence to enroll on a higher education.

Completed: Persons completing an education in the period between 1 October the year before to 30 September in the given year, for example 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017.

Basic course on vocational education: The first part of a vocational education. The basic course is split into two parts with a duration of half a year each. The first part of the basic course is only for pupils who have completed 9th or 10th form less than a year ago. Other pupils begin directly on the second part of the basic course. Before the vocational education reform of 2015, the basic course was one overall course with a duration of 1 year.

Main course on vocational education: The main part of the vocational education which comes after the basic course. On the main course you get the specific qualifications which is needed to carry out the profession of the education.

Apprenticeship: Students in an apprenticeship take their basic course as practical work in a firm instead of at a school.

Practical line: The student has a practice agreement which covers both basic and main course before beginning the education.

School practice: An offer for pupils who cannot find a traineeship. It is practice carried out on the school.

School line: The student does not have a practice agreement before beginning the education.

Educational competence course on vocational education: Pupils who choose an EUX education in a mercantile subject have an educational competence course with upper secondary subjects between the second part of the basic course and main course. The mercantile subjects are the retail trade education, event coordinator, the finance education, the trade education and the office education.

Entrants: Persons beginning their education in the period between 1 October the year before to 30 September in the given year, for example 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017.

Enrolment type on vocational education: Enrolment type shows the combination of practice and school periods the pupil has during the education. For example, students on the practical line begin their education in practice, while students on the school line begin their education at school.

Year: In the education statistics a year is defined as the period from 1 October the previous year to 30 September the mentioned year. As an example, 2017 is defined as 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017.

Statistical unit

Persons.

Statistical population

People who are enrolled in publicly regulated vocational education in Denmark (The Ministry of Education or another ministry has set the rules for the education through a law or an executive order) or on a private vocational education giving access to public grants.

Reference area

Denmark.

Time coverage

The current time series in StatBank Denmark covers the time period from 2005 and onwards.

Base period

Not relevant for these statistics.

Unit of measure

The measuring unit is the number of persons.

Reference period

The newest data collection was for the period of 1 October 2022-30 September 2023.

Frequency of dissemination

Yearly.

Legal acts and other agreements

Law on Statistics Denmark § 6 and § 8 stk. 3. Regulation (EC) No 452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 concerning the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning.

Cost and burden

The respondent burden is minimal. Data are collected from local school-based administrative registers although a few institutions report via spreadsheets.

Comment

Further information can be found on Statistics Denmark's homepage: Fulltime education or by contacting Statistics Denmark directly. On the homepage, notes about historic revisions of the statistics can be found.