Centres of Vocational Excellence are a flagship EU initiative aimed at raising the quality and innovative capacity of VET. Beyond being training providers, CoVEs operate as cross-border networks bringing together partners at local and international level to align learning offers with what employers, communities and people in training actually need.

The report offers a qualitative assessment of the initiative based on 25 CoVE projects funded since 2019. It highlights initiatives delivering strong results and lasting impact, and examines how CoVEs contribute to systemic VET reform and to EU priorities such as the green and digital transitions - areas of direct relevance to the construction ecosystem, where skills shortages and the shift to sustainable, digitalised practices are top concerns.

Among the 25 projects featured is Habitable, a CoVE directly focused on the construction sector, addressing the need for upskilled workers capable of delivering energy-efficient renovation and sustainable building practices.

A companion annex presents detailed case studies of all 25 projects. Several tackle challenges relevant to construction, including the 3LoE CoVE project, which promotes a shift from traditional school-based VET to dual training models combining classroom instruction with structured work-based learning in SMEs. This approach is particularly pertinent for SMEs in the green economy - including construction - that face skills shortages, demographic change, low training rates, limited innovation capacity, and weak links with education providers. By bridging theory and practice, aligning training with labour market demands, and giving learners real work experience, such models directly support the workforce transformation the construction ecosystem urgently needs.
 

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