There are many  global or international trends,  challenging the work, roles and competences of VET teachers in Europe and other regions.   Even though some trends (e.g standardization, accountability), generated by the global-wide application of neo-liberal reform packages, can be seem rather comparable/similar, the application of “travelling reforms” (Seddon et al, 2012) or Global Education Reform Movement/GERM (Sahlberg, 2011) can take various forms and applications in different national, political and cultural contexts. Additionally, the seemingly similar tendencies can have different consequences for teachers` work and professional activities. As well, teachers in different countries probably cope with the challenging trends differently, depending on both, institutional changes and on the meanings, they attribute to the changes and how they thereat negotiate their professional roles and identities.

Estonian context  provides the context of societal transformation, characterised by the change of societal regime and complete interruption of previous (Soviet) VET institutions and the transition to neo-liberal ideology in very short time.

The paper explores, how VET  teachers in Estonia perceive the structural changes happened during last 20 years and the consequent changes for their work (roles, competence requirements, learning patterns) through their experience.

The main research question in the paper is how vocational teachers have experienced changes in their work and what meanings they attribute to the work-related changes.

As theoretical framework, the concepts of professionalism and professionality will be applied. Many scholars have an emphasis on the ambitious meaning of professionalism (e.g Evetts, 2003, 2012, Ruler, 2005, Noordegraaf 2007 and others) and lack of consensus related to the meanings and ways of conceptualisations this dynamic phenomena (e.g. Freidson, 1991, Evans, 2008; Gewirtz et al, 2009,Urban & Dalli, 2012).  However, both the cultural and historical factors as well the contemporary trends, particularly changing patterns of centralized regulation, like standardization and accountability, managerialism and consumerism have influenced on the substance and understandings of professionalism. 

Furthermore, some authors, while discussing the professionalism of teachers, have identified two distinct aspects of professional life: professionalism and professionality. While the professionalism refers to status-related elements of the occupational group, the professionality characterises those elements that are related to professional knowledge, skills and procedures used at work (e.g Hoyle (1975), Evans (2008).

In the paper, authors´ aim is to conceptualize the various ways and patterns of how internationalizing professionalism and professionality are manifesting in the VET teachers´ working lives.  

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