Vocational education and training (VET) is conceived by both the EU and OECD as a powerful integration tool to secure immigrants’ permanent work positions (European Commision, 2020; Jeon, 2019). Thus, several European countries have developed policy measures that target newly arrived immigrants’ entry into VET. For example, in Switzerland, access to VET is the main route towards refugees’ labour market integration, and in 2018 a pre-apprenticeship programme was introduced (Aerne & Bonoli, 2023). VET can contribute to labour market integration because it combines practical and work-based forms of learning with language learning, as well as receiving a recognised VET certification after completion that makes it easier to find employment matching the skills developed (Jørgensen, 2022). However, using VET as an integration tool can be challenging. At a system level, state regulations that make VET more inclusive may restrict necessary cooperation between central actors, such as employers and the state (Bonoli & Wilson, 2019). In addition, studies indicate that newly arrived immigrants face several challenges in their process of entering and completing VET. Among these challenges are insufficient information about the education system, problems of fulfilling the prerequisites for entering VET and lack of social networks and ethnic discrimination among employers that make it difficult to secure an apprenticeship contract (Beicht & Walden, 2019; Bonoli & Wilson, 2019; Bredgaard & Thomsen, 2018; Imdorf, 2017; Jeon, 2019).

There is a growing body of studies from various European countries about immigrants’ participation in VET.  Within VET research, there has been identified a need for more evidence syntheses as there is a lack of review research (Gessler & Siemer, 2020). To our knowledge, an evidence synthesis about recently arrived immigrants in Europe and VET has not yet been conducted. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of European research literature about this interdisciplinary and dynamically evolving field. For this purpose, we apply a scoping review approach that entails to systematically retrieve and map the breadth of literature on a (particular) topic, field, concept, or issue (Munn et al., 2022). The approach is used to identify research clusters and research gaps that can inform the focus of future research (Levac et al., 2010).

The review will address the following research questions: 1) What are the key characteristics of the existing research? 2) What are the main objectives and challenges reported in the included studies? 3) What are the research gaps identified in the included studies?

We conducted systematic searches in three international indexed databases (Web of Science, Scopus and Education Source) and supplementary searches using citation and reference checks. To identify relevant literature, the search strategy was guided by inclusion and exclusion (eligible) criteria, including peer-reviewed studies (journal articles and book chapters) concerning VET programmes and immigrants in Europe published between 2013–2023 in English. Other publication formats, other languages, or studies from non-European countries as well as studies concerning vocational training for immigrants not part of formal VET was excluded. In total, 21 studies were considered eligible for inclusion. These studies were systematically analysed and coded to map the following information: authors and publication year, geography, context, study design, and information about study participants. The studies were coded thematically to identify main themes and research gaps. The overarching categories in the thematic analysis follows Cross (1981), who distinguishes between dispositional, situational, and institutional barriers to participation in education. Situational barriers concern individuals’ broad circumstantial conditions such as lack of time or of financial resources; institutional barriers concern practices and procedures that exclude or hinder participation and completion. Dispositional barriers concern individual dispositions, like attitudes or motivation to participate. By highlighting situational and institutional barriers, our perspective may reveal structural and systemic barriers, addressing how VET can be made more inclusive and flexible, and adapt to students’ resources.

So far, our review finds that research on immigrants and VET has increased in the studied period and that the field is dominated by qualitative studies from Nordic and German-speaking countries. Moreover, the research participants are mainly refugees and/or teachers. The included studies address students’ learning and integration processes; teachers’ practices and perceptions; programme establishment, development and evaluation, and VET and integration at a systemic level. Most studies addressed the interrelated themes of institutional challenges and situational challenges. The situational challenges addressed in the studies include newcomer factors, environmental factors and immigration and integration policies. The addressed institutional challenges relate to information; access; validation of prior learning; course provision and organisational challenges. In our preliminary analysis, we have identified two main areas where the included studies addressed a need for more research. The first concerns the refugees’ pathway in VET including access to, experience of and completion of VET. The second area consists of teachers’ practices and perspectives in relation to teaching immigrants and refugees. In addition, there seems to be a large literature on this field in German-speaking countries with a long tradition of VET, like Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. However, this review is limited to publications in English, and as a result, the extensive research conducted in the mentioned countries has not been included. Hence, there is a need for research reviews that focus on research literature published in German. We will conduct a comprehensive analysis of research gaps and their implications before the conference begins.

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