Changing skill requirements and the reallocation of jobs and resources towards emerging economic sectors require effective VET policies. There is a consensus at both European and Member State level that these policies should be underpinned by credible research. But several disconnections between research, policy and practice remain. For instance, research on the impact of human capital accumulation traditionally has not paid much attention to distinguishing between general and vocational qualifications. As a result, one of the priorities of Cedefop current VET research is to demonstrate the economic and social benefits specific to VET. The purpose of this contribution is to provide a review of the latest available evidence on these benefits and to show how this type of research can contribute to VET policy making in Europe.

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