This symposium paper examines the Danish VET system as one of three Nordic cases in a comparative discussion of what may constitute a mature VET system in contemporary welfare states. Denmark is often portrayed as a strong example of a dual VET model with close alignment between education and the labour market. However, persistent challenges related to recruitment, dropout and educational identity call into question how maturity should be understood and assessed. Danish VET is rely on the dual principle, combining workplace-based apprenticeship with shorter periods of school-based learning. Almost all graduates with a journeyman’s certificate gain employment, and the system is closely associated with low youth unemployment. At the same time, VET attracts only around 20% of each youth cohort, and dropout rates have remained high at approximately 40–45% over the past decade. This tension between labour market effectiveness and limited educational attractiveness represents a key paradox in the Danish case. The Danish VET system is characterized by a tripartite governance involving the state and social partners – employees and employers, who play a central role in curriculum development, regulation of workplace training and financing. National advisory bodies and trade committees institutionalize stakeholder involvement and ensure strong labour market alignment. Despite these features, the paper identifies four areas where maturity remains contested: the lack of formal pedagogical requirements for workplace training managers; weakly institutionalized cooperation between VET schools and training companies; ongoing difficulties in attracting socially diverse groups of young people; and a limited emphasis on broader educational aims such as Bildung, democratic participation and critical technological awareness.

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