Education crisis: 50% of vocational high schools do not meet market needs

Where is vocational education in Bulgaria going wrong?

The 2026 study by the Institute for Market Economics (IME) shows alarming statistics: the correspondence index between education and the economy is only 54.4 out of 100. This means that nearly half of students are being trained for professions for which there is virtually no adequate demand.

"Vocational education continues to simultaneously produce a shortage of personnel for the economy and difficulties in finding employment for graduates," the experts warn.

Key structural discrepancies:

• Industry: This sector employs 34% of qualified personnel, but only 13% of students are training for it.
• IT sector: There is "overheating" – 18% of admissions are directed toward IT, while those employed in the sector account for less than 3%.
• Transport: This sector accounts for 12% of the labor market, while admissions in vocational schools are below 3%.

Regional disparities and the future of dual education

While regions such as Razgrad, Dobrich, and Ruse show better adaptation, regions like Gabrovo and Smolyan are experiencing serious difficulties due to a lack of balance. Dual education, which is critically important for practical training, remains poorly represented – only 9% of students are learning through work, with some regions reporting a figure of 0%.

What is the solution? The IME suggests a stronger alignment of the admission plan with the actual needs of regional businesses and a wider implementation of dual programs to avoid "producing" unemployed specialists.