Unlocking VET Potential with Generative AI: A DIRECT Approach to Digital Readiness
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly reshaping education—and vocational education and training (VET) is no exception. Tools like ChatGPT, DALL·E, or Copilot are increasingly used by both students and educators. Surveys suggest that over 60% of students in post-compulsory education have already used GenAI for summarizing texts, generating ideas, completing assignments, or exploring career paths. Teachers are turning to AI for lesson planning, personalized feedback, assessment design, and content adaptation.
This widespread adoption is prompting behavioural shifts in the classroom. Students are becoming more autonomous and exploratory in how they approach learning tasks. At the same time, educators are navigating new roles as facilitators of critical thinking and responsible AI use. For VET—where learning is hands-on, skills-based, and context-specific—GenAI introduces both valuable tools and complex challenges.
On the one hand, GenAI could enhance learning through simulations, process automation, or AI-assisted project work. On the other hand, it may risk over-simplifying vocational tasks or reducing practical learning if not thoughtfully implemented. Ethical issues such as authorship, transparency, data privacy, and digital inequality will also require close attention.
In response to these emerging needs, the DIRECT project (Digital Readiness of VET Providers for the Uptake of Emerging Technologies) has been launched to support VET institutions across Europe. Co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme and currently in its initial phase, DIRECT aims to help VET centres assess their digital maturity, build institutional strategies, and prepare for the pedagogical integration of technologies like GenAI.
At the heart of DIRECT is the understanding that GenAI must be integrated not only technically, but also pedagogically and ethically. The project will encourage institutions to reflect on key questions: Are our educators trained to use GenAI responsibly? Do our students understand the implications of AI-generated content? How can we ensure that digital innovation enhances—not replaces—core vocational competencies?
Rather than promoting specific tools, DIRECT will focus on building systemic digital readiness. It will provide a self-assessment framework, policy guidance, and capacity-building resources to support a structured digital transition for VET providers.
Politeknika Txorierri, one of the project’s partners, will implement DIRECT’s tools and methodologies in the coming phases. As a forward-thinking VET centre with a strong focus on innovation, Politeknika Txorierri will explore how GenAI could support its strategic goals, including personalized learning pathways, sustainability education, and entrepreneurship development.
As GenAI continues to evolve, the DIRECT project will ensure that the VET sector is not only aware of these changes—but actively prepared to shape them.
