Danish apprentices not allowed to carry out vocational training in Sweden
Due to the differences between vocational educations in Sweden and Denmark, Danish apprentices (lærlinger) are not allowed to carry out workplace training (learning in the workplace) with Swedish employers.
The Danish vocational education (business education) is a form of agreement where the apprentice learns both practically and theoretically and is paid for the whole, or parts, of the education.
Vocational training in Sweden at high school level is mostly centered in a normal school environment and is primarily unpaid, in contrast to the Danish equivalent. The Swedish vocational training at high school level can also be carried out as a form of apprenticeship where there is a possibility for the student to have a form of high school apprentice employment.
The differences between the education systems means that Danish students might face difficulties carrying out their training in the workplace of a Swedish employer. A contributing factor is that Swedish employers do not pay out wages to their students as a rule. In the Danish system, the apprentice can only incorporate their workplace training into their vocational education if the training is done for a fee.
Students at Swedish vocational training institutions (who are in the opposite position), have the possibility to do their workplace training both in Denmark and Sweden. However, it is the Swedish school who have the ultimate responsibility to find one or several workplaces where the student can carry out their workplace training. The school can in some cases also arrange workplace training to be carried out abroad.
The differences between the education systems means that Danish vocational training students are not as attractive for Swedish employer as the employer would have to pay a wage to the student.
