Empowering Vocational Education for the AI age: AIVET project maps needs and launches AI Tool Repository

The AIVET project, co-funded by the European Union, has concluded its transnational needs assessment aimed at understanding the current state of AI adoption in Vocational Education and Training (VET) across Italy, Spain, Poland, and the broader EU context.

This comprehensive analysis marks a significant milestone in the effort to support VET institutions, educators, and professionals in embracing Artificial Intelligence responsibly, inclusively, and effectively.

Led by a consortium of expert partners, the AIVET needs assessment included in-depth desk research, stakeholder consultations, and national-level policy reviews. The purpose was twofold:

• To map emerging priorities and challenges for AI integration in vocational education.
• To identify the specific skills, attitudes, and competencies that VET educators, trainers, and institutional leaders need in order to leverage AI in meaningful, pedagogically sound ways.

The study revealed widespread enthusiasm for AI’s potential to enhance personalization, automation, and real-time skill matching—but also highlighted common barriers. Among these are fragmented digital infrastructures, the lack of continuous professional development in AI pedagogy, and a pressing need for ethical guidance and data privacy compliance in the classroom.

A Strategic Output: The AIVET AI Tools Repository

As a direct result of this assessment, the AIVET partnership has developed and consolidated a Digital Repository of 50 AI Tools that are ready to be integrated into teaching, learning, and institutional practice by VET educators and staff.

These tools are grouped under four practical categories, supporting users across a wide range of educational scenarios:

1. Content Creation and Processing
   – Includes tools for text generation, image editing, speech-to-text, and multimedia production.
2. Learning and Training Support
   – Features AI-based platforms for gamification, language translation, LMS enhancement, personalization, and adaptive learning.
3. Data Analysis and Problem Solving
   – Offers tools for data visualization, AI-enhanced search engines, knowledge management, and low-code/no-code AI development.
4. Simulation and Immersive Technologies
   – Covers VR/AR platforms and 3D simulation environments designed to replicate real-world training contexts.

Each tool entry in the repository is systematically described according to key user-centric criteria, including:

• Tool Name and Developer
• Core Functionality and Relevance to VET
• Target User Groups and Ease of Use
• Access Type (free, freemium, paid) and Supported Languages
• Integration Options and Interoperability
• Pros and Cons, along with Direct URL Access

In line with AIVET’s inclusive and capacity-building mission, the full repository will be made publicly available in open-access format via the project’s digital platform: www.aivet-training.eu. It will be accessible in four languages—English, Spanish, Polish, and Italian—ensuring broad usability across diverse regional and national contexts.

The release of the repository represents a practical, actionable resource for education professionals striving to bridge the digital skills gap in Europe’s VET sector. It also complements the upcoming launch of AIVET’s modular training and capacity-building resources, also available for free and in multiple languages.

Together, these deliverables mark a crucial step forward in equipping European educators and institutions to meet the challenges—and harness the opportunities—of the AI revolution with confidence, competence, and responsibility.

For more information visit the official AIVET platform at: www.aivet-training.eu