The system of vocational education and training (VET) in the context of lifelong learning is not nearly as popular in Bulgaria as it should be. Despite this substantial drawback, it already emerges as a real alternative of higher education - and without any serious collision with it. In fact, the vocational training suggests a track  for one's career and self-improvement. Higher education completes it by adding to it possibilities for profound theoretical study in certain areas.

Presently, the majority of VET institutions are indeed high-schools, which add a vocational profile to their general syllabus. These institutions grant certificates for 2nd and 3rd level of qualification. Vocational college come as an add-on and deliver programmes with a duration of no more than two years (typically, it is exactly two years that most colleges have accredited their programmes for), resulting in 4th level of VET qualification. This is in fact the typical post-secondary, non-tertiary level of education, corresponding to UN ISCED 4 level.

We can say that the principle of the vocational training is tat one studies what he or se needs in order to perform a specific activity. No more, no less. That is the reason why these programmmes are oriented more practically and their duration is shorter. They also give the opportunity to upgrade the professional qualificaton when needed, simply by taking an extra course or courses, adding up to what as already been accumulated as vocational credit.

The system of vocational education and training is under strict control by the state educational bodies in Bulgaria (Ministry of Education and science, National Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Education Inspectorates). Vocational education is provided only by licensed training institutions.