On October 10, the Regulation of the Minister of Education and Science of 6 October 2023 on non-school based continuing education was announced (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 2175).

The regulation specifies, among others, the terms of organising and the procedure of conducting non-school based education by Sectoral Skills Centres (SSC). The tasks of SSCs are detailed in the regulation, and include providing a new type of specialised vocational training programmes for sectors and industries. Such training programmes should include useful knowledge or vocational skills in a professional field, including those that shape digital and green skills.  

The SSC is a new type of institution that was introduced to the education system by the Act of 30 August 2023 amending the School Education Act and other acts (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 2005). Sectoral Skills Centres will be technologically advanced educational, training and examination institutions in a given occupational field. The SSC is designed to integrate vocational schools, continuing educational institutions, vocational education centres, higher education institutions and also employers, employers’ associations, economic and professional associations, as well as the Sector Skills Councils active in a given occupational field. Connecting the worlds of business and education, SSCs are one response to the European initiative on Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs).

The regulation came into force on October 11 of this year.