Enrolment drops sharply at Danish vocational academies

Enrolment at Denmark’s vocational academies has fallen by 8 percent compared to last year, according to new figures from the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science.

The decline equals 828 fewer students on short, practice-oriented programmes such as financial management and IT development, reports national broadcaster DR.

Mads Eriksen Storm, head of knowledge and innovation at business lobby group Dansk Erhverv, said the drop is concerning because these programmes typically lead to strong job prospects in the private sector.

“Of course I’m worried, because it means our members will have fewer employees in the future,” he told DR. “Skilled employees are the ones who drive growth, development, and keep companies running.”

While most academy programmes boast low unemployment rates—particularly technical trades like electrician and plumbing—some fields, including multimedia design and IT-related courses, have seen weaker demand. IT enrolments alone have plunged 22 percent year-on-year.

Career counsellors report that young people are avoiding such programmes over fears that artificial intelligence may eventually replace many of these jobs, according to Storm. However, he noted that financial management remains a strong performer.