SkillForge — Vocational Training & Apprenticeship Management Platform for European VET Providers

The Problem

Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers across Europe face a unique management challenge that generic school management or LMS software cannot solve. The core issue: VET programs involve a triangular relationship between the training institution, the apprentice/student, and the employer — and no mainstream software handles this well.

Specific pain points:

• Apprenticeship hour tracking: Apprentices split time between classroom and workplace. Tracking hours with employer verification is done on paper or spreadsheets.
• Competency-based progression: VET isn't grade-based like academic education — it's competency-based. Students must demonstrate specific skills, signed off by assessors. Generic LMS systems don't support this natively.
• Workshop/equipment scheduling: Trade schools have workshops, machines, and specialized equipment that need scheduling — very different from classroom timetabling.
• Employer portal: Employers hosting apprentices need visibility into student progress, must provide feedback, and verify on-the-job training hours. Most VET systems have no employer-facing interface.
• Certification exam management: VET leads to industry certifications (not academic degrees), with specific exam formats, external assessors, and accreditation bodies.
• Funding compliance: Government-funded VET programs have strict reporting requirements. Non-compliance risks losing funding.