Assessment is vital in vocational education. Today new challenges have arisen in this field which traditional approaches are failing to address. This study highlights four issues: a) the connections between assessment and learning; b) the need to focus on competence; c) recognizing competence attained outside formal learning situations; and d) assessing across many institutions. The study illustrates both concepts and practical measures in this field and is valuable for both policy-makers and practitioners of technical and vocational education.