Due to its close links to the labour market, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) can play an important role to improve job opportunities and livelihoods for young people, and in particular for disadvantaged youth. However, this potential is not always fully realized, and relatively little research and evidence has been collected about the barriers disadvantaged youth face when accessing to and progressing through TVET.

This paper maps some of the main barriers disadvantaged youth face in TVET and examines available evidence on strategies and approaches that are being used or can be used to meet the needs of disadvantaged youth. The paper discusses these barriers using a framework that looks at ‘4As’: availability, accessibility, acceptability, and adaptability. The report is the outcome of a study conducted in collaboration with the University of Nottingham and other members of the UNEVOC Network.