The leading and responsible institution in the field of adult education is the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and supported by the Ministry of Education and Science:

• develops and coordinates state policy for adult education;
• creates conditions for the assessment and recognition of adult knowledge, skills and competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning;
• research, analyse and forecast the state, development and needs of adult learning.

According to the Employment Promotion Act, activities related to adult education are also carried out by:

1. National Employment Agency;
2. National Agency for Vocational Education and Training;
3. State Enterprise "Bulgarian-German Vocational Training Centre"
4. vocational training centres;
5. institutions in the school education system and other institutions specified in a law or in an act of the Council of Ministers;
6. natural or legal persons registered under active legislation.

National Employment Agency

The National Employment Agency is an executive agency of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy. It undertakes joint actions with nationally representative employers' and employees' organisations to develop labour market policies of national scope and instruments for their implementation. Annually, it prepares a proposal to the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy for inclusion in the National Action Plan on Employment of programmes and measures for adult employment and training and estimates for their financial provision. It coordinates, supports and provides methodological guidance to the Regional Employment Service Directorates on the implementation of training and employment programmes and measures regulated by the Employment Promotion Act and its implementing rules, as well as on vocational guidance and the organisation of adult training.

It also coordinates, in accordance with signed cooperation agreements with agencies, organisations and social partners, matters relating to employment mediation, training and employment programmes and measures and adult training, organises surveys of training needs for the acquisition of vocational qualifications, develops methodological guidelines and information materials relating to vocational guidance and adult training. The Agency carries out activities under programmes and measures financed by the state budget, including the signing of contracts for the provision of employment services, adult training, etc., and also takes part in the implementation of national, sectoral, regional and local employment and training programmes, including for groups at risk on the labour market.

National Agency for Vocational Education and Training

The National Agency for Vocational Education and Training was established under the Council of Ministers. It is a state body for licensing activities in the system of vocational education and training, for supervision and evaluation of the quality of the activities of licensed institutions, as well as for coordination of institutions related to vocational guidance, training and education. The Agency:

• issue and terminate vocational training and guidance licences;
• controls the activities and assesses the quality of training in licensed institutions in the vocational training system;
• develops and proposes to the Minister of Education and Science:

• the list of professions for vocational education and training;
• the state educational standards for the acquisition of qualifications in professions;
• on the basis of an analysis of the activities of vocational training centres and information and vocational guidance centres, make proposals for improving the vocational education and training system;
• coordinate activities for the development and improvement of vocational education and training strategies;
• establish and maintain a register of vocational training centres and centres for information and guidance and of the licences issued and withdrawn;
• provide methodological support to the vocational training centres which validate vocational knowledge, skills and competences in the vocational education and training system.

State Enterprise "Bulgarian-German Vocational Training Centre"

The State Enterprise "Bulgarian-German Vocational Training Centre" is a legal entity formed under the Commercial Law, with its registered office in Sofia and with branches - territorial subdivisions, the number and headquarters of which are determined by the Minister of Labour and Social Policy. The main subject of activity of the State Enterprise "Bulgarian-German Vocational Training Centre" is the provision of vocational qualification training for persons aged 16 and over, training for the acquisition of key competences and vocational guidance.

The main public tasks of the State Enterprise are:

• support through training for the acquisition of professional qualifications and key competences the integration of unemployed persons from disadvantaged groups into the labour market;
• testing innovative practices for their subsequent implementation by other vocational training institutions;
• enhancing the competences of adult trainers;
• training of mentors, external experts and adult trainers in specific professions;
• establishing partnerships with business and employee representatives to develop new and updated curricula, training materials, career guidance, etc;
• validation of vocational knowledge, skills and competences under the Vocational Education and Training Act.

Vocational training centres

Vocational training centres provide vocational training for people aged 16 and over. Vocational training centres are public, municipal or private, Bulgarian with foreign participation and foreign. State and municipal vocational training centres are established by legal entities which have obtained a licence to provide vocational training. Private centres are established by sole traders or legal entities established as companies, cooperatives, associations and foundations licensed to provide vocational training or vocational guidance.

Bulgarian vocational training centres with foreign participation are established by registered in the Republic of Bulgaria associations between Bulgarian and foreign natural and/or legal persons licensed for vocational training or vocational guidance.

Foreign vocational training centres and information and vocational guidance centres are established by foreign legal entities which carry out their activities in the Republic of Bulgaria in accordance with international agreements and have obtained a licence for vocational training or vocational guidance.

The licence for vocational training is issued by the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training.

Vocational Training Centres collect training fees from natural and legal persons, which they charge according to the vocational field of the training itself and the resources needed to provide quality training.

Institutions in the school education system

According to the Vocational Education and Training Act, the following are entitled to undertake training for the acquisition of vocational qualifications:

1. vocational schools, vocational colleges, schools of arts and vocational training centres;
2. sports schools;
3. theological schools - where they provide vocational training in the vocational field of "Religion";
4. schools in places of imprisonment;
5. special schools - educational boarding schools and social-pedagogical boarding schools;
6. united schools, secondary schools, specialized high schools, evening schools and special schools - for education and support of students with sensory disabilities.

United schools may provide vocational training for the acquisition of a first level vocational qualification and/or for the acquisition of a qualification as part of a profession.

The Theological Schools may provide vocational education in the vocational field of Religion with the acquisition of a third vocational level qualification lasting 5 years after basic education.

Schools in places of detention may provide vocational education and training leading to the first, second and third levels of vocational qualification with a duration specified in the framework programmes. Schools in places of detention may also provide vocational training leading to qualifications in part of the profession.

The right to provide vocational training for the acquisition of the first level of a vocational qualification and/or for the acquisition of a qualification in part of a profession is also granted to special education support centres by the Pre-school and School Education Act.

Ministries, municipalities, higher education institutions, university and multidisciplinary hospitals, employers' organisations, employees' organisations and individual employers may provide vocational training.

Adult vocational training is also provided in higher education institutions under the conditions and in accordance with the procedure laid down in the regulations for the implementation of the Employment Promotion Act.

Employers' organisations

Apprenticeship training is regulated in the Crafts Act and in several regulations of the National Chamber of Crafts, which were drawn up in consultation with the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training. The carrying out of an apprenticeship requires the relevant knowledge, production and technical skills and practical habits acquired through apprenticeship training and qualification, vocational training in the secondary and higher education system, courses for the acquisition or upgrading of qualifications and professional experience. The regional chamber of crafts assists its members in organising and carrying out craft training, organises examinations for the recognition of craft qualifications and issues certificates of competence.

The Regional Chambers of Crafts are members of the National Chamber of Crafts. The National Chamber of Crafts promotes and protects the common interests of its members and contributes to the development of crafts and the promotion of their prestige. The Chamber helps to preserve and develop traditional Bulgarian crafts. It coordinates the training programmes for the individual crafts, draws up rules for conducting examinations and submits them to the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training for approval, issues master certificates. 

The list of handicrafts set out in the Law contains 57 groups of handicrafts. Apprentices may be trained only in the crafts on the list in an enterprise organised in a craft manner and in the National Association of Masters of Folk Arts and Crafts.

Professional unions

Trade unions are set up mainly to protect employees' rights and have a new role as independent representative organisations. The rapid changes in society and legislation to which trade union members must adapt require continuing professional education and training. Aiming to improve their qualifications, they periodically organise training courses, seminars and conferences. Some of them also have separate structures in which vocational education and training is carried out.

Craft Chambers

Apprenticeship training is regulated by the Crafts Act and several regulations of the Bulgarian Chamber of Crafts, which were drawn up in consultation with the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training. The list of crafts set out in the Act contains 127 crafts.

Cultural Community Centres “Chitalishte”

The folk community centres are traditional self-governing Bulgarian cultural and educational associations in the localities, which also perform state cultural and educational tasks. All natural persons may participate in their activities without regard to restrictions on age and gender, political and religious views and ethnic identity. The Centres are non-profit legal entities. The objectives of the Centres are to satisfy the needs of the citizens related to: the development and enrichment of cultural life, social and educational activities in the locality where they carry out their activities; the preservation of the customs and traditions of the Bulgarian people; the expansion of the knowledge of the citizens and their inclusion in the values and achievements of science, art and culture; the provision of access to information. In order to realize their goals, the Centres organize schools, clubs, courses and many other activities. The most active community centres are independent adult education institutions, united in several national networks. They are governed by the Community Centres Act.

Some non-government organizations

The Association "Znanie" is one of the largest networks of associations involved in adult education, called the "Federation of Associations for the Dissemination of Knowledge". It brings together 30 regional associations. The Federation and its member societies provide a wide range of courses, seminars and other educational activities in areas such as foreign language and computer literacy, business, accounting, banking, agriculture, tourism, culture, retraining, certification systems, vocational training and in-service training for teachers. Courses relating to human rights, environmental protection, civil service, etc. are also organized.

Association Science and Technology unions form another network. They are united in a common federation, the Federation of Scientific and Technical Unions. The members of this Association and its affiliates are engineers, entrepreneurs, academicians, farmers, technicians, students, etc. The Association participates in the adult education market through its own vocational training centre. Its license, issued by the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training, covers more than 100 different professions, largely in the field of technology and, more recently, agriculture and construction.