From 1 August 2026, the competence objectives for vocational education and training are no longer in the executive order but in the education order (uddannelsesordning). Here is the difference, who writes the order, an example from the service assistant programme — and what applies if you started before.
Introduction
Every vocational education and training programme has two sets of rules. The executive order is the framework: how long the programme is, which stages and specialisations it has, and who issues the certificate. The education order is the content: the subjects, the objectives, the exams and the certificates.
Executive order or education order?
The new executive orders from 2026 say: «The main programme has the competence objectives set out in the education order». So the objectives have moved out of the executive order. If you want to know what you must be able to do, you have to read the order.
| The executive order | The education order | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Ministry of Education | The trade council for the education |
| It says | Duration, levels, specialisations, admission, certificate | Subjects, school days, objectives and sub-objectives, exams, certificates |
| Available on | retsinformation.dk | uddannelsesadministration.dk and uddannelser.stil.dk |
Who writes it?
The education order is set by the trade committee — employers and trade unions in the sector. The order for service assistants, for example, is set by the trade committee for the service assistant programme. Under the new rules, it is also the trade committee that issues the training certificate for service assistants.
Example: service assistant
This is what the subjects on level 1 (cleaning technician) look like in the education order that applies from 1 August 2026:
| Subjects at stage 1 | School days |
|---|---|
| Commercial cleaning | 12 |
| Cleaning hygiene | 11 |
| Planning and quality | 10 |
| Cleaning chemistry, surfaces and the environment | 6 |
| Ergonomics, working environment and waste management | 6 |
| Cooperation, service and conflict resolution in practice | 5 |
| Psychology F | 5 |
| Total | 55 days = 11 weeks |
Specialist subjects and electives
Besides the compulsory subjects, you have electives and optional specialist subjects. In the service assistant programme there is at least 1 week of electives. Optional specialist subjects take up 0 weeks on level 1 and 2 weeks in both hospital service and company service. Which electives the school offers is stated in the school's local teaching plan.
Did you start before 1 August 2026?
Then the old rules apply to you. For service assistants, that is BEK no. 597/2022. You can switch to the new rules by agreement. The same principle is found in the other new executive orders from 2026.