The article presents an overview of the changes in vocational education and training and challenges posed to social partners, seeking for more efficient organization of vocational training and education. In order to create knowledge, high technology and skilled-based economy in Lithuania, it is necessary to have an effective training and business world interaction, providing not only the professional’s ability to compete in the European labor market, but also enable them to ensure Lithuania‘s quality of life. By this reason, the State involves in vocational training system other stakeholders – social partners: employees, trade unions, employer’s representatives associations. Performing the reform of vocational education and training since 1994, social partnership has taken specific forms, and the Lithuanian Republic Law on Vocational Training defines the competences of the social partners in vocational training processes (Lithuanian Republic Law on Vocational Training, 1997). Ten years later, after the adoption of new Lithuanian Republic Law on Vocational Training in 2007, the social partners‘ activities were expanded. Such a turn towards social dialogue requires qualitative development of human resources in social partner organizations – development of the qualification. The significance of the research and the novelty. The issue of social partnership in vocational training is discussed in various articles, conferences, but the Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Crafts and the Chamber of Agriculture of the Lithuanian Republic (hereinafter Chamber), as social partners and their qualification development has not yet been widely studied. The main problem dealt with in the article is the development of the qualification needs for social partners, because real competences in their activities do not comply with the required knowledge, skills and abilities.[...]

Changes in science, technology, social transformations encourage changes and raise new requirements for teachers’ career – development, reflection, analysis, enhancement of possessed competencies and acquisition of new ones, i. e. lifelong learning skills necessary to adapt to constantly changing life conditions. The problem of the research – qualification requirements for teachers are changing in line with rapid changes in teaching and learning environment and changing requirements in the area of teaching / learning. This situation creates new needs for teachers’ qualification development and determines lack of information about these needs. Therefore, emerging necessity to identify these needs and opportunities of their realization is apparent. The object of the research is teachers’ needs for professional development. The research aimed at identifying general education school teachers’ needs and opportunities for professional development.[...].