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Current developments in education are focused on competencies, such as problem solving, conflict management, and autonomous, strategic and self-learning processes. Learners have to develop independent attitudes and active behaviours, with a focus on self-regulation and self-direction. This paper contains observations about a Leonardo program research project on the impact of social factors on vocational education and training (VET), looking at students at the Vocational School Leaving Certificate level (Baccalaureat Professionnel) in France. Learners in such tracks have, for the most part, experienced failure at the junior high school level and are oriented towards the vocational track at the senior high school level. Entering with a negative perception of the vocational track, they leave senior high school with a positive attitude when they have earned the Vocational School Leaving Certificate. This change in attitude can be explained by the pedagogical methods used, which are innovative promoting learners emotions, making sense of the different kinds of knowledge taught, helping students to rebuild their self-esteem and developing their autonomy and self-management.