The comparative analysis of modern foreign concepts and systems of professional training of specialists in Western European countries has been carried out. Leading ideas, principles and regularities of the development of continuous professional education have been revealed. It has been stated that most developed European countries gradually reduce vocational education. At the same time, vocational and technical profiles of upper secondary education, which exist almost everywhere, with the exception of Great Britain, are actively developing. The consequence of these changes is the disappearance of many training profiles. Everywhere there is a tendency to prepare workers of advanced specialties. Today, European countries are working to solve the problem of "reducing training profiles to the minimum number". At the same time profiling of high school is carried out. Different approaches to reforming the system of vocational education management in the countries of the world have been highlighted. Particular attention has been paid to the main areas of modernization of vocational education as a component of continuing education, the management of this process at the state, regional and local levels. Comparative analysis of materials in these areas has been carried out, the results of which suggest that the modernization of vocational education management in foreign countries is carried out using the principle of decentralization on the basis of the developed and adopted at the state level regulatory and legal basis. All countries have a clear division of powers at all levels of government (state, regional, local).