Bulgaria has a long history and traditions in vocational education. The first vocational school was established during the Ottoman rule. It was a private commercial school, that opened in 1873. As of 2024, there are 377 vocational schools in the country, of which 21 are arts schools. The article presents the results of the project "Unique Vocational Schools in Bulgaria," implemented in 2023. The main criteria for determining these schools are divided into three groups: normative, content-related, and historical, which include seven specific indicators. Based on these, 42 schools have been distinguished. The report will present the training process and innovative practices for vocational training in three of them - the only school for mountain guides in Europe, the second school in Europe for stonemasonry, and one of the 39 vocational schools in Bulgaria - the Vocational School of River Shipbuilding and Navigation. The methods used in the study are an analysis of the school's documentation and an interview with the principal. The results show the success of these three vocational schools and the problems they face. Innovative practices and the uniqueness of the specialties are the ones that attract students.

Keywords: Vocational education, school, innovation practice.