This article explores the role of stereotypes and cognitive heuristics as informal institutional determinants shaping employers’ involvement in vocational education and training (VET) in Poland. Drawing on institutional economics and the varieties of capitalism framework—particularly the concept of patchwork capitalism (Rapacki et al., 2019)—the study highlights how entrenched cognitive frames and negative stereotypes about vocational schools and their students contribute to the low engagement of enterprises in VET.

The analysis is grounded in qualitative data from over 130 in-depth interviews with employers, educators, and stakeholders, as well as secondary data from national and European sources. It reveals that many Polish entrepreneurs, especially from micro and small enterprises, perceive VET as a non-economic activity, often associating it with high costs and uncertain benefits - and as such exclude involvement from the pool of possible decisions "ex ante". This perception of costs is driven by stereotypes and reinforced by cognitive shortcuts such as loss aversion and framing effects (Tversky & Kahneman, 1986), which lead to an overestimation of risks and underestimation of potential returns from training investments.

The article argues that these cognitive biases and stereotypes function as informal institutions that undermine the effectiveness of formal VET policies. They contribute to a self-reinforcing cycle of disengagement, where negative expectations about students’ competencies and bureaucratic burdens discourage participation, further weakening the institutional fabric of VET cooperation.

The findings suggest that addressing these informal cognitive barriers is as crucial as reforming formal structures. The article concludes by proposing that future policy interventions should incorporate insights from behavioral economics and cognitive science to reshape employer perceptions and foster a more supportive institutional environment for VET.

Keywords: Vocational education and training, stereotypes, heuristics, institutional economics, patchwork capitalism, Poland, employer engagement.