Vocational education and training in Finland - solutions and results

1. Vocational education and training in Finland- solutions and results Timo Lankinen Government Counsellor Director for vocational education and training Ministry of Education Finland

3. Students in education and training 2000 - 2004

4. Current expenditure on regular education system by type of expenditure 2005

5. Educational pathways for young people coming from comprehensive schools Vocational education and training in VET institutions Upper secondary general schools Gymnasiums "Double examination" IVET qualification and matriculation examination Those who need more time to make decisions about their future careers Academicly oriented, heading high Those who haven´t succeeded well in basic education Those who aim purposefully to skilled (practical) professions Ambitious, those who already plan their further studies 10. grade ’makers’ ’readers’

6. Young students continuing immediately studies after basic education

7. Upper secondary general school • General education, three-year syllabus • Gives eligibility for further education (universities, polytechnics) • Providers authorised by the Ministry of Education • Mainly provided by local authorities; some private and state schools • Nearly 500 schools • Different curriculum and allocation of lessons in adult education • Over 50% of the age group complete upper secondary school education • 18 compulsory subjects

8. Upper secondary general school... • Course-based curriculum • 1 course = 38 hours on average - 47-51 compulsory courses - at least 10 advanced courses - applied courses - whole syllabus at least 75 courses • A student may count courses taken in other school forms towards their upper secondary certificate • Education providers in a region have a duty to cooperate in order to diversify the selection of upper secondary courses

9. Upper secondary general school... • Distance and virtual teaching has been developed • National matriculation examination • The matriculation examination is a national examination set twice a year, in which tests are based on the national upper secondary core curriculum • The matriculation examination comprises four tests; mother tongue is compulsory, the other three can be chosen from: a foreign language, the second national language, mathematics and general studies. In addition to these, it is possible to take voluntary tests.

10. VET in Finland • Mainly within institutions (work-based learning included) • apprenticeship training expanding (in IVET 10%, in CVET 40 %) • VET provided by registered VET providers – licence from Ministry of Education • municipalities, joint municipal boards or private organisations • 212 VET-providers (initial and continuing vet) • Financing system based on national unit prices based on costs in different sectors of VET – different systems for IVET and CVET • Financial contributions to VET providers from MoE • statutory division of costs at national level between state and municipalities • in IVET: state 46 % - municipalities together 54 % • in CVET mainly by state • IVET: tuition and meals free of charge, CVET: small fees • Instruction for Swedish-speakers either in Swedish-speaking or bilingual institutions

11. Registered VET providers 2006 Registered VET providers 212 (incl. state) Initial VET 175 156 have also licence for CVET private 91 municipalities 26 joint municipal boards 57 Only IVET 19 Only CVET 37 private 35 municipals 1 joint municipal boards 1

12. 146 070 Initial VET 120 300 in curriculum-based IVET qualifications in institutions 14 800 students with special needs 13 050 in preparatory training for demonstration-based IVET qualifications in institutions 12 720 in apprenticeship-training for IVET qualification 39 800 Continuing VET 13 790 CVET in institutions 3 400 CVET in NOSTE -program 22 610 CVET in apprenticeship-training 74 000 Labour market oriented training for adults (Ministry of Labour) Students in different VET sectors 2005 (yearly average)

13. Costs of VET for providers in 2005

14. Challenges on VET • Ageing population • Engaging all youth in VET and challenge on those in working life • From unemployment to skills shortages – Changing social and education trends contributing to skills shortages in traditional skills • More balanced approach to counteract current trends • Stronger recognition of the role of intermediate skills – broader base of skills • Changing needs of industry and service • New technology and work practices – New forms of employment • Engagement of employers • Competitive business environment/policy settings create a disincentive for many employers to make necessary investment in skill formation • Companies making decisions about the location of operations in global markets

15. Challenges on VET… • Social inclusion as a policy priority • Growing expectations of learners • Individuals taking increasingly responsibility for their own skill development • Productivity in education and training system • Need to produce more with existing financial framework • Financial constraints in future in public sector • Better links and pathways between school – VET – higher education • Competency-based qualifications structure – European qualifications framework • Growing demand for workplace learning • Long lead time required for skill formation

16. Vocational education and training in Finland • Competence-based qualifications • Based on the needs of working life • National qualification structure • Modular structure • Curriculum and training programs at provider level: more individualised programs • Recognition of prior learning • Skills demonstrations • 1994 into adult VET – 2006 into all VET qualifications • Recognition of earlier professional experience: regardless of how and where skills have been acquired (informal and non-formal learning) • Validation of skills and competences acquired during the training • Qualification committees (national/regional/provider) • Registered training providers • Accreditation: fields of training, maximum number of students/year, other requirements and provisions • National requirements for teachers • HE qualification, work experience and VET teacher training • Training of trainers at work-places: no formal qualification requirements

17. Quality management at the training providers´ level National recommendations (CQAF) National quality awards (EFQM/CQAF) Quality enhancement and development projects (Leonardo, national) Evaluation Obligation of VET providers to carry out evaluations: self-evaluations, external evaluations National evaluations: The Finnish Education Evaluation Council Increased use of skills competitions Benchmarking, skills demonstrations Financial incentives Performance-based financing system for VET-providers – performance indicators: impact (employment, HE transition), processes (drop-out, completion/graduation), staff (qualifications, staff development)

18. Cross waves in Finnish VET

19. Policy priorities of VET in Finland • Strengthened links between VET and the world of work • Increasing employability and making transition from school to work more effective • Expansion of work-based learning: increased work-placements and apprenticeship training • Innovative forms of public –private –partnerships: "Training companies – corporation between employers, institutions and polytechnic/universities" –electro-metal industries – "Practice-training companies" in entrepreneurship training • Better access to higher education and lifelong learning • General eligibility from 3 year VET qualifications into tertiary education • Creation of polytechnics (non university HE) • Increased training provision for adults • Common principles for recognition of prior learning

20. Policy priorities of VET in Finland .. • Decision-making powers largely shifted to training providers • Total reform of the education and training legislation – flexibility • Responsive to regional labour market – responsibilities within same hands • Anticipation of the match between demand and supply – signals to TPs • Need for better quality assurance • Competence-based qualifications – national qualifications structures • Skills demonstrations • Registered training providers - National requirements for teachers • Quality Charter for TPs - Quality management at the training providers´ level • Evaluation – no large inspection system • Increased use of skills competitions • Financial incentives • Training of teachers and enhancing teachers contacts with working life • Training of trainers

21. Policy priorities of VET in Finland … • Financing system - lump sums without ear-marks • Public financing to TPs (for operational costs and investments) • Financing follows students´ choices • Based on national unit prices • Performance-based funding included: indicators: employment, HE transition, drop-out, completion/graduation, staff qualifications, staff development • More coherent network of VET providers • Consolidation on TPs – “VET college strategy” • Development of VET for students with special needs • Lowering of the drop-out rates and increasing the attrition rates • Active participation in EU Copenhagen process • Enhanced co-operation between EU member states in VET

22. Increased provision of IVET and CVET More coherent VET provider network – in connection with municipal and public service structure reform Securing relevant financing to VET providers with incentives to improve performance Performance-based funding included into financing system – increased share of PBF of total funding Skills demonstrations included into all initial VET qualifications – quality assurance Better arrangements for recognition of prior learning Securing competent teachers and trainers Co-operation between VET and upper secondary general education Implementation of development strategy in VET for persons with special needs Increasing efficiency of education and training system drop-out attrition linkages and transitions from basic education into VET from VET into working life productivity program within state administration reform of joint application system of upper secondary schools and VET into internet –based system Strengthening co-operation between VET providers and working life increasing work-placed learning (apprenticeships, work placements, on-the-job learning) sector specific VET questions EU co-operation active participation into the EU Copenhagen process National VET agenda 2007 -

23. More attractive VET • Strong links between VET and working-life • Competence-based qualifications, work-based learning, skills demonstrations, social partner participation, quality of training • Increased counselling at comprehensive schools and enlarged information about VET and working-life • Tripartite campaigns, skills competitions at national and international level • VET as educational pathway to higher education • Increased possibilities to gain double qualification • VET qualification and matriculation examination • Performance-based funding and quality-awards to training providers • Extra funding for VET-providers with non-attractive qualifications • Increased use of skills competitions - celebrating excellence in skills • T9 Skills Competitions (9th class pupils in comprehensive schools), National Skills Competitions, WorldSkills Competitions – EuroSkills Competitions

24. VET qualifications system in Finland • National qualifications structures • Ministry of Education: which qualifications to include in the qualifications structure • National Board of Education: 1) national requirements, 2) modules, 3) assessment criteria • Three types of qualifications: • IVET: vocational qualifications (52 qualifications, 115 study programs, a number of specialisations • CVET: further vocational qualifications (175) and specialist vocational qualifications (117) • All qualifications competency-based • based on the needs of working life and described as required competencies • prepared by NBE together with social partners in consultation with national training committees • The same standards to youth and adults – working life competencies • All qualifications modular structured • Curriculum and training programs at the provider level • more individualised programs as a challenge • Recognition of prior learning an established practice

25. VET qualifications system in Finland… • Qualifications issued by • Registered VET providers • together with committees for skills demonstrations (Initial vocational qualifications) • Qualification committees set by NBE • (Initial vocational qualifications, further vocational qualifications, specialist vocational qualifications) • Different ways to acquire a qualification: • Curriculum-based training in VET institution or in apprenticeship-training + skills demonstrations (IVET) • Demonstration-based examination in VET institution usually in connection to preparatory training in institution or in apprenticeship-training (CVET & IVET)

26. Demonstration-based qualifications • Knowledge, skills and competences regardless of how and where skills have been acquired • Primarily intended for adults skilled in different fields to demonstrate their practical competence and vocational skills • Taking part in skills demonstrations does not require formal preparation • however, most participants acquire preparatory training (individual learning programmes) • Tri-partite qualification committees (national, regional) (250 committees): • do not organise skills demonstrations themselves • contract with VET-providers and give providers licence to organise skills demonstrations in order to aqcquire demonstration-based qualification • supervise providers and issue certificates

27. 1. Humanities and Education3 vocational qualifications 2. Culture6 vocational qualifications 3. Social Sciences, Business and Administration1 vocational qualification 4. Natural Sciences 1 vocational qualification 5. Technology, Communications and Transport26 vocational qualifications 6. Natural Resources and the Environment 5 vocational qualifications Social Services, Health and Sports 6 vocational qualifications 8. Tourism, Catering and Home Economics5 vocational qualifications IVET qualifications in national educational classification

28. Composition of studies (120 credits) in initial vocational qualifications at upper secondary level • Vocational studies 90 credits(including at least 20 credits of on-the-job learning) • - compulsory field-specific study modules • optional specialising study modules (decided at national level) • - optional studies (decided by VET provider) Core subjects (common to all) 20 credits like languages, maths, physics, chemistry Free-choice studies 10 credits - individual choice

29. Studies defined in study modules, scope of studies in credits • The studies are divided into study modules. Vocational study units are composed on the basis of functions in working life, their names describe activities at working life. • The scope of studies is expressed in credits (study weeks). One credit is equal to 40 hours of students’ average workload. One school year is equal to 40 credits. • The scope of vocational study units is mostly between 10 to 40 credits.

30. Recognition of prior learning • Perspectives to recognition and accreditation of prior learning • during application to education and training • during studies • in demonstration-based qualifications • Differences in post-secondary education and training • recognition is most widely used in demonstration-based VET qualifications • recognition of prior learning is also an established practice in initial VET: accreditation of prior studies and non-formal and informal learning • not largely used in higher education – more in polytechnics than in universities • Education and training providers empowered to • approve proofs/evidence and to select assessment methods of non-formal and informal learning results • grant credit for competency acquired in non-formal and informal learning • accredit prior non-formal and informal learning when persons are applying to education and training

31. Teachers and trainers in VET • 12 000 teachers in IVET institutions • 3 000 in adult training centres • 80 % of teachers teach vocational studies • others are specialists in core subjects, special needs teachers and guidance counsellors • VET teachers are seen as their own specific group within the teaching profession • education and qualification requirements for VET teachers differ greatly from those of general education teachers • differences in their teaching work and work context are recognised • Directors of VET providers, heads of VET divisions, coordinators f.ex. international affairs, planning specialists, training coordinators in apprenticeship training • Support staff, special needs assistants, school social workers, school psychologists • Skilled workers within VET institutions • Trainers at work places (apprenticeships, on-the-job learning periods) • National qualification requirements for teachers (incl. principals): • masters/bachelors degree, work-experience, vocational teacher education studies (60 ETCS points, special licences in some sectors

32. Teacher groups, institutions and qualification requirements ●= Master’s degree including pedagogical studies■= Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in relevant field and pedagogical studies at vocational teacher education college (60 ETCS points) 1Polytechnic senior lecturers are required to hold a postgraduate licentiate or doctorate 2Some polytechnics employ guidance counsellors even if they are not required to by law.

33. Number of graduates from vocational teacher training programmes 1997-2005 • Since 2002 teacher training has exceeded 1,000 people • Intake was raised to prevent a shortage of teachers • 40 % men – 60 females • Average time spent on completing the pedagogical studies for vocational teachers was 1.5 years

34. Continuing training of VET teachers • Obligation to participate in in-service-training based on collective agreements • 88 % participated in continuing training 2005 • Training intended for keeping skills and competences up to date, not to have a direct bearing on teachers’ salary and career development • National support for continuing training of teachers and trainers in specific fields decided yearly in state budget or through ESF funding • International mobility programs as continuing training • Special programs to support co-operation between training and working life • specialist in demonstration-based qualifications • studies for teachers in increasing their competence in the world-of-work • teachers` on-the-job learning periods • The topics prioritised in state budget are for teachers at basic education, upper secondary general schools and in VET: • eLearning pedagogy and media competence • Developing the foundation of learning and subject-specific skills • Promoting education in entrepreneurship • Well-being of students and guidance and counselling • Special needs education • On-the-job learning and skills demonstrations • Promoting active citizenship and education of students with multicultural background • Training for school management