Vilnius 11.-12.6.2007

1. Vilnius 11.-12.6.2007 The Cooperation and Partnership: Developing Education and Science in 2007-2013 Juha Mäntyvaara Head of Department for Education and Culture, State Provincial Office of Southern Finland

2. Vocational education and training in Finland - solutions and results

4. Students in education and training 2000-2004

5. 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

6. VET in Finland • Financial contributions to VET providers from MoE • statutory division of costs at national level • 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

7. 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

8. Costs of VET for providers in 2005 Costs for VET providers (not incl. capital costs) Costs € • Initial VET in institutions 1 052 732 833 • Apprenticeship training (IVET, CVET)128 728 168 • Continuing VET in institutions101 151 129 • Services–incl. Training for employment service416 591 934 Total 1 699 204 064

9. 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

10. Challenges on VET • 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

11. Challenges on VET • Social inclusion as a policy priority • Growing expectations of learners • Individuals taking increasingly responsibility for their own skill development

12. Challenges on VET • 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

13. Challenges on VET • Competency-based qualifications structure – European qualifications framework • Growing demand for workplace learning • Long lead time required for skill formation

14. 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

15. Vocational education and training in Finland • 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)

16. Vocational education and training in Finland • 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. Vocational education and training in Finland • 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

18. Vocational education and training in Finland • 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)

19. Cross waves in Finnish VET

20. 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

21. Policy priorities of VET in Finland • 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

22. 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

23. Policy priorities of VET in Finland • 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

24. Policy priorities of VET in Finland • 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

25. 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

26. Policy priorities of VET in Finland • 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

27. VET Agenda 2006 in Finland • Skills demonstrations – quality assurance • Performance-based funding • More coherent VET providers network • Increased provision of CVET • Development program of VET for persons with special needs • Securing availability of competent teachers and trainers • Co-operation between VET and upper secondary general education

28. VET Agenda 2006 in Finland • Strengthened co-operation between VET providers and working-life • increased work-placed learning • Increased efficiency of education and training system • drop-out, attrition • linkages and transitions • productivity program • improved joint application system • EU presidency • review of the Copenhagen process

29. Goals for WorldSkills 2005 Helsinki- successfully reached • Enhance the appreciation of VET and skills • Improve the quality of training and skill levels • Highlight excellence in vocational skills • Consolidate national skills competitions and their role as developing training and skills levels • Build up new national and international skills networks • to learn from each other • to strengthen the international capacity of VET providers

30. 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)

31. Demonstration-based qualifications • 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

32. 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

33. Recognition of prior learning • 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

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

35. Continuing training of VET teachers • 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

36. Continuing training of VET teachers • The topics prioritised in state budget 2006 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