Vocational education and training promotes lifelong and continuous learning in Finland EDUCATION IN FINLAND IN EDUCATION

Photo: Riku Isohella/Velhot Photography Oy/Finland Promotion Board

The legislation on vocational education and training in Finland is based on the principle of lifelong learning that continues throughout individuals’ whole career and life. In Finnish context, we use the concept “continuous learning”. Students’ individual circumstances, goals and the skills they have acquired in the past are taken into account whenever training is planned. Individual learning pathways are designed to help students gain an occupation or progress in their career. In addition, vocational education and training provides knowledge, skills and competences that students can tap into when they need to learn new skills in the future.

INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PATHWAYS starting their education on how to achieve In vocational Students in vocational education and their objectives in the best possible way. education and training have very different backgrounds. For example, the content and schedule of Many apply for a programme directly studies will be agreed with the student training, the after completing their comprehensive on the basis of the national qualification approach to learning school education, some plan to learn a requirements. Sometimes it is necessary is centred on the new occupation while others wish to pro- to rethink the plan and decide whether gress in their career. As a result, students’ the qualification that was initially chosen idea that students knowledge, skills, competences, and prior really meets the student’s needs. Students are competent and learning vary a great deal, but so do the can then be guided to complete a qualifi- objectives set for their studies. cation that is best suited to them. goaloriented agents. A personal competence development As the continuous learning ap- plan (PCDP) will be drawn up for students proach gains momentum, our under-

Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland | Vocational education and training promotes lifelong and continuous learning in Finland | 4/2019 Continuous learning is not only about the development of skills over time, but also about how learning environments adapt to the individual’s situation in life.

standing of how education and training works will also change. • Education will no longer depend on a certain place or time. Skills suitable

for a vocational qualification can be Photo: acquired in multiply learning environ-

ments and in formal, nonformal and Juho Paavola informal way. • Vocational education and training is part of a continuum in which prior learning is identified and teaching is focused on new skills. the basic skills but who are looking a qualification but advance or supple- to progress in their career. A threetier ment students’ professional knowledge LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS ACCORDING qualification structure can respond to and skills. TO LIFE SITUATION people’s lifelong need to develop their In continuous learning, it is essential that professional skills. In many fields, further SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT students can accumulate knowledge and specialist vocational qualifications The objectives of vocational education in different environments, also outside have been designed to lead to the next and training are to raise the general level school. Learning environments may level of education, of professional knowl- include, for example, workplaces, leisure complementing edge, skills and compe- activities or virtual environments, in ad- and deepening the Qualifications and tences in Finland on one dition to the facilities at the educational knowledge, skills units are utilised hand, and to support institution. Vocational education and and competences individuals’ professional training can take place in a wide range acquired in initial flexibly so that growth and lifelong learn- of places and with varying timetables, vocational qualifi- they help students ing on the other. However, provided that the learning environments cations. achieve their goals. these objectives cannot enable the students to learn the required Continuous be achieved unless all knowledge, skills and competences. learning is promot- students are guaranteed ed in that vocational qualifications ensure the right learning conditions. QUALIFICATION STRUCTURE eligibility for further studies. Accordingly, Students do not always have suf- SUPPORTING CONTINUOUS LEARNING all those who have completed a vocational ficient learning skills for studying or The qualification structure in the Finnish qualification may apply for higher educa- completing a vocational qualification. vocational education and training com- tion programmes. Common units such Studies supporting learning skills can be prises three different types of qualifica- as mathematics, Finnish or Swedish lan- provided in subjects such as mathemat- tions: initial vocational qualifications, guage, information technology or foreign ics, Finnish, information technology or further vocational qualifications and languages have been included in all initial foreign languages. If necessary, students specialist vocational qualifications. vocational qualifications as compulsory can also receive support for developing Initial vocational qualifications are, as units. They improve students’ ability to their study skills or life management a rule, intended for those who are new progress to the next level of education skills. For example, students can be to the field, while further and special- and offer tools for further learning. supported by preparatory education and ist vocational qualifications are aimed In addition to the qualifications, train- training or studies that improve their at those who already have acquired ing may be offered that does not lead to learning skills.

Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland | Vocational education and training promotes lifelong and continuous learning in Finland | 4/2019