in advocation of vocational skills SKILLS FINLAND 1993–2013 IN ADVOCATION OF VOCATIONAL SKILLS SKILLS FINLAND 1993–2013 Written by Markku Tasala and Eija Alhojärvi Edited by Veijo Hintsanen, Pirjo Elo, Elisabet Saranpää, Katja Katajamäki, Annamari Henriksson, Ulla Matikainen and Liina Luukkonen. Original layout by G-Works Graphics by Mikko Lagerstedt Finnish copy printed by Bookwell, the English version has not been printed © 2017 Skills Finland PART 1 HISTORY OF VOCATIONAL SKILLS COMPETITIONS IN FINLAND 11 Raising the appreciation of VET from the bottom to the top 15 Development efforts through working groups and campaigns since the 1980s 21 Start of vocational skills competitions in Finland 35 Finland joins the International Vocational Training Organisation 45 Taitaja 88 is held as a large-scale event in Hämeenlinna 56 Taitaja gradually takes shape between 1989 and 1992 65 Finland becomes involved in international skills competitions 83 The first medal is won in Amsterdam in 1991 PART 2 FINLAND BECOMES A SKILLED ORGANISER OF SKILLS COMPETITIONS 98 Suomen ammattitaito – Skill Finland ry is founded 109 Finland wins its first gold medal in the 1993 Youth Skills Olympics 115 The association grows and achieves more success in competitions 137 Finland becomes the host of WSC2005 146 The journey towards WorldSkills Helsinki 2005 begins 174 Final culmination of the competition preparations 212 WorldSkills Helsinki 2005 – the best competition of all time PART 3 WORLDSKILLS HELSINKI 2005 AS A WAVE TOWARDS THE FUTURE 248 Skills Finland as the builder of the best vocational skills in the world 255 Taitaja grows into a major VET event 271 Taitaja9 continues its successful run 277 Competitions for special needs students – TaitajaPLUS and Abilympics are launched 283 WorldSkills Competitions as promoters of Finnish excellence in skills 296 A demand for EuroSkills Competitions 305 Training of top experts continues 307 Skills Trainers’ Academy s founded 308 Businesses commit to competition activity 317 Research and publication activities garner international attention 324 Power from competition activities for creating a future PART 4 FUTURE APPENDICES DEAR READER Skills Finland was founded in January the result of the significant efforts of several 1993 for the purpose of promoting Finnish individuals, grew to its current proportions. vocational skills and their appreciation through The Taitaja Competition, which at first only competition activities. However, the roots of the included two competition skills, evolved into association and vocational skills competitions the major vocational education and training reach much further back. Professionals of (VET) event that it is today. Despite its modest various fields have been competing against each beginnings, Finland grew into a significant actor other at least since the 1920s, and professionals in the family of international vocational skills in some fields were already participating in competitions. All of this has been beneficial international skills competitions in the 1950s. to Finnish vocational skills and vocational The idea of vocational skills competitions education and training. being utilised more extensively began to take root on several fronts at the same time in the During the writing process, we were able 1980s. This led to the first Taitaja Competition to gather a large amount of information, being held in Hämeenlinna in 1988 and the memories and photos related to the early stages first competitors being sent to the international of competition activities and the association. WorldSkills Competition in 1989. The good Until now, many of these documents have experiences gained from these competitions led been spread out across the country, stored in to the founding of Skills Finland a few years different people’s offices, basements and attics. later. The numerous stories related to the history of competition activities and the association that The purpose of this book is to compile all the we have found and have been able to bring to small rivulets that eventually formed the stream light and share through this book are equally that led to the association’s founding. The book valuable. describes how the association gradually, as 6 The world around us has changed during the I doubt that this book would ever have seen the association’s existence. The requirements of light of day. I would also like to thank the other working life, vocational skills, VET and, author of this book, Markku Tasala, for his through them, vocational skills competitions outstanding work and the Vuorineuvos Petter have transformed over the years. We have Forsströmin Ammattikoulut Foundation for sought to concretise these changes through their financial support. the example of the Fashion Technology skill. Fashion Technology, formerly known as Ladies’ During this history writing process, I have Dressmaking, has been part of the Taitaja had the opportunity to study the roots of the Competition since the beginning, and we association and competition activities in depth, have also been participating in this skill at the engage in interesting and fruitful discussions international level since our first competition. with numerous VET experts and learn a great In my opinion, the skill’s evolution is greatly many new things. What has made the greatest illustrative not only of the changes in this impression on me is the enthusiasm and profession and our VET, but also the changes dedication with which numerous individuals in the goals and implementation of competition have promoted vocational skills competitions, activities. often on top of their own jobs. For their part, discussions with former competitors have I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to all convinced me that we are on the right track. of you who have given us your time, shared your knowledge and memories with us and scoured Skills Finland was boldly founded in the middle your archives, making it possible for us to create of the 1990s recession. The key idea was to this book. gather all parties involved in VET together to engage in development work. Let this boldness, I would like to offer a special word of thanks open-mindedness and cooperation also carry us to Pirjo Elo, whose expertise and support have forwards, towards an even better future, in the been of paramount importance throughout challenging years ahead. our history project. Without her contribution, Eija Alhojärvi Executive Director Skills Finland 7 1 History of vocational skills competitions in Finland The Team Finland sent to WorldSkills London 2011 was seen off at the House of the Estates by Minister of Education Jukka Gustafsson. In the front row, from the left: Executive Director of Skills Finland Eija Alhojärvi, member of the Board of the International Abilympics Federation Markku Aunola, Minister Gustafsson, Finland’s Official Delegate to WorldSkills Timo Lankinen and Technical Delegate Hannu Immonen. 10 Raising the appreciation of VET from the bottom to the top The mid-1980s was a very significant time Hämeenlinna in 1988. Competition activities for vocational skills competitions. At the later became more established, grew to time, many different parties – who partially international proportions and, as they evolved, had the same driving forces – simultaneously irresistibly drew in vocational colleges. launched activities that shared the same goal: increasing awareness of VET and increasing its PRESSURE TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF attractiveness. VET INCREASES The discourse on vocational skills competitions The post-WWII period of rebuilding, with its was related to the discourse on VET that war reparations, had forced Finland to develop its sometimes even became heated in the mid- domestic industry and incorporate the planning 1980s. The editorial of the newspaper Helsingin of VET into comprehensive education policy. Sanomat tackled the topic on 10 February 1985 VET had expanded considerably in the 1960s with the heading “Discrimination of vocational due to, among other things, the fact that the education falls on all of us”. The editorial 1958 Act on Vocational Colleges had imposed stated that the reform of upper secondary on municipalities the obligation to organise education had been badly forgotten after the VET. In 1966, the Vocational Training Board major decisions had been made. The business (AKH) was established alongside the existing community in particular had vehemently Finnish National Board of General Education. criticised the education policy and, above Later, in 1991, the Finnish National Board of all, the reform of upper secondary education. General Education and the Vocational Training Industry demanded better qualified labour, Board were combined into the Finnish National which brought about pressure to improve the Agency for Education (OPH). quality of education. In the 1970s, the development of VET was The goals to increase the attractiveness of VET discussed in more than ten different committees. and activities aimed at achieving these goals In 1974, after a basic education reform, the eventually led to the launch of regular and ideological and structural solutions for the reform multidisciplinary vocational skills competitions. of upper secondary education were outlined The first Taitaja Competition was held in in a government resolution. According to this 11 resolution, VET had to be developed into a path reform of universities of applied sciences that was to higher education that was competitive with implemented in the 1990s was anticipated by the upper