Finland´s experience in organising skills competitions - benefits Timo Lankinen Director-General for Finnish National Board of Education President of Skills Finland

What are Skills Competitions? Competitions with difference –Test and develop skills and competencies of those working within industry, commerce and services –Excellent way of raising skill levels Each competition designed to test technical skills as well as communication, teamwork, business skills and the ability to projects –to a high standard within specific timeframe

The goal of the WorldSkills Competition  To challenge young people, their teachers, trainers and employers to achieve world class standards of competence in commerce, services and industry, and to promote the status of vocational training

Skills Competitions Benefits to all stakeholders –To individuals –To employers –To training providers –To society

Benefits of Skills Competitions To individuals: –personal development: self- esteem and motivation –experience working under pressure - see excellence in action –opportunity to compare skills against peers - mirrors the competitive world of work –individual portfolios –have fun and good contacts To society: –raise the awareness of decision makers, youth, parents of skills and competences and how they benefit to the society –excellence sets examples to youth and working life To employers: –possibility to compare the quality of training: national and international benchmark on skill levels –demonstrate commitment to high standards of training and personal development –promote equipment and products To training providers: –network of professionals to exchange good practice and information (national/global) –better recruitment to training: young professionals shining examples of excellence

Objectives of the WorldSkills 2005 Helsinki Raise the awareness of youth and parents Improve cooperation between VET and the world of work Enhance work-placed learning and training Increase the status and attractiveness of VET National investment - 5 year development project in partnership with social partners, VET providers and industry/business

WorldSkills 2005 Helsinki – Vocational Skills Competition Key project for the development of vocational education and training, vocational Excellence and Skills Competitions Main event for the National Year of VET and Young Professionals 2005 The project was launched in 2000 and will continue after 2005 Vocational skills competition a means of developing vocational excellence

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 enlargened information about VET and working-life VET as educational pathway to higher education Increased possibilities to gain double qualification 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 More attractive VET

Skills Competitions – supporting the national objectives Increasing the response of VET to working life Improving cooperation between vocational education and working life Supporting industry-driven innovations Developing on-the-job-learning Creating new regional, national and international networks

Skills Competitions – supporting the national objectives Promoting internationalisation of VET, especially via new virtual networks Creating new learning environments for students Offering new learning possibilities, developing vocational excellence Developing the system of demonstrations Offering possibilities for national and international benchmarking and self-evaluation

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 capacity of VET providers

INCREASE OF VET AFTER BASIC EDUCATION (AGE COHORT)

VET SEEN AS AN EQUAL PATHWAY TO GENERAL EDUCATION VET now attractive – number applicants raising continously More motivated young people at initial VET Motivated also to continue their studies at higher education Government increasing study places and apprenceships Benefits to the world of work and to the society

Overall positive trend in attractiveness of VET still hides gender and regional disparities  VET mainly option for boys  32 % of girls and 49 % of boys completing basic education continued in VET – the respective numbers for general education stream 60 % and 42 % (2007)  VET is a less likely choice of a girl living in the capital area  In Uusimaa (surrounding the capital city Helsinki) only 31 % of comprehensive school leavers started in VET, while 58 % went on to general upper secondary education. On the other hand in Kanta-Häme 49 % started in VET (2007).  Raise in attractiveness of VET diminishing regional and gender disparities

How were the goals of the competition achieved? How can the experiences be exploited in the future? How should the competition and coaching be developed?

Pedagogy for Tomorrow – learning from skills competitions  Ubiquitous technology, ubiquitous opportunity?  Collaborative, social-constructivist learning  Problem-based instruction  Progressive inquiry, experimental study  Peer feedback and peer cooperation  Comprehensive national core curriculum/standards integrating 21st Century Skills with content rich curriculum

Learning in Multiple Innovative Environments  Contextual, authentic learning sites  Networked local, technological and social forums of learning  Hands-on, on-the-job, real-life learning arrangements  On-line study in virtual environments, through social media, with mobile tools  Blended teaching methods, hybrid learning resources  Public-private partnerships

21st Century skills integrated into National Core Curriculum Effective written and oral communication Problem-solving and critical thinking Learning to learn Accessing and analyzing information Collaboration across networks and leading by influence Agility and adaptability Initiative and entrepreneurship Curiosity and imagination Empathy Global understanding of different societies 19

Skills Finland, 1993 Objectives - improve the quality of vocational education and training - increase the attractiveness of VET - encourage students to improve their professional skills Background - Ministry of education - Finnish National Board of Education - VET providers - Labour Market Organisations - Organisations of teachers and students

Skills Finland Skills Competitions –Taitaja 9 - Skills competition for primary school students –Taitaja-Mästare SM – National Skillls Competition for student in initial VET –TaitajaPlus –EuroSkills Competition –WorldSkills Competition Training of young people aiming at international skills competitions Training of trainers and competition specialists Development-, research- and information activities

WorldSkills 2005 WorldSkills - 38th Competition in Helsinki – 40 members from every Continent 1952 IVTO (WSO) founded by Spain - first international skills competition in Madrid, 6 members from Europe over 50 members 2007 Japan, 2009 Canada, 2011 London, 2013 Leipzig

Shortcomings in VET systems in Europe (Commissioner Figel´) Too many systems failing to provide an alternative for the young unemployed Systems not open and flexible enough to attract young people disenchanted with school and lacking key competences Institutions lacking close links to knowledge-based economy and to the world of work Systems frequently fail to help students progress to higher education Not enough anticipation of skill needs of companies and working life Constant need to develop and adapt workers´ competencies: systems failing to lay foundation for lifelong learning and societies should cultivate a strong demand for continuing VET CVET plays only marginal role in many countries – more investment, especially private investment needed