Quality Management in Finland

General About Initial Vocational Education and Training

The objective of initial vocational education is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for acquiring vocational expertise and with capabilities for self-employment. The further objectives of the education are to promote the students' development into good and balanced individuals and members of society, to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary in further studies, personal interests and the versatile development of personality, and to promote lifelong learning (Vocational Education Act 630/1998).

Initial vocational education builds on the basic education syllabus and provides 3-year instruction in almost all fields of working life. Initial vocational education is also open to upper secondary school leavers. The duration of studies is 0.5-1 year shorter for them, due to the credits transferred from upper secondary school studies.

There are 54 different basic degrees and 114 initial vocational study programmes. These yield extensive basic vocational skills for various assignments in their field and, in addition, more specialised expertise in one sector of the study programme. A three-year vocational qualification provides general eligibility for higher education. The scope of the study programme is 120 credits (one credit being equivalent to a student's average study effort of 40 hours), including 90 credits for vocational studies and relevant on-the-job training, 20 for common studies and 10 for free-choice studies. Studying takes place primarily at vocational institutions, but supervised on-the-job training at a workplace accounts for at least 20 credits. Common studies in all initial vocational programmes are mother tongue, the other national language, foreign language, mathematics, physics and chemistry, social, business and working life studies, physical and health education, and arts and culture.

An initial vocational qualification can be completed in the form of either institutional education or apprenticeship training. Apprenticeship training is based on a contract of employment (apprenticeship contract) between the student and the employer, confirmed by the education provider. In addition to these, a vocational qualification can also be taken as a competence-based examination evaluated by an examination board. In additional vocational training, it is possible to take further and specialist vocational qualifications. Further and specialist vocational qualifications can only be taken in competence-based examinations, and they are intended for adults. The responsibility for organising and supervising the examinations rests with a national tripartite examination board.

The Government decides on the general objectives of vocational education and training, the general structure of the study programmes and on the common studies. The Ministry of Education decides on the details and scope of the study programmes. Finnish National Board of Education issues the national core curricula determining the objectives and core contents of the studies. The core curricula are dealt with by tripartite expert bodies, training committees, which were established under the Ministry of Education to plan and develop vocational education. Based on these, each provider of education prepares its curriculum. Providers of education also have tripartite expert bodies, consultative committees, which participate in the planning and development of education at the local level.

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