COMPETENCEBASED VOCATIONAL QUALIFCATIONS IN EDUCATION SYSTEM OF FINLAND

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COMPETENCE-BASED VOCATIONAL QUALIFCATIONS IN
EDUCATION SYSTEM OF FINLAND
Authors Huhtala, Hyppönen, Koukku,
Nordström Date 18.03.2004 www.oph.fi
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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATION SYSTEMSummary
III/1

• Starting point requirements of working life
• Three basic principles 1) tripartite
  cooperation, 2) accreditation of prior learning,
  3) demonstration of skills in real working
  situations
• Qualification is independent of way how the
  vocational skills have been acquired
• Qualifications on three levels vocational
  qualification, further vocational qualification,
  specialist vocational qualification

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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATION SYSTEMStructure
III/2
University degrees
Polytechnic degrees
Specialist vocational qualifications
WORKING LIFE
Matriculation examination

Further vocational qualifications
Vocational qualifications
Basic education
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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATION SYSTEMEligibility
for further studies III/3
Eligibility for further studies after vocational
education
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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATION SYSTEMEducational
needs coming from society III/4

• The requirements from working life
• Decrease of labour power
• Part of adult persons are lacking formal
  vocational qualification
• Need to make the training system more effective
• Official recognition of learning acquired in
  different ways
• Improvement of quality of education and training

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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATION SYSTEMBasic
Features III/8

• Qualification system for adults and adult
  education
• Applicable to all funding forms of education
• Independent of the way the competence is acquired
• Modular qualification structure
• Skills requirements derived from working life
• Close co-operation with social partners,
  educational authorities and teachers
• Personalisation
• Quality assurance of qualifications

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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATION SYSTEMEnrolment
III/12

• Independent of age and educational background of
  the person/student
• After the compulsory school
• Accreditation of skills acquired at work
• In training institutions which have contracted
  with qualification committee on organising
  qualifications

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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATION SYSTEMSectors
III/13

• Culture Sector
• Humanistic and Educational Sector
• Natural Sciences Sector
• Natural Resources and Environment Sector
• Technology and Transport Sector
• Social Sciences, Business and Administration
  Sector
• Social Services, Health and Physical Education
  Sector
• Tourism, Catering and Home Economics Sector

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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATION SYSTEMStatistics
(2003) III/14
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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATION SYSTEMStatistics
(2003) III/14
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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATION SYSTEM
Participation in competence-based examinations
III/15

• 1995 3 000
• 1996 4 000
• 1997 8 000
• 1998 14 000
• 1999 24 000
• 2000 32 000
• 2001 38 000
• 2002 41 000
• 2003 43 000

• Share of different qualification levels 2003
• vocational qualifications 39
• further vocational qualifications 50
• specialist vocational qualifications 11

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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATION SYSTEM
Participation in competence-based examinations
III/16
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PART IVCOMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATIONS
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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATIONSSummary IV/1

• Competence-based qualifications are independent
  of
• method of acquiring the required skills
• prior studies or
• formal training
• Three levels of qualifications 1. vocational
  qualification, 2. further vocational
  qualification and 3. specialist vocational
  qualification.
• Qualifications are module-based
• Qualification will be made by competence tests (
  demonstrations of vocational skills) in real
  working life situations

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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATIONS Levels IV/3

• Vocational qualification
• The basic skills of the profession
• Further vocational qualification
• Skilled worker, professional in the field
• Specialist vocational qualification
• The most demanding tasks in the field

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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATIONS Number of titles
of qualifications (2003) IV/4
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COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATIONS The path leading
to competence-based qualification IV/9
GUIDANCE
Recognition of present skills
Plan for competence test approved by
qualification committee
Personal plan for competence test
Competence tests on modules of qualification 1,
2 etc., Assessment
Qualification and certificate
ACCUMULATED LIFE EXPERIENCE
REQUIREMENTS OF QUALIFICATION
REGULATION OF PERSONALISATION OF QUALIFICATION
CONTRACT ON ARRANGING COMPETENCE TESTS
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PART VVOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
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VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONSSummary V/1

• The student makes her/his vocational
  qualification by competence tests in real working
  life situations
• National requirements for qualification.
  Tripartite representatives (employers, employees
  and educators) have defined the requirements
• Skills written in requirements shall be
  demonstrated in competence tests
• Personalising of competence tests
• Personalising the study plan for complementary
  studies
• The competence test is assessed by tripartite
  evaluators representatives of employers,
  employees and educators

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VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONSPersonalisation V/5

• In enrolment phase
• personalisation to accredit skills and prior
  learning
• In competence tests
• personalisation in planning and realisation of
  competence tests
• In acquiring vocational skills
• personalisation for preparatory training
• personalisation for learning on-the-job

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VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONSPersonal plan for
competence tests V/6

• The aim is to
• Organise the competence tests as appropriate as
  possible
• Follow the requirements of the qualification
• Make personal plans for
• competence tests, places and schedules for tests
• preparatory training, if needed
• on-the-job learning, if needed
• Make special organisations for the competence
  tests, if needed

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VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONSPersonal plan for
competence tests V/7

• To accredit prior learning and prior skills tests
• To organise the competence tests in as
  appropriate way as possible for the student
• To make the plan for competence tests in personal
  discussion
• To write or draw a plan how the vocational skills
  will be demonstrated
• The plan is signed by the student and the
  representative of the organiser of the
  qualification

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VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS The process of the
competence tests V/9

• For the student
• Enrolment to make the qualification
• Personal plan for competence tests with the
  teacher (and representative of employer)
• Preparatory training, if needed
• Participating in the competence tests
• Feedback discussion with evaluators (and employer)

• In the organising institution
• Planning of competence tests with the working
  life
• Personal plan for competence tests with the
  student
• Organising skills demonstrations on the
  workplaces
• Evaluation of the skills demonstrations
• Feedback discussion with the student

qualification and certificate
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VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS The Costs of the
Qualification V/12

• Fee for qualification
• year 2003 50,50
• paid by the student
• when beginning to take the qualification
• Fees for preparatory training
• pro institution
• pro financing

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PART VIQUALITY ASSURANCE
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QUALITY ASSURANCE Summary VI/1

• Quality assurance will be made in all phases of
  the qualification process by
• NBE
• Qualification Committee
• Arranging institution
• Evaluators of competence tests
• in some cases by standardised competence tests

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QUALITY ASSURANCE Qualification Committees
(1) VI/2

• Tripartite representatives of unions/
  organisations of
• Employers
• Employees
• Educators
• In some cases entrepreneurs
• Term for three years
• Proposed by the unions, set by NBE

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QUALITY ASSURANCE Qualification Committees
(2) VI/3

• The tasks of the qualification committee
• to make contracts with arranging institutions
• to supervise qualification process in the
  institutions
• to sign certificates for qualified persons
• to follow-up the qualification system and to give
  proposals for improvement of the qualification
  and the system
• The experts in NBE supports Qualification
  Committees each on their own area.

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QUALITY ASSURANCE Data bank for materials for
vocational qualifications VI/9

• Common data bank of standardised competence tests
• Material has been produced mainly for
  qualifications in technology and transport sector
• Why this data bank?
• to help those, who organise competence tests at
  workplaces
• to help qualification committees
• to save money and work in organising institution

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PART VIIFINANCING OF COMPETENCE-BASED
QUALIFICATIONS
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FINANCING OF COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATIONS
Summary VII/1

• The vocational education is mainly publicly
  financed
• Two-tiered public financing for institutes
  statutory and local authorities or other
  education providers
• Financing criteria statutory (same for all)
  performance-based financing
• Financial aid for individuals
• Student grant system for persons in working life
• Unemployment benefits for unemployed persons
• Lifting up-program for least educated persons

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FINANCING OF COMPETENCE-BASED QUALIFICATIONS
Financiers VII/2

• Majority is publicly financed

• Apprenticeship training
• state
• employers

• Employment training
• state

• Staff training
• employers
• state

• Initial training
• state
• municipalities
• the student