Professional Development of incompany Trainers in Finland Tallinn 29 March 2014 Aapo Koukku Counsellor of Education Finnish National Board of Education Statistics and international affairs
Finnish Education System A p p r e n t i c e s h i p EARLY YEARS EDUCATION AND CARE
VET is an attractive choice for young people What happens immediately after compulsory education? 2001/2012 Basic education leavers (61 059 in 2012) General upper secondary 54 % / 50 % Vocational upper secondary 36 % /42 % Did not continue immediately 10 % /9 % Source: Statistics Finland
Spotlight on VET in Finland (1) Mainly within institutions (work-based learning included) Apprenticeship training expanding Around 130 VET-providers, a nation-wide network of vocational institutions Instruction for Swedish-speakers either in Swedish-speaking or bilingual institutions On IVET about 130 000 students every year, 50 000 new students After basic education about 42 % of school-leavers continue in IVET (51 % in general upper secondary education) Drop-out rate below 9 % IVET: tuition and meals free of charge, CVET: small fees An open pathway from upper secondary vocational qualifications to polytechnics and universities general eligibility to HE
Spotlight on VET in Finland (2) Education philosophy is based on delegation of responsibility to local level. Relatively autonomous VET-providers VET provided by registered VET providers licence from Ministry of Education Municipalities, joint municipal federations or private organisations Financing system based on national unit prices based on costs in different sectors of VET Lump sums without "earmarks" for the VET-provider Financial contributions to VET providers from MoEC Statutory division of costs at national level In IVET: state 42 % - municipalities together 58 % In CVET mainly by state National-level evaluations with no inspectorate In 2011, total operating costs of vocational institutions amounted to 1.700 million
Central steering vs local decisions Central o Educational priorities o Min. time allocation o National core curricula o Size of state subsidies Local o Educational priorities o Local curricula o Alloc. of subsidies o Class size o Recruitment o Teacher evaluation o Quality assurance
National Requirements for vocational qualifications at upper secondary level ( 1credit = 40 hours of study; 40 credits = one year) Vocational units (including at least 20 credits of on-the-job learning) -Basic and field-specific study units (compulsory) -Specialicing study units (partly optional) -Other optional units (decided by VET provider) -Skills tests (during on-the-job learning period) Core units (common to all) e.g. languages, math, physics, chemistry Free-choice units 90 cr 20 cr 10 cr
Three different ways of acquirying a VET qualification School-/curriculum based education (Initial vocational education) Apprenticeship training (both initial and adult VET) Competence-based qualifications for adults (vocational, further vocational and specialist vocational qualifications)
Strategic Documents that recognize the importance of workplace learning and training of trainers Vocational Education and Training Act and Decree (1998) Development Plan for Education and Research 2011-2016 (adopted by the Government) The Quality Management Recommendation for Vocational Education and Training (adopted by the Ministry of Education, 2008) VET Quality Strategy for 2011-2020 (Ministry of Education and Culture, 2011) National qualification requirements for upper secondary VET, 52 alltogether (Finnish National Board of Education, 2008-2010) - Each qualification requirement in IVET includes an optional module: Workplace instructor training (2credits) Recommendations on learning at the workplace (State, municipalities, central labour market organisations and other organisations, 2010, replaces previous recommendations issued in 1998 and 2005)
Training of Trainers On-the-job learning periods introduced in 2000 and skills demonstrations in 2006 in all IVETqualifications Trainers have been trained from beginning of 2000 Estimation: approx. 50 % of trainers have been trained Training of trainers is the responsibility of education providers The Government has promoted the implementation of on-the-job-learning and skills demonstrations by subsidising various projects: the training of trainers has been one element in these projects ESF resourses has been used, too
National Guidelines and Guides to facilitate and promote the work-based learning and training of trainers The Requirements for Continuing Education in Teachers Working Life Competences, 25 credits, CPD for teachers (FNBE 2009) Training for Workplace Instructors (= Trainers), 3 credits (FNBE 2012) Guide for the Implementation of Vocational Teachers work Placement Periods (FNBE and Educa-Instituutti 2013) Guide on Implementing Workplace Instructor (= Trainer) Training (FNBE and Educa-Instituutti 2013) Competence Map for Workplace Instructors (= Trainers) (FNBE and Educa-Instituutti 2013
Guides to facilitate the WPL and training of trainers (ESF-funding) Guide for the Implementation of Vocational Teachers' Work Placement Periods The purpose of this guide is to help VET providers to plan and implement work placement periods Guide on Implementing Workplace Instructor Training Examples of workplace instructor training based on the local and regional projects under the FNBE s Competent in the Labour Market development programme Criteria for the Training for Workplace Instructors Competence Map for Workplace Instructors The competence map serves as a self-assessment tool for identifying and developing workplace instructors competences In addition 5 more guides related to WPL and training of trainers produced during 2007-2010
Guides for training of trainers and vocational teacher s work placement periods The guides are developed by Finnish National Board of Education and Educa-instituutti, a private company (education and staff development) Funding from FNBE and ESF They have been disseminated to VET providers in a launching seminar and they can be downloaded from the FNBE web site (www.oph.fi) They focus on the basic training, but also identify the importance on continuing professional development of trainers
Training Programme Training for workplace instructors National recommendation for competence profile Three modules: 1. Planning of training provided in the workplace, vocational skills demonstrations and competence tests 2. Instructing the student and assessing learning 3. Assessing the student s or candidate s competences
Competence Areas of Vet Trainers (from Competence Map for Workplace Instructors)
Training Programme for Trainers Duration: 3 credits; flexible, in practically approx. 10 days The programme is designed by the Finnish National Board of Education first time in 2004 and revised in September 2012. It is a recommendation, not a regulation. Who can become a trainer: a skilled worker or an experienced foreman who has motivation to work as a workplace instructor / trainer. It is not obligatory to persons who work or want to work as trainers. However, the VET legislation states that those workplaces which organize on-the-job-learning periods must have enough competent staff to take care of students, so it is a mutual interest of VET institutions and their partner enterprises to train trainers.
The Programme The training provider is responsible for the accreditation of prior learning and awarding of the certificate. A good opportunity to train trainers is during vocational teachers work placement periods (which the teachers are encouraged to do). In such case the teacher will guide the trainer on how to instruct the students. Teachers can also train trainers while on instruction visits to the workplace during the students on-thejob learning period.
Financing of the Training The training of workplace trainers can be financed in various ways: the enterprises, education authorities and education and training providers can finance the training. It can also be financed within development projects when it is appropriate.
National qualification requirements in English oph.fi/english If you want to read more
oph.fi/english/ publications/ brochures
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN FINLAND - More Information www.minedu.fi Ministry of Education and Culture www.oph.fi Finnish National Board of Education information in Finnish, Swedish and English Guides in English: http://www.oph.fi/english/ publications