Key Competencies of Finnish VET Teachers Mrs. Pia Tolonen, Programme Manager Jyväskylä College Unit of Business and Services 23.8.2014

Cornerstones of Finnish Vocational Education and Training High quality VET Competent teachers Flexible learning pathways Cooperation with world of work Lifelong learning Stakeholder cooperation Quality assurance Lisävauhtia koulutusvientiin (A32154)

Competent teachers Competent Teachers High quality teacher training and relevant worklife experience Changing role of teachers – continuous and systematic development of competences Close connections with working life

Flexible Learning Paths Flexible learning pathways Flexible Learning Paths Individualization – personalized learning paths Wide range of study options Guidance and counselling Support in transition phases

Cooperation with World of Work Qualification framework and curricula meeting the needs of the world of work On-the-job learning - wide network of workplaces Involvement in assessing the students’ skills and competences Trained workplace mentors Development services for the world of work

Lifelong Learning No Educational Dead-ends Competence-based Education for Adults Culture Supporting Lifelong Learning – LL Skills as a Part of the Core Studies Support in Transition Phases

Stakeholder Cooperation Joint Upper Secondary Education Cooperation with Colleges, University of Applied Sciences, University Cooperation with Regional Authorities National and International Networks

Quality Assurance Guaranteeing the Quality of Learning Guaranteeing the Quality of Competence Assessment Integral Part of the Management System Responsibility of Everybody – No Separate Inspection Procedures

The qualifications requirements for vocational teachers include High Quality Teacher Training and Relevant Worklife Experience The qualifications requirements for vocational teachers include an appropriate university degree or an appropriate polytechnic degree, at least three years of work experience in a field relevant to the position and teachers’ pedagogical studies.

Continuing in-service education, short courses Changing Role of Teachers – Continuous and Systematic Development of Competences Continuing in-service education, short courses Teachers’ working life periods Learning more, for example, about the requirements for special needs teachers and guidance counsellors

Participation in trade fairs – networking Close Connections with Working Life Teachers helping students in search for employment opportunities before work placements – close cooperation with the working life Teachers trying to find new on-the-job learning places – discussions in their own networks (neighbours, friends, contacts from their earlier working life…) Participation in trade fairs – networking Participation in events, together with the students

On-the-job Learning in Practice - Teacher’s Tasks The teacher familiarises the students for the work placement period appr. two months before the period starts The teacher visits the working place to agree upon the targets and criteria for the student’s working period The teacher keeps contact (usually by phone) with the working place in the middle of the period or visits the company for the second time, if needed In the end of the on-the-job learning period, the teacher attends the evaluation meeting with the representative of the company and the student After the on-the-job learning period, the teacher saves the grading and credit notes into the student information files of the college