Training in Finnish Customs Riitta Paalanen, Head of Training Finnish Customs Training August 2011

Finnish Customs Training/ Customs School Finnish Customs Training provides services to Finnish Customs and its customers. Services contain different customs training courses, supportive events and electronic learning materials. As a part of its international task the Training supports to develop Customs training activities outside Finland. These activities are based on bilateral, multilateral and other project agreements.

Current changes in Customs National: Governmental efficiency program (decreasing the number of employees in the public sector) Regionalisation program (public sector working places moved outside the capital area) Structural change of the public sector (new ministries, restructuring of current administrations) Organisational change in Customs administration EU: E-Customs (new working methods and instruments)

Finnish Customs Training Staff (22 employees) Head of Training unit 4 Training designers 1 regional training coordinator 8 Teachers (with Customs background) 4 Training secretaries It-support Copying services Janitor (in addition to 8 full-time teachers numerous part-time teachers are involved in training activities)

Organisation

Managing competences Role of managers/leaders Map of Competences Tasks remain the same New tasks evolve Tasks not needed anymore Retirement-> skills still needed? Role of managers/leaders What competences are needed? Map of Competences What is going to change? Where are we aiming at? Strategic objectives Changes in the working environment Core tasks of Customs

What is Customs Training? Basic Vocational Training (2 ½ years) Vocational further education Training for the Qualification in Customs Operations Management Training IT Training Foreign languages Consultation of b-Learning courses International Training Customer training Professional customers / companies Support for Training institutes delivering Customs training

Management Training in Finnish Customs FINWIN (Ministry of Finance), 1,5 yrs Public Sector Strategic Management 1 yr Value, quality and strategy processes Career path for managers Managing occupational well-being Development Projects Training for project leaders Specialist Qualification in Management, 1,5 yrs Public Sector Management, 1,5 yrs Management Training in the area of Crime Prevention 3 weeks Training for Steering Group Members, 6 months Training for Result and Development Discussions, 2 days Management and Leadership Training, 2+3+2 days

Statistics 2010 (1) Training for own personnel: Centralized course production 136 courses Total amount of courses in Finnish Customs 650 courses Trainee days (days of trainees in formal customs education) 16 291 days (2) Customer training organised by Training Unit: about 300 h about 1400 persons

Statistics 2010 In addition to face-to-face teaching: Days in guided-self studies and on-the-job learning in Basic Vocational Training Electronic Learning materials Basic vocational training 3000 pages, which are delivered also to the whole organisation for daily work support material (generic support) Advanced vocational training about 10 000 pages. Course contents produced by substance matter experts under the guidance of Training unit (specific support).

Blended learning in Finnish Customs Methods Blended learning in Finnish Customs Classroom teaching Distance learning by E-Learning Guided self-studies On-the-job learning Teamwork etc. methods

“New” Learning environments Traditional New fixed curriculum objectives teacher-directed classroom-based closed learning settings teacher-centred flexible, problem based curriculum processes self-directed real life open learning settings learner centred importance of guidance and support difficult to evaluate (individual, procedural & qualitative outcomes) Source: Jyri Manninen University of Helsinki, FINLAND

Aims of Blended Learning Methods Aims of Blended Learning Learning a profession (with skills) Adult as a learner (implementation) Different learning styles (auditory, visual etc.) More efficient induction A Learning organisation Collection of innovations Generic working life skills

Future changes Changes in working modes and methods Mobility of work has increased with b-Learning = local needs are better taken into account Learning process takes often place outside the Customs School = need for process management has increased Networking has become a lot more important = Tutors, Inductors, shift superiors and colleagues

Contact Information Finnish Customs Training P.O.Box 512 (Hollantilaisentie 11) FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland Riitta Paalanen, Head of Training Tel. + 358 20 492 3504 Gsm + 358 40 332 3504 E-mail: riitta.paalanen@tulli.fi