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

2. 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)

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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