2025

Vocational education is driving changes in the workforce with new modules focused on the digital and green transition

Optional modules that develop skills needed for the green transition and digitalization are being added to vocational and specialist qualification criteria. These modules have already been included in the first set of qualifications and will be added to others by the end of 2027. Additionally, the range of options for choosing qualifications is being expanded.The new qualification modules are specifically designed for students who are enhancing, deepening, or renewing their professional skills. These modules can be studied individually, for example, alongside work or as part of a degree program.

VET teachers need up-to-date skills to implement new optional qualification modules and provide the workforce with necessary expertise. The Finnish National Agency for Education encourages vocational education providers to collaborate on implementing the new modules. This collaboration fosters dialogue among teachers from different fields and helps create a shared understanding of the introduction, teaching requirements, and skill assessment for the new modules.

National recommendations on the use of AI in education

In March 2025, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) released national recommendations on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in early childhood education and care, primary and lower secondary education, general and vocational upper secondary education, as well as liberal adult education. These recommendations outline legal obligations and guidelines to support the responsible, safe, and innovative use of AI in educational settings.

The guidelines emphasize that education providers must establish clear policies and provide guidance to staff on the use of AI applications. Before implementing AI tools, providers are responsible for assessing their compliance with relevant laws, such as the EU AI Act, data protection regulations, and copyright legislation, as well as their alignment with the objectives of the national core curricula.

A wide range of evidence, including international comparative data, was used in the development of these recommendations. The process also involved extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including educators, researchers, and families. Children and young people were engaged through participatory methods to ensure their perspectives were considered in shaping the final recommendations.

The "AI in Education – Legislation and Recommendations" material aims to support education providers in utilizing AI as part of teaching and learning. The material is divided into two parts: obligations and recommendations, and the background materials that support them. The material is available on the EDUFI website in Finnish and Swedish, and later also in English.

2024

Support for learning will be reformed 

The goal of Finland’s current government program is to clarify learning support and unify the continuum of learning support from early childhood education to upper secondary education. A key focus is to shift the emphasis of support towards early intervention.

The Ministry of Education and Culture is undergoing legislative changes, through which the learning support system will be reformed at all educational levels. The changes concerning vocational education and training are aimed to come into effect on January 1, 2026.

The legislative changes are scheduled to proceed to the Parliament for decision in the fall of 2024. The legislative reforms will not cause changes to the requirements for VET qualifications. The guide "Special Support in Vocational Education and training" will be updated to align with the legislative changes.

The effectiveness of preparatory education for an upper secondary qualification (TUVA) was evaluated

The preparatory education for an upper secondary qualification (TUVA) supports students in preparing for general upper secondary or VET studies by providing individualized support and guidance. TUVA education started on 1 August 2022. The effectiveness of the TUVA education was evaluated through a survey with responses from 1,936 individuals across Finland. Additionally, extensive interview data was collected.

According to the evaluation, students are generally satisfied with the TUVA education, although there are differences in the adequacy of guidance. Teachers appreciate the program's flexibility but require more resources for special education and guidance. Challenges for the TUVA education includes the high number of non-native students and language proficiency requirements.

Education providers view the system as functional, but it is criticized for insufficient amount of special education. According to the evaluation, effective student welfare is crucial because the support needs of students in the TUVA education are diverse.Proposed improvements include enhancing the funding system and clarifying students’ language proficiency requirements before starting the TUVA education.

Finland’s National Implementation Plan (NIP) has been updated 

In Finland, the most important instrument for implementing the Council of the European Union Recommendation and the Osnabrück Declaration in VET policy is the Education Policy Report of the Finnish Government. The strategic report, which steers the development of entire education system in the long term, describes the target state of education and research into the 2030s and towards the 2040s. The report also presents the resources needed to achieve the target state and the need for changes in structures and guidance. The report examines VET and its development as part of the entire education system and its development.

The Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government  has been implemented in Finland June 2023, and the National Implementation Plan (NIP) was updated in February 2024 to correspond to the development measures under the new Government Programme. The key development measures are related to strengthening the impact and overall efficiency of VET activities. The first version of the National Implementation Plan 2022 was based on the Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government.

2023

Supply of vocational education and training in English extended

From the beginning of 2023, 8 new education providers will have the right to provide qualifications in English. It means that the supply of education and training in English will expand by 50 per cent and now total 23 education providers have the right to provide 61 different kinds of qualifications in English. The decision will expand the supply of education in English especially in the fields of cleaning and property services, accommodation, restaurant and catering services, tourism services, health and social services, and mechanical engineering and production technology.

In Finland many sectors are experiencing labour shortages, and therefore it was necessary to increase the supply of vocational education and training in English. Providing more education and training to complete a qualification in English widens the educational opportunities of foreign-language speakers and helps them find employment. Another aim is to strengthen the vitality and competitiveness of regions. 

The prerequisite for the authorisation to provide vocational qualifications in a foreign language is that the education provider makes sure that the students develop, improve and achieve sufficient skills in Finnish and Swedish as part of the education and training to complete a qualification in English. Education providers must have close cooperation with employers so that employers, too, are committed to the education to ensure their access to skilled labour. Ensuring that employees want to stay working in a sector requires that these students have the possibility to acquire Finnish language and cultural skills to get a job in Finland. 

Current Government Programme defined objectives for VET   

In June 2023, Finland’s 77th Government was appointed and the outcome of the negotiations on the Government Programme was published. The Government set the goals for VET.  These main goals are: 

• Reducing discontinuation of studies.
• Promoting the use of training agreements and apprenticeship training.
• Guaranteeing access to contact teaching, workplace instruction and support for learning.
• Restructuring the financing of VET by introducing stronger incentives for education providers to ensure that students complete their studies, find employment and transition to further studies; reviewing the indicators used in effectiveness-based financing, as well as their monitoring; introducing incentives for students to complete micro-credentials.
• Strengthening cooperation between VET and business and industry to ensure VET better meets the needs of working life and reduces labour market mismatches.
• Ensuring a wider offering of VET studies provided in English.
• Including more physical and health education into qualification requirements. 

The goals agreed on in the Government Programme do not come to effect immediately but will work as a guideline that the Government will intend to follow through its term of office. For example, legislative amendments must be prepared before bringing them to the Parliament for approval.