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Development of an Education and Training Guarantee System for

Turku and Salo Regions

Matti Mäkelä, Project ManagerTurku Vocational InstituteDevelopment UnitTurku, Finland

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Structure of the presentation

1. The Education System of Finland

2. Challenges for the Future

3. CASE: VaSkooli-project

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Educational and cultural equality

- Ideals of equal opportunities in society are fundamental principles in Finnish system

- The public sector is largely seen responsible for promoting and ensuring the well-being and equality of Finns

- Education is free in Finland at all levels from pre-school education to universities

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The Education System of Finland

                                                                                  

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Challenges for the Future

1. Making Training Guarantee reality (how to ensure a place of study for every young person finishing basic education?)

2. How to ensure sufficiency of skilled labour in the future?

3. How to make life-long learning possible and make people see it as a possibility rather than a threat?

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Challenges for the Future

Current situation:

- Every year 3 000 youngsters won’t get a place of study after comprehensive school

- 10 % of vocational school students drop-out every year

- Population is aging and new skillful work force is needed

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CASE: VaSkooli-project and Regional Model for Training Guarantee

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The VaSkooli project was implemented in Turkuand Salo regions in Southwest Finland from1 November 2004 – 31 January 2008.

The project was part of the EQUAL programme.

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To develop a regional model of education and

training guarantee to assure a place of study

for every young person finishing his/her

basic education.

Main Objective of the project

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Main target group of the project was young peopleat high risk of being excluded from the education,labour market and/or society.

More over, the target groups included parentsand teachers of the young people, other publicsector officers working with young people, as well asrepresentatives of companies and employer andemployee organisations.

Target group of the project

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VaSkooli - results

- 1094 members of the target group were involved in

the project activities

- After the project 884 (80,8 %) of the participants were either at school (63,6 %) or at work (17,2)

- 515 participated in trainings for teachers and other public sector officers working with young people

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Training guarantee: before and after

Youngsters without a place of study after basic education:

2004 2006

Turku 6,2 % 5,3 %Salo 5,4 % 3,0 %

ALL 6,1 % 4,9 %

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How to Make It Happen (1)

To make Training Guarantee reality you need these…

1. Enough places of study in secondary education2. New methods of issuing and receiving information3. Intensive co-operation between educational organisations and other actors4. “Easy to reach” -guidance centers5. New Guidance and support practices6. Flexible routes through education7. New models and good practices for transition from school to work

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How to make it happen? (2)

1. Co-operation (transition phases, multi-vocational actors)

2. Flexibility (”customer first”, flexible routes through education)

3. Creativity (new models for guidance and support)

4. Lobbying (enough places of study in secondary education)

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Final Overall Question: WHY?

Training Guarantee is good business:

It is estimated that every youngster excludedpermanently from education and working life will cost at least 1 000 000 euros for the Finnish society