Seminars
Taitaja2025 offers visitors two free seminar sessions. Join us at the Turku Fair Center Auditorium or order a link to the seminar live stream or recording of the seminar.
- The National Finnish-language Seminar on Tuesday May 6th addresses changes in the labor market from the perspectives of individuals, companies, and education – register or order livestream / registration links here!
- The International Welcome Seminar on Wednesday May 7th: Towards a better future – educational innovation and international collaboration focuses on international education policy and and developing professional skills and competencies through international collaboration – register or order livestream / registration links here!
National Finnish-language Seminar /Tuesday May 6th 2025: “Hyvän tulevaisuuden tekijät”
Registration
Programme
The National Finnish-language Seminar addresses changes in the labor market from the perspectives of individuals, companies, and education.
The recording of the seminar will be subtitled in Swedish and can be ordered via the registration form.

International Welcome Seminar/Wednesday May 7th 2025:
“Towards a better future – educational innovation and international collaboration“
Registration
Schedule
The seminar experience includes a guided tour of the Taitaja2025 competition, a self-paid networking lunch for seminar participants, and the seminar session. You can attend the entire experience or join us for a part of it.
Sign up for the tour and lunch by April 23rd. You can also order a link to the seminar livestream or the seminar recording by filling the registration form. Attending the seminar itself onsite doesn’t require registration.
The seminar day schedule:
- At 10–12 Guided tour of the Taitaja2025-competition and event (sign up by April 23rd)
- At 12–13 Lunch Break (self-funded, sign up by April 23rd)
- At 13–15 Seminar session (Turku Fair Center Auditorium / livestream / recording)
Programme
The International Welcome Seminar focuses on international education policy and and developing professional skills and competencies through international collaboration.
Seminar session programme at 13–15
Music performance: Turku Conservatory
Opening words – Petri Lempinen, Director General, Ministry of Education and Culture, Department for General Upper Secondary Education and Vocational Education and Training
- Futureproofing: reflections from a professional struggling with the future – Hiski Haukkala, Finnish Institute of International Affairs
- Insight into the mindset of an international relations expert on navigating the world – and how it could be applied in the future?
- Personal and academic reflections on a broader approach to future-proofing one’s career and life.
- WorldSkills and National Skills competitions’ role in developing #ProfessionalSkillsForTheFuture – David Hoey, CEO WorldSkills International and Maria Ekroth, CEO Skills Finland
- How do competitions and competing contribute to skill acquisition and educational innovation?
- Building a better future through education – Li Andersson, Member of European Parliament (recorded speech)
- European education policy and trends in secondary education and vocational skills development
- Panel presentation and discussion: International co-operation as a tool
- Project PAFIIC: from Pakistan to Finland – Tarja Aaltonen, Lecturer, Turku Vocational Institute
- International study programmes – Ajaya Joshi, Senior Lecturer, Turku University of Applied Sciences
- Empowering Growth Through Collaboration: Global Reach and Local Engagement – Saija Kuusisto-Lancaster, Vice President, Strategy and M&A, Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology, Load and Haul Division
Closing words
Speakers

Dr. Hiski Haukkala
Director, Editor in Chief (Ulkopolitiikka-magazine)
Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Maria Ekroth
CEO, Skills Finland

David Hoey
CEO, WorldSkills International

Li Andersson
Member of European Parliament
(Recorded speech for Taitaja2025)

Tarja Aaltonen
Lecturer, Travel Industry
Turku Vocational Institute

Ajaya Joshi
Senior Lecturer
Business, Entrepreneurship and Marketing, Degree Programme in International Business
Turku University of Applied Sciences

Saija Kuusisto-Lancaster
Vice President, Strategy and M&A
Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology, Load and Haul Division

Ilmoittaudu: Kansallinen seminaari
Click the link to register.

Register: International Welcome Seminar
Click the link to register.

Timetable
Click to view the full Taitaja2025 event schedule.