Organisation of Taitaja

Skills Finland helps to raise the profile of the Finnish vocational education and skills and increase their appreciation both in Finland and abroad. The association, founded in 1993, works together with partners who share similar values and goals and have an interest in promoting vocational education. Skills Finland’s members and supporters include the Ministry of Education and Culture, the National Board of Education, vocational institutions and the most important labour and education organisations.

The national Taitaja competition, held each year, attracts the most attention towards the association’s activities. Taitaja competitions are held on a rotation in different parts of Finland each year. The competitions are organised by local education providers with their partners.

Skills Finland and its partners train and send the Finnish national team to the international WorldSkills and EuroSkills. These take place biannually, alternating turns with each other. Skills Finland also sends a team to Abilympics competition which is a Skills competition for students with special needs, held every four years.

We have developed a wide network of international operators and experts to promote the internalisation of vocational secondary education. The Skills competitions and training for them support this objective

Finnish students selected to international Skills competitions are those who have been the most successful ones in training. Competitors to international skills competitions are selected in Finland’s national skills competition Taitaja. Companies and vocational colleges can also send their own representatives.  The final selection will be through trial competitions.