Apprenticeship training in Finland

Apprenticeship training in Finland:
• Apprenticeship training is a primarily work-based form of providing VET carried out under the supervision of a workplace instructor and based on the student’s stated competence need.
• Apprenticeship training is based on a written fixed-term employment contract between an employer and a student, in which the student agrees to perform work for the emplo- yer for a wage, under the direction, supervision and guidance of the employer.
• Workplace training is supplemented with theoretical studies.
• A student at least 15 years of age may serve as an apprentice.
• In apprenticeship training, a personal study plan is always drafted for the student. The study plan is based on the student’s stated competence needs.
• The workplace instructor is responsible for the guidance and assessment of the student at the workplace.
• In apprenticeship training, the employer is always paid training compensation to cover the costs for providing workplace training and guidance in on-the-job learning.
• The employer of an apprenticeship student going directly from basic education to apprenticeship training receives an increased subsidy.
• Because apprenticeship training in Finland is publicly funded, the student and employer will not have to pay any training costs.

•  Apprenticeship training accounts for a significant percentage of all VET for adults. In 2014, approximately 36 per cent of all competence-based qualifications were comp- leted in apprenticeship training.
• Approximately 80 per cent of all apprenticeship training students were 25 years or older.
• A majority of the students beginning apprenticeship training hold a post-secondary qualification.
• In 2014 just under a fifth of all vocational upper secondary qualifications were comp- leted as apprenticeship training.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at  Key figures on apprenticeship training in Finland