Requirements for trainers in companies

The implementation of head trainer roles is gradual. Companies requiring these positions have shaped them to suit their coordination needs for overseeing the work of their in-company trainers. Some smaller companies share head trainers. As the school is also responsible for the final evaluation of student's performance during training in the company, schools and companies regulate the rules of this cooperation autonomously.

The training of head trainers consists of eight hours of face-to-face training on the legislation and organisation of dual VET and 16 hours of pedagogy, complemented by 16 hours of self-learning (a total of 40 hours).

Qualification requirements for trainers and head trainers in companies as set by legislation in 2015 and last amended in 2018 were put into effect and supported by training provision. However, further changes were requested by employer representatives and were incorporated in a draft amendment of the Act on VET (61/2015) submitted for public discussion.

Changes requested by employer representatives were reflected by the amendment to the Act on VET adopted on 20 October 2021. Head instructors with eight years of experience and instructors with 5 years of experience qualify for these positions without the required qualification if they have obtained a certificate of 'verifying their professional competence' under the Lifelong Learning Act (568/2009).

Requirements for instructors are deemed appropriate by employer representatives. Training of instructors continues independently by training companies with support from sectoral and professional organisations without any intervention by public authorities. There is, however, no progress in clarification of cooperation between the in-company trainers and school-based trainers as implementing a quality assurance model focusing on the provision of training by companies is still not in place.

Both VET schools and companies struggle with a lack of experienced trainers/instructors. Although requirements for in-company trainers are lower than the qualifications required for school trainers under the Act on pedagogical and professional staff (317/2009), further measures to ease access to instructor positions were discussed.

The Act on adult education (292/2024), adopted on 30 October 2024, has introduced the possibility of acquiring the so-called professional qualification of 'Master'. This qualification can also be acquired via validation of non-formal and informal learning by an assessment of a relevant competence portfolio. While this qualification facilitates access to the position of in-company trainer (instructor) within dual VET, it does not apply to trainer positions in VET schools.