At the Skills Games, the quality of vocational education and training is enhanced through peer learning

Maria Ekroth

• CEO of Skills Finland.
• Serves as the Event Director of the Skills Games 2027, which will bring together the Abilympics and Taitaja competitions.
• Maria is a professional in the events sector and has overseen hundreds of events during her career, ranging from televised Elämä Lapselle stadium concerts with 40,000 spectators, to congresses, sports events and virtual productions.

Preparations for the Abilympics & Taitaja 2027 competitions, that is, the Skills Games, are progressing at full speed at the Skills Finland office, at Omnia, and within the network of vocational education and training providers. The institutions that have committed themselves to participating have been a positive surprise: they are more strongly and enthusiastically involved than we had even dared to hope. The event is seen as an important joint effort that strengthens national cooperation between different institutions.

The event combines the knowledge, skills and experience of professionals from dozens of institutions and representatives of companies in a way that develops different fields in a work-life-oriented manner, with everyone learning from each other. The Skills Finland side is represented by Abilympics Competition Director Katri Pokkinen, and from Omnia by Taitaja2027 Competition Director Thomas Vasenius. The competition skills are coordinated by 83 Skill Competition Managers, about half of whom are special needs teachers from vocational special education institutions and the other half teachers from mainstream institutions. They work closely both with each other and with representatives of working life.

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Special needs teachers play an important role in Taitaja, for example as Skill Competition Managers and judges. In the picture: the cleaning services skill at the Taitaja2025 competition. Photo: Roni Lehti / Skills Finland.

The number of students requiring support has increased in vocational institutions, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Vocational institutions have recognised that young people now face more challenges related to mental health and life management than before. Vocational teachers need to be able to support students with special needs more strongly in order to promote Finland’s economic growth, societal vitality and wellbeing.

Learning support consists of low-threshold support, special needs education and special support, all of which promote the progress of studies, completion of qualifications and transition to employment or further studies. Teachers in mainstream institutions increasingly need special expertise. Close cooperation between these institutions is seen as an opportunity to transfer this expertise to teachers in mainstream institutions as well as to representatives of working life.

Thus, this is not only about organising a competition event, but also about learning from one another and striving to create new practices as well as strengthen cooperation between various parties in many ways, both now and in the future.

The Skills Games event will also provide us with a wonderful opportunity to attract the attention of international partner organisations and educational decision-makers from different countries to Finland – to our equal education system, to an event model implemented through the cooperation of a broad network of vocational education and training providers in which everyone develops, and to the reason why Finland has been chosen as the happiest country in the world for the eighth time in a row.

The themes of happiness – Finnish nature, a warm atmosphere, equality and doing things together – will be reflected in the implementation of the event. The slogan of the Skills Games encapsulates how we want everyone involved to feel: WE CAN – WE BELONG – NO LIMITS.

The board of the International Abilympic Federation visited Finland in May to familiarise themselves with the Taitaja2025 event and the 2027 venue at Messukeskus. Photo: Skills Finland.