Boosting growth and jobs

What role for VET?

Mervi Karikorpi, director
3.2.2010
The Technology Industry – the Most
Important Sector in Finland
• 60 % of total Finnish exports

• 75 % of private-sector
R&D investment

• 255 000 employed directly in

the sector, 700 000 employed
in total, equalling one quarter
of the entire Finnish labour
force
 The Technology Industry Is Comprised
of Four Sub-sectors
Electronics and the Electro-
technical Industry
ABB, Elcoteq, Ensto, Nokia,
Nokia Siemens Networks, Perlos, Planmeca,
Polar Elektro, Suunto, Vacon, Vaisala,
VTI Technologies...
Mechanical Engineering
Abloy, Cargotec, Finn-Power,
Fiskars, Glaston, Kone, Konecranes,
Metso, Normet, Oras, Patria, Pemamek,
Ponsse, Stala, STX Finland, Valtra,
Wärtsilä...
Metals Industry
Boliden, Kuusakoski, Luvata,
Outokumpu, Ovako, Rautaruukki,
Componenta, Sacotec...
Information Technology
Affecto Finland, Comptel,
Digia, Endero, Enfo, Flander,
F-Secure, Fujitsu Services, Logica,
Microsoft, Tieto…
The Change in Industrial Production by Year
480
China
460
440
420 South-Korea
400
380
India
360
340
320 Russia
300
280
Finland
260
240
220 USA
200
180
Euro countries
160
140 1998=100
120 Japan
100
80
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009e 2010e

Source: Consensus Economics

GDP Share of R&D Investment by Country in 2007
GDP share, %
5,0 %
Forecast for
4,5 % 2009*: 4,0 %
Increasing share
4,0 % of the world's overall
R&D investment
3,5 %

3,0 %

2,5 %

2,0 %

1,5 %

1,0 %

0,5 %

0,0 %
USA
Israel

South Korea

Germany

France

EU27

China

Italy

Russia
Finland

Japan

Great Britain
OECD
Sweden

*) Ministry of Finance GDP forecast (18.12.2009) ja Statistics of Finland R&D -forecast (26.11.2009)
Source: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators 2009-1
Strategic Objectives of the Finnish
Technology Industry
Towards company- • Pay and conditions of employment to be negotiated primarily at the
specific pay and company level.
conditions • Competitive cost levels in Finland.

• Ensuring an effective reform of the university system and preconditions

Towards world-class
for high-level research and teaching.
skills and expertise • Ensuring the quality and availability of skilled professionals.

Competitiveness and • To create the preconditions for growth, internationalisation, know-how and
networking, with a focus on SMEs
growth through
• To exploit The Strategic Centres of Excellence in Science, Technology and
business networks and Innovation as a means to improve competitiveness
innovations • Finland to lead the world in utilisation of information technology
• To ensure the availability of energy at a price that will promote the
Cost effective energy competitiveness of Finnish industry.
and climate solutions • To influence climate targets and their method of application and encourage
companies to be more energy efficient.
• To improve companies’ ability to anticipate the influence of legislation on
Turning environmental their business and to use environmental know-how as an ingredient for
know-how into success.
competitive edge • To encourage companies to integrate life-cycle thinking into their
businesses and use environmental know-how as an ingredient for success.
 Competences Needs in Industry
New challenges for VET (initial and continuous)
System-level understanding
Global mindset
(networks and processes) Capabilities to work in teams
Energy effectiveness and lifecycle Language skills
management
Sales competences
Communication skills

Customer needs and service competences Social skills

Entrepreneurial spirit

Motivation and capabilities Utilization of ICT

for lifelong learning Hands-on experience in industry

Ability to see opportunities Technological knowhow

Goal-directed Science and mathematics

Bridging the Gap between MET Industry and
VET

• Focus on learning outcomes, excellence and quality

- learning and teaching methods
- learning environments

• Flexibity and agility of the VET system

- degree/qualification structure
- the way of functioning of the VET schools

Invest in industry – school co-operation

The Technology Industry is also about Services