Vocational Education and Training Network

This study focuses on the transition from Finnish polytechnics to working life at a point of time when Finnish working life is still unfamiliar with polytechnic degrees, intended to qualify their holders for tasks requiring professional expertise. It looks also at how well the skills acquired in polytechnics meet the skills requirements of working life. The results of the study are based on answers by polytechnic graduates (n = 1888) to a questionnaire. The findings suggest that polytechnic graduates have been successful in making their entry to the world of work. In 2003, 82 per cent of polytechnic graduates in business and administration, technology and transport, and health and social services were in employment. Furthermore, most of them had a permanent position. However, although polytechnic graduates seem to have succeeded in gaining access to working life, there is a gap between the (learning) skills acquired in education and the skills actually needed in working life. According to the informants, working life demands more skills than the informants ’ education can offer them. These findings are not surprising because some competencies, such as practical skills, including tacit ones, and self-regulation skills, are learnt only at work. At the same time, there is a real challenge here to develop instruction and teaching methods in polytechnics