Developing an employee’s competence

Your employees may complete a vocational qualification suitable for adults or a higher education degree to formally qualify them for their work. They may also supplement their vocational skills through additional or further training. Employees’ new vocational skills provide your company with the fresh know-how and may help to develop the operating practices.

Your employees may also improve their other skills independently, for example, by participating in training offered by adult education centres. This often benefits your company, too. For example, an employee may learn a new language that can be used at work.

Staff training organised by your company is also adult education. In addition to improving your employees’ vocational skills, you can also use it to improve their team work, language and IT skills.

Note that there are studies leading to a qualification in entrepreneurship and other useful adult education available to entrepreneurs.  They help you improve your skills as an entrepreneur and increase the competitiveness of your company. Read more on how to develop competence as an entrepreneur

Studying as an adult is flexible. Studying is possible in the workplace, in a vocational institution and in virtual environments. Prior learning is recognised as part of the qualification, which shortens the time required for studying.

It is possible to study for an occupation at a workplace through a training agreement or an apprenticeship agreement or a combination of the two. Students complete the qualification by demonstrating their vocational skills in practical work tasks in skills demonstrations. 

In addition to completing a whole vocational qualification, employees can also complete parts of qualifications or study certain matters to deepen their skills. Depending on the vocational institution, it is also possible to make individual choices. For example, parts of other vocational qualifications, studies in general upper secondary education or studies in universities of applied sciences may be included in the qualification.

According to the Study Leave Act, your employees have the right to take study leave: 

• If they have worked full-time in your company for at least one year, they are entitled to two years of study leave over a period of five years. 
• If the employment relationship has lasted at least three months, they may be granted study leave for five days at the most. 

When your employee applies for study leave, you cannot deny them the leave. However, you may postpone the dates of the study leave for a justified reason, for example, if the leave would be harmful for the operation of your company. The beginning of the leave may be postponed by six months at the most.

Study leave means that the employee has been released from work duties for the duration of the studies, but the employment relationship is still in force. You pay the salary during the study leave if you have agreed on a paid study leave with the employee. this has been agreed on in the collective agreement.