The changes in working life have led to a situation in which all workers are required to have cognitive skills and take part in the decision making processes. Skills and abilities are interconnected with the ability to analyze domain-specific information and understand the basics and the meanings of different work tasks (Ruohotie, 2004). Experts' cognitive processes are characterized by complexity of domain-specific knowledge structures and deep understanding of concepts. (Pillay, 1998.) Knowledge structures are different from declarative knowledge. They relate to the analysis or parsing of information, whereas declarative knowledge describes the amount of knowledge or learned facts. The structure of knowledge stored in memory may be more important from the point of view of learning than the amount of it. Knowledge structures affect subsequent knowledge parsing and memory retrieval processes. The retrieval of information from memory speeds up and deepens understanding, helps in decision-making and the anticipation of future events, and makes it easier to find optimal solutions to problems. (Day, Arthur & Gettman, 2001.) Experts also have the ability to apply their knowledge and skills to new tasks and situations. In other words, they have the ability to transfer their knowledge and skills and abilities to new areas. However, the preconditions to such transfer are strong professional knowledge. For example, the understanding of professional knowledge (at any level of complexity) helps an expert in analogical communication technology to transfer information (such as knowledge of terminology and processes) to problem solving processes in the area of digital communication technology. Also, thinking skills are needed in working life. Those who master their work have the ability to analyze problems, are proactive and able to anticipate the development of their field, and take responsibility for the effectiveness of their work practices. Higher level thinking skills are related to critical thinking, problem solving and creative thinking, which are all cognitive processes that advance professional knowledge, deepen the understanding of knowledge and increase the transferability of knowledge and skills (Pillay, 1998). Trishman's research group (1993) found seven factors that promote higher level thinking: open-heartedness and broadmindedness, intellectual curiosity, inquisitiveness for connections and explanations, ability to anticipate outcomes and to make plans, ability to process information, ability to assess frameworks and reasons, and ability to monitor one's own thoughts. Individuals may have strong professional knowledge and still have extensive shortcomings in their thinking skills. All the abovementioned competencies are needed in working life. In particular, experts are required to have a strong professional knowledge (complexity of knowledge and depth of understanding), the ability to transfer skills and knowledge, and metacognitive skills (capacity for critical analysis and the creative use of knowledge, ability to anticipate future developments and consequences, and responsibility for work tasks and continuance of the operation). Success also requires self-regulation skills and motivational competencies that support self-regulation-especially efficiency beliefs: trust in one's abilities to plan and execute the activities that lead towards a skilful accomplishment (Williams 2002, p. 103). A two-year (2007-2009) “Modeling of Vocational Excellence” (MoVE) project is funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education. The project has two major research questions to answer: 1) What are the main predictors of Finnish World Skills Competition (WSC) participants’ vocational excellence? 2) What is the level of utilization of the Finnish World Skills Competition (WSC) participants’ competence in working life?

Both research questions are answered with theoretical concept analysis (the review of existing literature), interview (participants, trainers, competition judges, employers) and survey study (the development of measurement instrument, the analysis of empirical data). Numerical empirical data is collected with theAbilities for Professional Learning Questionnaire (Nokelainen & Ruohotie, 2002), Self-attitudes Attributes Scale (Campbell, 1996) and Multiple Intelligences Profiling Questionnaire (Tirri, K., Komulainen, Nokelainen, & Tirri, H., 2003). The target group consists of 200 Finnish World Skills Competition (WSC) participants. Textual empirical data has been collected in 2007 with a thematic interview. The structure of the interviews is based on the work of Greenspan, Solomon and Gardner (2004). Four Finnish WCS 2005 medalists and four WSC 2007 participans has been interviewed. Also their trainers, work life representatives and parents have been interviewed (n = 22).

This study analyses the mental training practices of WSC participants (n = 200). It also studies to what extent working life requirements and expectations are present in the training process. Results of this study indicate how both successful and unsuccessful top-level vocational trainees (WSC winners and those who did not succeed) have succeeded in working life. The main results of this study are a theoretical model of Vocational Excellence (VE) and an operationalisation of the model, the Vocational Excellence Indicators Questionnaire (VEIQ). So far we have analysed the results of Finnish WCS medalists and participans and their trainers, work life representatives and parents interviews. The interview results from several information sources reveal several principal components of vocational excellence that cover all the people in the training process: Will to succeed, ability to cope with pressure, high level of interpersonal skills, high automation level of work-related skills (WCS competitors); high level of professionalism, will to learn new things, personal ambition, listening skills, high coordination abilities (personal trainers); flexibility, ability to provide multifaceted and challenging work tasks (work life representatives); ability to be proud and will to provide support, encouragement and respect for their children (parents).