Experiences From Competence-Based Assessment in Initial Vocational Education and Training in FinlandWithin the context of enhancing not only student assessment and teaching arrangements but also guidance and remedial measures, developing competence-based assessment is considered one of the means of ensuring the attainment of high-quality competence in initial vocational education and training. Making learning and competencies visible and transferable and ensuring the value of vocational training has become a priority European objective in VET. In Finland, an experiment was launched in 1999 with the aim of incorporating skills demonstrations into initial vocational education and training. The skills demonstrations are modelled on a system of competence- based qualifications. The aim of the Finnish VET policy is to incorporate, over the next few years, skills tests conducted in authentic work situations into all qualifications completed in initial vocational education. Although skills demonstrations are a new element in the mainly school-based Finnish vocational education and training provision, there is a longer tradition in other countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Denmark. The Institute for Educational Research launched in 2001 a pilot research project intended to review both research on competence-based assessment carried out as a part of the scientific discussion on the evaluation of vocational skills and student assessment in VET, and research on and studies of work-based learning and collaboration between vocational institutions and working life. A further purpose of the study was to survey experiences gained from the skills demonstrations. The data of the study were comprised of interviews with six teachers in the study fields of construction, electricity, and social services and health care. In addition, six pilot schools presented their own reports on the experiment. The reports of the pilot schools were subjected to content analysis. The results of the study indicated that the way in which the skills tests are assessed is a central factor in the success of the new system. The object and methods of assessment are important here. The interviews revealed that the teachers emphasise the guidance and motivating function of assessment. The assessment procedure adopted is performance-oriented rather than intended to determine the student's final marks. When asked to reflect on the objects of their assessment, the teachers expressed the opinion that tacit knowledge emerges best and most concretely in authentic work situations rather than in school-based learning. The implementation of skills demonstrations is based on a constructivist conception of learning, which emphasises, within a constructivist learning environment, authentic learning assignments and authentic assessment. Among the examiners is also the student, who is evaluating their own competence. Skills tests were assessed on the tripartite principle, with representatives of working life evaluating the practical demonstrations at the workplace, the teachers evaluating, in addition to the practical demonstrations, also written demonstrations and theoretical demonstrations, and the students engaging in self-assessment. After the demonstrations the examiners discussed the results together and arranged an assessment discussion also with the student. According to the teachers, student self- assessment worked surprisingly well. In the early stages of the pilots there were shortcomings in the way in which the assessment criteria were applied. The representatives of working life found it difficult to evaluate, in particular, the skills required of young people because their previous experience was from assessing adults' demonstration examinations. While the curriculum sets all age groups the same vocational skills requirements, it may be assumed that the actual vocational competence of young people in initial vocational education on the one hand and of adults on the other are different. People learn from experience and from working with other people, reflected in adults' more highly developed vocational competence.