The Council Conclusions on a strategic framework for European cooperation in educational training 2009 emphasizes the importance of teachers, trainers and educational leaders for the quality of education and training. Thus, one of the priority areas for European cooperation in education and training during recent years has been the professional development of teachers and trainers. The focus has been on the quality of initial education, early career support for new teachers and on raising the quality of continuing professional development opportunities for teachers, trainers and other educational staff. (Council of the European Union 2009)

The qualification requirements and training for VET professionals vary considerably from country to country. There seems to be a fairly widespread interest in standards and definition of professional profiles which define basic skills and competences that VET teachers and trainers need to have. (Cedefop 2009)

The aim of this research is to find out what do the VET teachers themselves think about the expertise and skills needed from VET-teachers in the future in Finland.  The need for this kind of research rises because the educational environment also on the field of vocational education and training is rapidly changing. The concepts oflearning have developed but there have also been changes in methodology, political decision-making, regulations, learning contexts and educational structures. All teachers in VET institutions in Europe are facing new demands; they should be able to recognize prior learning and assess qualifications of learners with different kind of backgrounds in order to support individualized tailor-made training paths. According to the new understanding of learning, teachers are requested to facilitate individually learning of all students with diverse cultural and ethnic background and social and special needs. Among these qualifications are also the skills to combine theory and practise and to follow the development of the substance.  Still, what distinguishes VET teachers from other teachers is their “twofold skills need”. According to Etuce report (2008) VET teachers need a high level of skill in both their professional occupation/background and to be able to transfer these skills on to learners. What kind of education a VET teacher needs, or is required to have, varies across the countries of Europe, across different subjects, and across different fields and professions. Also new methods used in teaching and learning in different countries, e.g. on-the-job learning,  competence-based qualifications, skills demonstrations, increasing international co-operation, student mobility and e-learning set new challenges for teachers (OPM 2007, Teacher Education in Europe 2008).

All these demands for changes bring new kinds of challenges for the work of the vocational teacher but also for whole vocational education and training in Europe.  The overall objectives of the “VET teachers’ expertise in Finland”- research are to survey the present and future qualifications of the VET teacher profession in Finland. The results of this research will help to anticipate the aims, pedagogical solutions and methods of VET teacher education, and also gives a good look into the vocational education and training in Finland.

- Cedefop. (2009). Continuity, consolidation and change. Towards a European era of vocational education and training. Cedefop Reference series; 73. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2009. -Cedefop.2009a. Future skill supply in Europe. Medium-term forecast up to 2020. Syntehesis report. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2009 -Commission on progress of the Education and Training work Programme 2010 -Joint Interim Report of the Council 2004, -Kumpulainen, T. (toim.) (2009). Opettajat Suomessa 2008. Opetushallitus. -Kumpulainen, T. (toim.) (2011). Opettajat Suomessa 2010. Opetushallitus: Koulutuksen seurantaraportit 2011:6. -Lisbon agenda 2000, -Nissinen, Kari & Välijärvi, Jouni, 2012. Opettaja- ja opettajankoulutustarpeiden ennakoinnin tuloksia. Jyväskylän yliopisto, koulutuksen tutkimuslaitos. Tutkimusselosteita 43. -OPM 2007. Opettajankoulutus 2020. Opetusministeriön työryhmämuistioita ja selvityksiä 2007:44. -Teacher Education in Europe. 2008. An ETUCE policy paper. -The Commissions Copenhagen process in the area of VET teachers and trainers