Background information

In 2019, a parliamentary reform of continuous learning was launched with the aim to respond to upskilling and reskilling needs of people, through for example the promotion of learning in working life. An objective sought with the reform, is to meet the competence needs of the labour market.

As part of the reform, The Service Centre for Lifelong Learning and Employment, SECLE (Jatkuvan oppimisen ja työllisyyden palvelukeskus) was established. It is an autonomous public authority, under the Finnish National Agency for Education. The Agency in turn reports to the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

In the strategic development plan for SECLE for 2022-2026, the green transition, automation, and technological progress are laid out as key developments requiring investments in skills and continuous learning.

SECLE was established through, and is regulated by, The Act on a Service Centre for Continuous Learning and Employment 682/2021 (Laki jatkuvan oppimisen ja työllisyyden palvelukeskuksesta).

Content of measure

The Service Centre for Continuous Learning and Employment, SECLE, funds training and other skills services that are needed on the Finnish labour market. The themes to be funded are based on analysis of anticipatory information of labour market needs. Funding is done partly through government grants, partly through procurement. In addition to acute skills shortages and mismatches, funding decisions follow national strategic guidelines for development of for instance green transition related skills needs and digital literacy.

Eligible actors to apply for funding through SECLE are organisers of vocational training, of liberal adult education, higher education institutions, and consortia of the already mentioned. The funded services are mainly targeted at employed people or inactive unemployed persons. Services are free of charge for participants and mainly provided on a part-time basis.

SECLE also runs projects that aim at strengthening labour supply and tackle unemployment. Within such projects, a forecasting system for both short- and medium-term needs of labour and skills is being developed. Another project instead tries to increase training participation of employees with lower education levels, and a third one to encourage employees to continuous learning by helping employers identify and address possible barriers to learning at their workplaces.

Use of measure

During 2024, funding through SECLE will partly focus on the green transition, with specific priorities on competence needs within building renovations, clean energy, bioeconomy, civil engineering and water and waste management. Additionally, funds will be awarded to projects aiming at developing the skills of persons outside of the labour market.

During 2023, applications for funding worth €42 million were made, of which €29 million were approved. Of these, €21 million was awarded to organisers of vocational training, €5 million to higher education institutions, €2 million to organisers of liberal adult education, and below €800,000 to universities. €15 million was awarded to 33 projects within the category of skills services that strengthen labour market position.

In 2022, in total € 3 million was awarded out of the € 88 million applied for.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Employees in standard employment Unemployed Migrants or refugees in employment	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds National Recovery and Resilience Facility

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative
Form	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

Labour market organisations are, in cooperation with the responsible ministries, responsible for the administration and guidance of the service centre. The establishment of the service centre was planned in cooperation between ministries and social partners. The preparatory group includes three peak-level trade unions and five employer's organisations, as well as many other actors.

Social partners were also heard through normal consultation rounds.

Views and reactions

The measure received both appreciation and critique during consultation rounds. The objective to create a closer link between the skills development of the working-age population and the needs of the labour market, received wide support.

Several employer's organisations expressed that the establishment of a new entity was unmotivated and unwanted. A better solution would have been to map the current situation and more accurate and intelligent measures based on the up-to-date situation, such as digital services, by bringing together the offerings of universities and other higher education providers, and the Open University digital platform, or by improving the education system's cooperation with businesses.

From the trade union side, opinions were raised concerning the budget of the measure, stating it was too small compared to the target population. Also employer's organisations criticised the establishment of a permanent measure, which depends on temporary funding through the National Recovery and Resilience Program.

Sources

• 08 April 2021: Summary of comments on the draft Act on the Service Centre for Continuous Learning and Employment and related acts (api.hankeikkuna.fi)
• 01 March 2024: Reform of continuous learning (okm.fi)
• 01 March 2024: Service Centre for Lifelong Learning and Employment, SECLE website (www.jotpa.fi)