Ramallah – The National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Commission (NTC) organized an online webinar on the Finnish model of excellence in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The session was delivered by Mirva Jansson, CEO of OMNIA Education Partnerships, with the participation of representatives from a number of institutions and organizations working in the TVET sector in Palestine, alongside representatives of Finland in Palestine and international partners.

The NTC, the national governmental body affiliated with the Palestinian Council of Ministers, is responsible for leading, coordinating, and developing the TVET sector in Palestine, as well as building strategic partnerships at the local and international levels to advance a national system based on skills and competencies.

Dr. Rabeh Morrar, President of the NTC, explained that the session forms part of an integrated program reflecting the Commission’s efforts to strengthen dialogue and coordination among the various institutions and stakeholders working in the TVET sector, while also promoting openness to international expertise and experiences and drawing lessons from them in ways that contribute to sector development and create new avenues for cooperation and partnership.

Dr. Morrar emphasized that the Commission’s vision for the coming years focuses on building a more responsive TVET system that is better aligned with labor market needs and characterized by stronger integration and coordination among all relevant stakeholders. He also highlighted the importance of strengthening governance, coordinating institutional efforts across the sector, accelerating digital transformation, and further developing relevant national platforms.

Dr. Morrar further stressed that the Gaza Strip will constitute a key priority in the coming phase, particularly in light of the current circumstances and the growing needs related to recovery and reconstruction. He underscored the importance of developing flexible and rapidly responsive training programs tailored to emerging needs, particularly in the fields of construction, energy, infrastructure, and employment. Such programs would help provide the skills required and prepare qualified personnel capable of supporting recovery and reconstruction efforts.

During the session, Jansson delivered a presentation entitled “Blueprint of Excellence,” outlining the Finnish experience in developing its TVET system and highlighting the main foundations of the model, its implementation mechanisms, and approaches to measuring excellence within TVET institutions.

Jansson emphasized that vocational excellence should not be viewed as a fixed state or an ultimate standard, but rather as a continuous process of development, adaptation, and innovation in response to rapid transformations in the labor market, technology, the economy, and society. She explained that the model is based on a comprehensive vision that connects the quality of education and training with labor market needs, learners’ pathways, and the ability of institutions to innovate and respond effectively to change.

The presentation addressed a number of key dimensions of vocational excellence, including infrastructure, human resources, the learning environment, systems and procedures, and partnerships with employers and relevant stakeholders. It also highlighted four transformative areas that have become essential for future readiness: digital transformation, sustainability and the green transition, innovation and research and development, and inclusion and equal access to opportunities.

The session also reviewed Finland’s experience in competency-based education, work-based learning, recognition of prior learning and experience, flexible lifelong learning pathways, and micro-credentials. In addition, it addressed the role of TVET institutions in responding to rapid changes in occupations and the skills increasingly required by the labor market.

The webinar concluded with an extensive discussion on the potential for benefiting from the Finnish model and adapting it to the Palestinian context. Participants raised a number of issues related to the development of the TVET system, including aligning programs and curricula with labor market needs, developing competency-based assessment, strengthening work-based learning, recognizing prior learning and experience, developing micro-credentials, and integrating artificial intelligence and digital transformation into TVET.

Participants also discussed the importance of developing the training workforce, strengthening the capacities of teachers and trainers, and enhancing partnerships with the private sector to ensure that the competencies acquired by trainees are genuinely aligned with the skills required in the workplace.