In Finland, equality is promoted through adult learning by strengthening learners’ basic skills. A new system of skills badges helps to make learners’ competence in basic skills more visible.

Reading and numeracy skills and digital skills are considered basic skills. With sufficient competence in these skills, citizens have better opportunities to function in daily life and be active participants in information society. Missing basic skills in turn impair the individual’s life management and capabilities to participate in the public debate on matters concerning their own life.

According to studies, Finland has a large number of adults with a need to develop their basic skills. The National Skills Badges, which can be completed in liberal adult education institutions, have been developed to respond to this need. 

Counsellor of Education Heikki Tulkki from the Finnish National Agency for Education says the skills badges motivate and guide learners in developing their competence and help them identify and verbalise their skills.

“The National Skills Badges are part of the work carried out to reform continuous learning. The aim is to offer opportunities for competence development flexibly and alongside work, if necessary.”

From now on, a person will be able to make their competence visible by completing a skills badge. A legislative change that entered into force at the beginning 2024 makes it possible to record completed badges in the National Registry and Data Transfer Service for Study Rights and Completed Studies. In the My Studyinfo service, the student can take advantage of a completed badge by sharing it with the parties they wish to. 

The badges have been received with enthusiasm

Seven liberal adult education institutions tested the National Skills Badges during spring 2024. It has also been possible to complete skills badges at Ojoinen Prison in Hämeenlinna as part of the course on digital skills provided by Sivis Study Centre.

“The reception among the participants was very positive and enthusiastic. For example, they saw the benefits of the badges in terms of working life,” says Jaana Lehrbäck, a specialist in home economics from the non-profit organisation Hämeen Martat and the course instructor.

On the course, digital skills were acquired through cooking, among other things. The participants organised a lunch and by doing it familiarised themselves with searching for reliable information, drawing up a budget and using word processing and calculation software. At the end of the course, it was possible for the participants to complete the Development of digital competence skills badge.

Sanna Saarimaa, a specialist from Sivis Study Centre, says that students can complete more than one skills badge on the course. This requires good observation skills from the instructor. 

“The instructor must notice when a student is close to achieving a skills badge. Some of the students may want to complete more than one badge on one course. This requires individualised guidance,” Saarimaa says.

“In addition to the skills badge for digital competence, some participants also completed the skills badge related to interaction skills during the digital skills course,” says Jaana Lehrbäck, the course instructor.

Gaining new competences flexibly and precisely

The National Skills Badges are divided into different theme areas. In addition to digital skills, these include interaction and workplace wellbeing skills, sustainability competence, textual skills, numeracy and financial skills, and learning skills.

Specialist Sanna Saarimaa from Sivis Study Centre is satisfied with the content of the badges and finds that they work well. 

“With these badges, skills can be acquired and completed in small pieces. The badge may be the first certificate the student has ever received. It is important that with the badges, studying provides encouraging experiences. 

Saarimaa also finds it important that competence is at the heart of the badges. In addition to participating in a variety of courses, badges can also be completed by giving a demonstration of one's competence. This helps to make prior learning visible.

According to Counsellor of Education Heikki Tulkki, the basic skills needed in the world of work have been the starting point in the development of the badges. For example, if the employer observes need for improvement in an employee’s basic skills, the employee can be directed to complete the required skills badge. It is indeed possible to promote one’s position in the  labour market flexibly and quickly by completing the skills badges.

“The National Skills Badges make acquiring specific competence possible. You don’t have to complete extensive entities to demonstrate competence in an individual skill. The badges are definitely useful in the world of work, job search and studies,” Tulkki says.

Equality can be promoted by means of adult learning

The opportunities to complete the National Skills Badges are targeted especially at persons who have deficiencies in their basic skills. Specialist Sanna Saarimaa from Sivis Study Centre regards the skills badges as a way of promoting equality in society.

“This is one way of taking into account that there are a lot of people with deficiencies in their basic skills and for whom it is challenging to prove the competences they have. The skills badges are linked to the same registers as other study attainments and qualifications,” Saarimaa summarises.

According to Jaana Lehrbäck, the instructor of the digital skills course, people may find new sides in themselves when completing the badges.

“People may find digital matters challenging, and there may be experiences such as having fallen victim to a scam in the background. When completing the badge, they notice that they have learned digital skills,” Lehrbäck explains.   

Counsellor of Education Heikki Tulkki considers it positive that the badges offer an opportunity to promote one’s competence on an individual basis. Tulkki also thinks it is possible that more skills badges will be created for liberal adult education in the future.

“Badges that can be completed in small pieces support confidence in one’s own skills. The completion of one badge may encourage the person to acquire more competence by means of the other badges or studies leading to a qualification,” Tulkki says.

Text: Eeva Bui