Omnia Education Partnerships

06/10/2026

🇫🇮🇪🇹 Strengthening Digital Skills in Vocational Education in Ethiopia

We are pleased to share that Omnia Education Partnerships (OEP), together with Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) and Finn Church Aid (FCA), has been selected to deliver a comprehensive training programme to strengthen vocational teachers’ digital competences in Ethiopia.

The programme is part of Digital Ethiopia: Skills and TVET Action (DESTA), which supports Ethiopia’s digital transition by strengthening vocational education and training and the skills needed in the digital economy.

The OEP–TAMK–FCA consortium will design and deliver a blended learning programme focusing on:

🔹 Learner-centred pedagogy
🔹 Effective use of digital tools and Moodle
🔹 High-quality digital learning environments and practices
🔹 Gender-responsive and accessible teaching
🔹 Strengthening local expertise and sustainable digital teaching practices

OEP will lead the expert team and the project, bringing together Finnish expertise in education and digital pedagogy with Ethiopian knowledge and experience.

We look forward to working closely with our consortium partners, the Finnish National Agency for Education’s DESTA team and Ethiopian stakeholders to support the development of inclusive, high-quality and future-oriented vocational education and training.

🔗 Read the full press release:

Press Release: Consortium led by Omnia Education Partnerships launches a training programme to strengthen vocational teachers’ digital skills in Ethiopia Oct 6, 2026 | News  Website press release, 6 October 2026 Consortium led by Omnia Education Partnerships launches a training programme to stren...

01/10/2026

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming representatives from the Italian cultural association PRO.M.E.T.EU.S to our office in Espoo as part of their job shadowing visit to Finland. 🇮🇹🇫🇮

Our Lead Expert in TVET, Mika Heino, gave an introduction to the Finnish TVET system and the Omnia Group, highlighting the competence-based and flexible approach at the heart of Finnish vocational education, followed by a tour of Omnia’s Kirkkokatu campus and its learning environments.

Thank you to our guests for the interesting discussions and exchange of ideas! We look forward to staying connected.

11/09/2026

A timed written test doesn't only measure what you know. It also measures how well you perform under those specific conditions: time pressure, a controlled room, questions designed to have one correct answer. ✏️

For some skills and some contexts, that is the right tool. But when the skill being assessed is practical, the gap between the test and the reality it claims to measure gets wider.

Part 5 of our Developing Education mini-series on last week's post about real-life learning environments. If we agree that learning should happen in conditions that resemble real work, the question that follows is obvious: why would we then assess it in conditions that don't? 🏗️

In Finland, there are no national final exams in vocational qualifications. Instead, competence is demonstrated module by module, in real or realistic work tasks, assessed against national criteria by both a teacher and a workplace representative — the same people involved in the learning itself. Progress is not measured by time spent or tests passed. It is measured by what the learner can actually do. 🤝

The VET Act of 2017 shifted the entire Finnish system toward competence-based assessment, replacing time-based progression with outcomes tied to real professional standards.

The design question is worth sitting with: what does your current assessment system actually measure — and is that the same thing as the competence you are trying to develop? 🌍

What does assessment currently measure in your context?
Reach out if you'd like to explore that question together.
You can also read about our past work on our website: oep.fi

Photo courtesy of Skills Finlnand / Salla Kuusisto

10/09/2026

10/09/2026

An inspiring first introductory meeting with the Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC) in Doha.

It was a pleasure to meet Mr. Saad Abdulla Al-Kharji, Executive Director, Mr. Fouad Raouf El Rassi, Strategy & Planning Manager, and Dr. Tajalsir Ibrahim Kardaman, Consultant, and to exchange perspectives on career development, education pathways and the changing skills landscape.

We discussed the importance of helping learners navigate the full journey from education to careers, and of creating stronger connections between learning, skills, aspirations and opportunities in the world of work.

QCDC’s work in career guidance and development offers an interesting perspective on how education systems can better support young people in making informed choices about their futures.

A very constructive first conversation, and we look forward to continuing the dialogue and exploring areas of shared interest.

09/09/2026

A valuable first introductory meeting with Education Above All Foundation in Doha, together with Ambassador Juha Mustonen and Mohammed Saad Al Kubaisi, CEO of Education Above All.

We had a very engaging discussion around education, skills and pathways to opportunity, and the role that strong international partnerships can play in creating meaningful opportunities for young people—particularly in challenging contexts.

EAA’s work across education, youth empowerment and economic opportunity resonates strongly with our own experience working across different education and development environments.

It was a pleasure to exchange perspectives and explore areas of common interest. We look forward to continuing the conversation and seeing where our respective experience and networks might create opportunities for collaboration.

08/09/2026

His Excellency Ambassador Juha Mustonen and OEP CEO Mervi Jansson recently visited Aspire Academy to discuss how Finnish and Qatari education pathways can support talented athletes throughout their development.

Reaching the highest level in sport requires dedication, discipline and long-term commitment. At the same time, even the most promising athletes need a strong educational foundation, meaningful career options and opportunities to continue learning throughout their lives.

By connecting excellence in sport with flexible education and lifelong learning pathways, we can help young athletes prepare not only for success in competition, but also for the many opportunities that lie beyond their sporting careers.

We look forward to continuing the conversation and exploring opportunities to bring Finnish and Qatari expertise together in support of athletes’ education, professional growth and lifelong success!

01/09/2026

Last week, we had the pleasure of welcoming a seven-member delegation from Changzhou Technician College, Jiangsu Province, China, to Omnia.

Our CEO Mervi Jansson introduced the group to Finnish vocational education and training (TVET) and the Omnia Group, followed by a visit to Omnia’s learning environments at the Kirkkokatu campus.

Thank you for the visit and inspiring discussions on vocational education and international cooperation!

28/08/2026

Ask any pilot which they remember more: a simulation session or their first time in an actual cockpit. 🛫

The answer tells you something important about how learning works — and it applies well beyond aviation.

Part 4 of our Developing Education mini-series is about real-life learning environments. The principle is straightforward: when learners know the work counts, they pay attention differently. Real environments bring real pressure, real consequences and real motivation. That combination is difficult to replicate in a classroom, no matter how well-designed the lesson. 🏗️

In Finnish vocational education and training, real workplaces are not an optional add-on — they are built into the qualification by law. Every student has learning periods at actual employers, arranged through a training agreement signed by the student, the teacher and a company representative. The company nominates a workplace mentor; the teacher monitors progress. Students work with real clients, real materials and real professional standards. 🤝

This is not work experience bolted onto classroom learning. It is where the qualification is built.

The question worth asking in any system is not just where learning happens, but who holds responsibility for it — and whether the environment where it takes place actually resembles the one the learner is being prepared for. 🌍
Where in your system does learning happen in conditions that resemble real work?

Reach out if you'd like to explore that question together.
You can also read about our past work on our website: oep.fi

📸 Photo courtesy of Skills Finland / Roni Lehti

21/08/2026

Think about the most skilled person you know in your field.
Chances are, a lot of what makes them good at their job was never assessed in a classroom. 🎓

Part 3 of our Developing Education mini-series is about recognition of prior learning — and why a good system treats experience as a starting point, not an inconvenience.

An 18-year-old and a 52-year-old sitting in the same classroom are not starting from the same place. Someone who grew up on a farm arrives at agricultural training with a completely different knowledge base than someone who has never been near one. Life experience, work history and informally acquired skills are all real competence, even though they don't come with a certificate. 📄

In Finland, every VET student begins with a "HOKS": a personal competence development plan drawn up together with a teacher and, where relevant, a workplace representative. It maps what the student already knows, what they still need to demonstrate, and how and where the learning will take place. If prior learning matches the qualification requirements, it counts regardless of where or how it was acquired. 🗺️

The system is built around what you can do, not how long you sat in a classroom. It means two people studying for the same qualification may follow entirely different paths to get there — and that is what supports true lifelong learning. 🌍

How does your system currently treat experience that wasn't formally certified?

Reach out if you'd like to explore that question together.
You can also read about our past work on our website: oep.fi

📸 Courtesy of Skills Finland / Jarno Virtanen