The professional qualifications system

The professional qualifications system forms part of the Estonian qualifications system which links the educational system and the labour market and endorses lifelong learning and the development of professional competence, assessment, recognition and comparison.

Objectives

• Estonian workforce is competent and competitive
• Content and quantity of studies targeted at professional activities meet requirements of the labour market
• People’s competence is appreciated and recognised, qualifications are comparable nationally and internationally

General principles

• Stakeholders of the labour market are involved in all parts of the professional qualifications system – employers, employees, the state, trainers
• The main concept of the professional qualifications system is competence, that means the system is based on competence both conceptually and in reality
• The professional qualifications framework had 5 levels

Parts and outcomes of the system

• The system for the classification and cataloguing of professional qualifications – catalogue of professional qualifications
• The system of professional standards – professional standards
• The system for awarding professions – professional certificate

How will this be beneficial to the ...

Employer?

• Staff policy development
• Training planning
• Staff motivation
• More efficient use of labour
• Safety through professional certificate

Employee?

• Getting a clear overview of existing and missing skills
• Getting a clear overview of the training options; planning the career and professional development
• Safety through professional certificate
• Remuneration based on the qualification (orientation to the future)

State?

• More optimum resource management in vocational training
• More justified process management at the labour market
• Evaluation and planning of human resources on the national level

Training provider?

• Getting a clear overview of the necessity and contents of training