Award Policy

Skills Finland's operations are based on the compilation and maintenance of the network. In addition to Skills Finland's secretariat, our network has hundreds of active members. Education providers make it possible for their staff to participate, and we want to recognise all of these people.

Honorary Chair

This title is awarded for life, and there can only be one Honorary Chair at a time. Veijo Hintsanen, who started his skills competition journey in 1988 while working for Ammattikasvatushallitus (a national agency for vocational education and training), was appointed as the Honorary Chair of Skills Finland in 2017. Hintsanen is a founding member of Skills Finland, representing Finland on the WorldSkills event’s Board and acting as the technical committee’s Chair between 2003 and 2011.

Read Veijo Hintsanen’s interview    

Skills Actor of the Year

Every year on the basis of nominations, we select a Skills Actor of the Year who will be awarded a touring prize and a certificate of honour. The award is given to an actor that has significantly developed or promoted competitive activities. The prize is mean to highlight a variety of different actors working on national and international competitions each year.

The Skills Actor of the Year award's recipients:

• 2022 Business College Helsinki's Taitaja organisation
• 2023 The international activities of the Ameo network of vocational special education institutions
• 2024 The Brahe Education Centre's Taitaja organisation

Honorary Membership

A person who has contributed significantly to the association and its brand awareness can be granted honorary membership. Being selected as an honorary member is thanks for long-term work done, after the task has been finished. Honorary membership is for life. An honorary membership can be granted to, for example, to Taitaja's Competition Director, key representatives of the management and administration of a party that has signed the Taitaja competition's agreement, an expert who has contributed significantly to international competitions and to retiring official delegates of international organisations, technical delegates and Board members or other persons who have played a significant role in the proceedings.

Taitaja Medals and Tsemppari Honorable Mention

The three education providers that received the most points in the Taitaja competition receive medals attached to a wooden base (gold, silver and bronze). In addition to the medal, winners will receive a certificate of honour. The selection process does not involve deliberation – the medals are awarded in order to the competitors that scored the most points.

Each year, a discretionary Tsemppari Honorable Mention is awarded to a small education provider who has significantly increased the number of persons who signed up to the Taitaja semi-final compared to the previous year, signed up a large number of competitors to the Taitaja semi-finals or otherwise was particularly active in Taitaja activities during the year in question.

The Tsemppari award's recipients:

• 2022 TTS työtehoseura
• 2023 Ylä-Savo Vocational College YSAO
• 2024 Saimaa Vocational College Sampo

Certificates of Honour

The association's certificates of honour are given out based on roles to, for example, the organiser of the Taitaja competition, competitors participating in Taitaja’s semi-finals and finals, pupils participating in the Taitaja9 competition (local and regional competitions as well as the final) and the competitors and experts on the national skills team.

Since 2024, education providers have been able to apply for a discretionary certificate of honour to give to persons who have had an active role in organising the competition, if those persons would not otherwise receive it directly due to a specific role.

Acknowledgments from other organisations

The association can suggest granting an award from WorldSkills, WorldSkills Europe, the International Abilympics Federation or another international organisation to the association’s members or staff. Each organisation announces the award criteria when the application period begins. For example, persons who are no longer acting as delegates, Chief or Deputy Chief Experts, or in some other important role (such as a Skill Advisor) in an international competition, can be nominated for an award.

The association can nominate or support the nomination of an association member or staff member for a medal or title awarded by the State.

More information