Horse Care emphasised animal and human well-being
Taitaja Award in Sustainability 2024 was given to Horse Care. The skill was organised in a way that enhanced well-being of both horses and people. Evaluators Anu Salo and Katja Katajamäki write about the evaluation process.
Evaluators Katja Katajamäki (left) ja Anu Salo (right) gave the diploma and award to the Skill competition managers Anne-Mari Rantala and Jenna Hartojoki. Photo: Anni Ketola / Skills Finland.
The Sustainable Development Award was given to Horse Care, which was organised as a remote competition at the Hingunniemi campus of Ylä-Savo Vocational College YSAO.
Implementing the skills category remotely in the horses' familiar environment took excellent care of their well-being. The solution also promoted resource efficiency, as horses, supplies and carers did not need to be transported from one place to another. There was also no need to arrange separate horse care, security and stables in another location.
Despite the remote location, the public were able to learn about the skills category at the Kuopio Hall. The competition area had been built using recycled and borrowed materials down to the smallest detail. The task introduced the assessment of sustainable development, including material efficiency and sorting. The judges also gave feedback to the competitors on sustainable development.
Particular attention had been paid to creating a sense of community, for example by organising a bowling night for the competitors and separate activities for the guardians. Cultural sustainability had been considered by highlighting the culture of the skills category and its cultural features, such as a farrier's work in the form of forging. In addition, all competitors received a recycling-themed award made by students.
Skill competition managers Anne-Mari Rantala and Jenna Hartojoki presenting the recycling-themed award that all competitors received to commemorate their participation. Photo: Katja Katajamäki / Skills Finland.
Taitaja Awards
The common themes of the Taitaja competition are entrepreneurship, sustainable development as well as occupational safety and well-being at work. They must be clearly specified and justified in the description, tasks and assessment criteria of all skills categories. They must also be presented to the competitors and the public.
The Taitaja awards are given to skills categories in which the themes are best realised and displayed. The evaluators who decide on the awards go through all the categories and select the top three for interviews. The interviews take place during the final week, and the winners of each of the three categories receive a challenge award and a diploma on the final day.
The evaluators for Sustainability Award were Anu Salo from Savo Vocational College and Katja Katajamäki from Skills Finland. Skills Finland awards the Taitaja Award in Entrepreneurship together with Suomen Yrittäjät (Federation of Finnish Enterprises) and the evaluators were Mikko Kinnunen from Suomen Yrittäjät, and former competitor, entrepreneur Eemil Pakarinen from EP Steel & Machine. Award for Occupational safety at work is given out together with insurance company LähiTapiola. Evaluators were Eeva Koskela from LähiTapiola and Tiina Kammonen Savo Vocational College.