Taitaja9 Inspired Secondary School Students

Taitaja9, Satakunta regional competition. Photo: Juha Levonen (Sataedu) / Skills Finland.

Taitaja9 is a playful yet challenging competition designed for all secondary school students, where teams of three students compete in tasks that require dexterity and creativity. The competition provides students in basic education with an opportunity to explore vocational education in an engaging and immersive way. The tasks are diverse and demanding, requiring teamwork, problem-solving skills, and creativity. The competition also offers an excellent opportunity to learn new skills and enhance personal competence.

The competition consists of three stages: local competitions, regional competitions, and the national final. Approximately 80 local competitions are organized annually across Finland, with nearly 9,000 secondary school students participating this year. The best teams advance through the regional competitions to the final, which will be held as a two-day event at Taitaja2025 on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 6–7.

Taitaja9 is a Broad Collaborative Effort

Organizing the Taitaja9 competition requires extensive planning and collaboration between different stakeholders. Skills Finland is responsible for coordinating and developing the competition in cooperation with 12 regional coordinators, whose supporting organizations, vocational institutions across Finland, organize the local and regional competitions in collaboration with regional networks. All participants in the Taitaja9 competition work closely together, sharing a common goal: to inspire young people towards vocational education.

The virtual game tasks for the Taitaja9 local competition were designed in collaboration with Salon Lakkitehdas Oy and the Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries RT. They contributed to the game by incorporating real-life skill exercises, such as calculating the value-added tax-inclusive price of a professional cap and identifying tools. This allowed teams to tackle authentic work tasks even in the local competition.

– "The Taitaja9 game is an important channel for sharing information. Many young people are unaware of the opportunities, scope, and quality of vocational education. Few know that vocational qualifications in Finland also include a professional cap in their respective fields. The game board enables training and communication on important topics, such as the value and practical nature of vocational education, which is celebrated upon graduation with a professional cap, much like high school graduates receive a student cap," say Satu Seppänen and Ville Nuutinen from Salon Lakkitehdas.

Taitaja9 annually provides students in basic education with a chance to showcase their skills and learn new ones, while also serving as an excellent opportunity to explore the possibilities of vocational education. The Taitaja9 competition is a prime example of how a playful competition can be both fun and educational at the same time.

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