Position Papers
Energy, Raw Materials and Circular Economy
Innovations, Funding and Investments
Predictable Permitting, Policies & Legislation
Skills & Education
Subject overview
Starting from the premise that the funding for vocational education in the field of technology should cover its implementation costs, financing should take into account investment-intensive learning environments, machinery, and equipment. Funding should also be available for joint learning environments between the workforce and educational providers, in line with the spirit of the revamped vocational education law.
In the vocational education reform, a focus was placed on work-life orientation and workplace learning, individualized paths, and competence-based approaches, resulting in accelerated studies. However, funding remained fragmented and challenging to predict.
The challenges in vocational education within the field of chemistry include low attractiveness and poor employment prospects for graduates of basic vocational programs, all while the competency needs in the chemical industry are growing and diversifying.
Objective of the Chemical Industry
The relevance of funding for technology-related fields will be reviewed. The weight of feedback from the workforce will be increased in funding decisions, as promised during the law’s reform.
In the future, funding criteria should be adjusted to consider not only short-term realized costs but also other training cost metrics. Funding planning should take into account the specific characteristics of expensive training fields.
The entire vocational education funding system needs to be made more understandable, predictive, and supportive of vocational education’s role in the workforce.
Implementing vocational education reform; involving businesses and making learning flexible. Creating new learning environments in collaboration with companies.
English-language accreditation for vocational education should be granted whenever there is a need for skilled workers in a particular field, and local companies are involved in the applications.
Anni Siltanen
Head of Education Policy and Skills +358 44 562 5991 anni.siltanen(a)kemianteollisuus.fi Show infoFinnish industry actively works to secure Finnish future expertise. In the future, we need the best possible experts for businesses to secure renewal and growth towards a carbon-neutral future. Expertise in natural sciences and mathematics (STEM) is one of the most important skills needed by the industry. The National STEM Strategy responds to the long-term development of expertise needs.
Goals of the chemical industry:
- We closely monitor the implementation of the STEM Strategy. The implementation of the STEM Strategy must respond to the industry’s expertise needs, especially when considering the increased need for STEM expertise due to the transition to carbon neutrality. Finnish STEM expertise will increasingly compete in global markets in the future. Finland must remain a leading country in STEM expertise, and PISA results must be improved.
- An objective impact assessment will be carried out for STEM CENTER Finland. The STEM Finland network has been doing valuable work in promoting natural sciences and mathematical capabilities for almost a decade, but its impact has not been objectively studied.
Anni Siltanen
Head of Education Policy and Skills +358 44 562 5991 anni.siltanen(a)kemianteollisuus.fi Show infoSafety & Security
The national implementation of the CER directive approved by the EU is underway. The directive pertains to the resilience of nationally important companies in the face of disruptions. A Finnish legislative proposal is expected to be ready for review by the end of 2023. The law is set to come into effect on October 18, 2024, pending approval by the parliament in the spring of 2024. Together with the NIS2 directive, the CER directive forms the basis for preparedness against security threats.
It is not yet known which companies will fall under the scope of the law. The law will categorize companies it applies to as either essential or important. Essential companies will be required to report in advance to the authorities. Important companies will be inspected by the authorities based on their own schedules. In general, the categorization of companies will follow the NIS2 directive.
The law’s requirement for companies to prepare for various security threats is broad and challenging to implement because it is unknown what kinds of threats criminal entities may pose to companies in the future. The successful implementation of the law requires strong cooperation between companies and authorities. Authorities must first conduct a national risk assessment. Based on national risk assessment companies falling under the scope of the law will conduct company-specific risk assessments. Due to these risk assessments and the resulting actions, it is likely that the law will have long transition periods.
Kemianteollisuus ry (Chemical Industry Federation of Finland) is monitoring the progress of the law’s preparation through stakeholder events, organizing information seminars for member companies, and communicating the perspectives of the chemical industry to the lawmakers.
The revised Dangerous Substance Transport Act (Vaarallisten aineiden kuljetus, VAK Act, in Finnish) came into effect on September 1, 2023, and it now forms a comprehensive framework for requirements in all four modes of transportation – road, rail, maritime, and air transport. The goal is to streamline regulations, eliminate ambiguity, and address deficiencies. Finland’s national VAK Act is now more aligned with international regulations. Above all, the law aims to enhance transportation safety in Finland.
The VAK Act is extensive and covers a wide range of activities. In addition to the VAK Act and its related regulations, more detailed guidance will be needed from the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency on how operators should proceed in specific situations. Furthermore, the regulatory oversight responsibility will shift to the authority (Traficom). These changes emphasize the growing involvement of the authority in transportation safety and increased collaboration between businesses and authorities.
The law establishes uniform standards for the temporary storage of dangerous substances. Emergency plans and safety assessments prepared for this purpose enhance the ability of both businesses and authorities to respond to hazardous situations and, most importantly, help prevent them. However, this also requires more effort and resources from all parties involved.
The law places significant emphasis on the chemical and safety expertise of both drivers and companies responsible for transportation. The role of safety advisors in companies becomes more crucial.
The national implementation of the EU-approved NIS2 directive, which concerns cybersecurity, is underway. Finland’s national legislative proposal will be prepared for review during the year 2023. The law is expected to come into effect on October 18, 2024, so parliamentary approval should occur in the spring of 2024.
This law is an improved version of the old NIS directive. For the chemical industry, the new law is significant because it now falls under the directive’s scope. The law will categorize applicable companies to as either essential or important. Essential companies will be required to report in advance to the authorities. Important companies will be inspected by the authorities based on their own schedules.
The requirement for companies is to prepare for all cyber security threats. In practice, this is challenging and depends greatly on the types of threats that criminal entities may pose to companies in the future. The successful implementation of the law requires strong cooperation between companies and authorities. Additionally, inter-company information sharing is crucial to quickly identify threats.
Kemianteollisuus ry (Chemical Industry Federation of Finland) will monitor the progress of preparation of the law through stakeholder events, organize information seminars for member companies, and communicate the perspectives of the chemical industry to the lawmakers.