Taitaja2022 Pori. Photo: Roni Lehti / Skills Finland.
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Over 400 young vocational students from across Finland will compete for national titles in Turku from 5–8 May as part of the Taitaja2025 event, the country’s largest showcase of vocational excellence.
Held annually, the competition highlights the skills of young professionals in training through practical, real-world challenges across a wide range of trades. This year’s finals span 47 categories, including automotive technology, ICT, hospitality, construction, and industrial services.
Five of the events are dedicated to students requiring special support.
The event is free to the public and will take place at the Turku Fair Centre, Turku AKK, and Gatorade Center, where the opening ceremony will be held on 5 May. President Alexander Stubb serves as the event’s patron.
“Dreamers challenge their own limits. Stay open-minded and believe in yourselves when facing challenges,” Stubb said in a message to participants. “You have all the tools to meet the changes facing society.”
The Taitaja2025 slogan, “Towards the future with skills,” reflects the event’s focus on both excellence and relevance. The finalists have emerged from a pool of nearly 1,800 semifinalists, and the competition tasks are designed to reflect evolving industry requirements.
For the general public, the event offers a chance to explore vocational education first-hand. Spectators can follow the competitions, try their hand at simulation-based tasks in the Simulaattorimaailma and Klaaraaks sää testing areas, or attend exhibitions and live demonstrations such as drone-assisted surveying and forestry equipment operations.
Alongside the competitions, Taitaja2025 includes two free seminars on global education policy and workplace transformation. The Future of Safety hub will bring together emergency services and security professionals for interactive sessions. The Partner Square will feature presentations by education providers and industry stakeholders.
A special school-level challenge, Taitaja9, will run from 6–8 May at the Gatorade Center, targeting younger students with fun team-based tasks.
Entry to all venues is free, and the public can reach the area via Turku’s Föli bus line 100. Main events are open to visitors on 6–7 May from 8.00–17.00, and on 8 May from 8.00–13.00. Both the opening and closing ceremonies will be streamed online.
Taitaja2025 is organised by Skills Finland with local educational and municipal partners and celebrates vocational excellence as a key pillar of the country’s education system and workforce development.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
