Personalisation in vocational education and training

A Personal competence development plan (PCDP), refers to the process where a customized study path is planned and implemented to meet your individual needs

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Personalisation

In personalisation, you plan your future studies together with your designated teacher.

In the discussion:

  • your prior competence is identified and recognised
  • you plan qualification-related choices connected to your career
  • you discuss
    • how you will acquire any missing competence (contents, timing, and methods)
    • the guidance and support you need, taking your life situation into account
    • how and when you will demonstrate your competence through an assessment demonstration

Your plan is recorded in a Personal Competence Development Plan (PCDP). You prepare the PCDP together with your designated teacher, and the plan is updated flexibly throughout your studies. If necessary, other teaching and guidance staff may also participate in preparing the PCDP. If you are under 18, your guardian has the opportunity to participate in preparing and updating the PCDP.

Tips and guidelines for preparing for the PCDP discussion

Before the PCDP discussion, familiarise yourself with your qualification

In the PCDP discussion, you have the opportunity to:

  • have a confidential conversation with your coordinating teacher
  • share your interests and future plans
  • plan your own study path together with your coordinating teacher
  • highlight your previously acquired skills (e.g. studies, work or hobbies, volunteering, positions of trust, civil or military service, business activities)
  • describe your need for guidance and support (which are recorded in Wilma before the start of studies => Ohjaus ja tuki (Guidance and support) tab => Muut asiakirjat (Other documents) => Lisää uusi (Add new) => Opiskeluvalmiuksien tunnistuslomake (Identification form for study skills))
  • receive information on what kind of guidance and support you can get for your studies
  • ask about study-related matters

Certificates and other documents

You may share information about your previous study attainments with your designated teacher for the purpose of recognising your competence.


Instructions in Finnish: Aiempien opintosuoritusten jakaminen opintopolusta Wilmaan (it.omnia.fi)

If you are unable to upload your certificates to Wilma, bring them with you to your first PCDP discussion.

Things to consider in advance

What are your dreams and plans for the future?

What kind of competence have you previously acquired?

What are you like as a student?

How and in what kind of environment do you learn best?

How have your previous studies gone?

What are your strengths?

What kind of support and guidance have you received in the past?

What kind of support and guidance do you want for your studies?

What kind of expectations do you have about your studies?

Identification of prior learning

Identification of learning means that the competence you have previously acquired will be determined. For example, you may have accumulated competence in the form of knowledge and skills learned through work experience, hobbies, military or civil service, studies abroad, separate qualifications, parts of previous qualifications and degrees or parts thereof, upper secondary general education, folk high schools and adult education centres, or you may have other previously acquired learning. Competence can be identified based on the documents you present and other reports.

Previous vocational, general upper secondary, or higher education studies that are still valid or within a transition period may be directly included as part of the qualification in accordance with the rules governing the structure of the qualification.

If you have completed studies abroad or acquired competence in other ways for which there is no certificate issued by a competent authority, your competence will be identified and you will be guided to demonstrate it through an assessment demonstration.

Career planning

As part of personalisation, career planning is carried out with you. Your goals, plans for further studies or entering and progressing into working life are all recorded in your career plan. The goal of career guidance is to support you in reflecting on your own interests and to help you set goals for your career. Career planning is done by a designated responsible teacher and guidance counsellor in cooperation with you.

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