Challenges and recommendations in Finland
The “Sitra” Fund identified some challenges that the Finnish lifelong learning policy may face in the near future. One of the challenges is the changes to the job market and the current inability to predict the skills required by employers in the future. The main requirement of new policies is identifying the relevant stakeholders who must attempt to guess how to deal with these upcoming changes. The sector must also track the allocation of funding to different players in the field of competence-building of adults and make sure the distribution is done in a fair way. Moreover, the issue of increasing funding needs and necessity of finding new sources remains topical.
In general, adult education in Finland is facing such issues as the demographic changes related to the ageing society, low birth rates and labour shortages in some sectors. The goal of the Finnish government is to reach 75% employment rate and find effective tools and measures to face the challenges of continuous learning. Therefore, implementing Agenda 2030, not only in education but other areas as well, remains a goal for society as a whole