1. PLANS:
Nordic PIAAC network 2013-2014
PIAAC data analyses in Estonia and links
to skills strategy
Aune Valk
October 22, 2012 Paris

2. Nordic PIAAC network
• Network on NPM (national project manager)
teams from 5 countries in Nordic region:
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden
• Financed since 2010 by the Nordic Council of
Ministers
• First meeting in 2010 in Örebro (SWE)
• 2011 meeting in Copenhagen, creating Nordic
database of Field Test data in the Statistics
Denmark

3. Nordic PIAAC network
• 2011 Research seminar in Tartu (EST), based
on the Nordic data-base
• 2012 meeting in Helsinki (FIN). Plans for
Nordic database of Main Study data + register
data + Nordic PIAAC report.

4. Nordic PIAAC network – plans 2013+
• November 2013 Norway – Seminar of the first
findings and launching of the Nordic
database
• 2014 Publication of the Nordic PIAAC report
• 2014 Fall – Nordic PIAAC conference (?)

5. Reporting plans
International (OECD) Nordic Estonian
OECD skills outlook: First results General report without Adult skills in Estonia and in the
… fixed title world
The use of skills in the workplace
Skills and labour market Skills and labour market
outcomes outcomes, incl enterpreneurship
skills and skills of enterpreneurs
Skills mismatch Skills mismatch
A closer look at the population Risk groups in relation to skills
with low levels of proficiency
Digital literacy, problem solving in
TRE, and ICT use
Trends, ageing and the Skills acquisition, skills Skills and lifelong learning, incl
determinants of skills loss and agening participation in culture
Do skills help to explain wage
gaps, incl language skills
Skills and the quality of education,
incl drop outs

6. Skills strategy and PIAAC. Estonian case
Economic growth in Estonia before crisis (and since
2010) have been rather quick. Comparing the growth
factors to other EU countries it can be concluded:
• We have exhausted the opportunity to „activate
skills supply“ (more working hours; longer working
life), except reducing unemployment that appeared during the
crisis
• Future growth should be based mainly on capital
accumulation and TFP (total factor productivity)
that includes skills, technology, innovation,
organisation …
(Estonian Development Fund 2008: The competitiveness of
Estonian economy: state of art and look to the future)

7. OECD skills strategy

8. Skills strategy and PIAAC. Estonian case
„… Lifelong learning would strengthen employability.
Vocational education should be further focused on
equipping graduates with employable skills by intensifying
co-operation with employers, and access to tertiary
education should be widened further. The enterprise
support framework should increasingly target innovation,
thereby contributing to productivity-driven export
growth.“
(OECD 2012: Economic Survey of Estonia)

9. Where could be the potential for skills
development in Estonia if …
• adults (25-64) have in average good
qualifications (2010):
• only 11% are below upper secondary education
(26% OECD),
• 35% have tertiary education (OECD 30%);

10. Education attainment of population 25-64

11. Where could be the potential for skills
development in Estonia if …
• adults (25-64) have in average good qualifications (2010):
• only 11% are below upper secondary education (26% OECD),
• 35% have tertiary education (OECD 30%);
• students’ skills are above OECD average in all 3 domains
(PISA)
• access to higher education is together with Nordic
countries quite equal;
• participation in adult education has increased rapidly and
is above OECD and EU average;
• education stresses general skills and flexibility;
• labour force participation rate among 25-64 is one of the
highest in OECD.

12. … but also
• we do not have (comparative) data on adult skills in
Estonia;
• perceived shortage of skills – need for additional training
to cope well with current job is high - 20% (OECD 13%);
• educational differences between men and women are
one of the highest in the world;
• unemployment is one of the highest in OECD;
• immigration is very low;
• there are less than in average in OECD students with very
high level skills (5-6th level in PISA);
• employers are complaining that education does not
correspond to the needs of the job market: more need
for vocational education;
• … 12

13. Several reforms in education are in process:
• Updating infrastructure and curricula in VET (last 5 years)
• Review of occupatiuonal qualifications and extensive
support to adult education
• New curriculum in general education since last year;
• 60% of subjects in Estonian language in upper secondary
schools where main language of tuition was Russian
(since 2011);
• Higher education studies fully financed by the state
(2013): quality requirements + full-time participation +
needs based scholarships
• Reform of general school network (in near future):
separating basic and upper secondary schools, state-run
bigger and stronger upper secondary schools
• New lifelong learning strategy is under development

14. Summary
• There is need for skills development
– even if economy is increasing and
– educational indicators are by and large strong.
• But as many reforms are running or just started,
• and we expect to be much wiser after international,
Nordic and Estonian PIAAC reports,
• we have postponed desicion on skills strategy for 2-3
years.
• For a while we keep learning in the fruitful
Nordic cooperation.