Spark up – Prepare for the future by promoting working life skills and entrepreneurship education
The Spark Up course is an engaging, practical program crafted to help educators develop essential working life skills and entrepreneurial mindsets within their students. Hosted in Oulu, Finland, this course draws on Finland’s progressive approach to education, which prioritizes resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous learning. Through the lens of entrepreneurship education, participants will gain insights into teaching methods that foster qualities like problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity—skills that are crucial in today’s evolving job market. You’ll explore the Finnish Curriculum’s transversal competences and observe how Finnish schools integrate these real-world skills into their daily routines. Additionally, a visit to the Educa Fair 2025 in Helsinki will provide valuable exposure to the latest educational innovations, resources, and trends, giving participants practical ideas to bring back to their own institutions.
Please note this course takes place in Oulu, Finland.
What You’ll Learn:
Throughout this program, you’ll gain hands-on experience with methods and strategies that bring entrepreneurial skills and working life readiness into the classroom. The course offers a detailed look at the Finnish education system’s emphasis on real-world competencies, which go beyond subject-specific knowledge to foster critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork. With a mix of interactive sessions, school visits, and collaborative workshops, participants will learn how to build practical, skill-based projects and activities. These experiences will provide you with clear strategies for teaching entrepreneurial thinking, allowing students to engage more actively with their own learning and develop skills that support lifelong adaptability.
- Create a personalized plan for implementing entrepreneurial and workplace skills education within your teaching
- Explore the Finnish Curriculum’s transversal competences, focusing on skills that apply across all areas of learning and work
- Develop a foundational understanding of entrepreneurship education and its role in promoting flexible, practical skill development
- Discover practical ways to introduce entrepreneurial skills through project-based learning and classroom activities
- Learn approaches for fostering problem-solving, teamwork, and adaptability as essential skills for the future
Course Highlights:
- Detailed Exploration of Transversal Competences: Discover how Finland’s approach to education emphasizes transversal competences, equipping students with skills for various life and work scenarios, from creative problem-solving to effective communication.
- Workshops and Real-World Observations: Participate in workshops and school visits to see firsthand how Finnish educators incorporate entrepreneurial skills into everyday teaching. By observing local classrooms, you’ll gather concrete examples of how to bring these concepts into your own teaching.
- Comprehensive Approach to Entrepreneurship Education: Understand the principles behind entrepreneurship education and its broad applications beyond business, including critical thinking, innovation, and resourcefulness.
- Educa Fair 2025: Attend Finland’s largest education fair in Helsinki, where you’ll connect with educators and explore new tools and resources that make entrepreneurship education accessible and impactful.
- Collaborative Project Development: Work alongside other educators to create a practical output—such as a curriculum outline or project framework—that can be adapted to promote entrepreneurship and life skills in your school or institution.
This course provides a thorough exploration of how entrepreneurship education can support the development of essential life and workplace skills, helping students build the adaptability they need for today’s career landscape.
Upcoming courses
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Tickets
All tickets includes:
- Event materials
- Certificate of attendance
- School visits
- Admission to all sessions
Standard price
For standard registrations
Group price
Discounted price for groups of 5 or more
By the end of this course, you will be ready to implement practical strategies for incorporating working life skills and entrepreneurship education into your curriculum. The program emphasizes real-world skills, providing you with methods to help students think creatively, collaborate effectively, and approach challenges with confidence. You will leave equipped with approaches to inspire a classroom environment that values adaptability, lifelong learning, and resilience.
- Integrate Finland’s transversal competences into your curriculum to enhance workplace readiness
- Design activities that teach entrepreneurship concepts and build core skills for life and work
- Encourage a classroom culture where adaptability, problem-solving, and collaboration are key values
- Develop project-based learning experiences that connect academic goals to real-world skills
- Create a framework for teaching entrepreneurial thinking that supports student engagement and growth
This course is designed for educators, school leaders, vocational trainers, and curriculum planners in school, adult, and vocational education who are looking to enhance their programs with skills that prepare students for future workplace demands.
Ville Saviluoto, Professor at Tallinn University, Estonia
Professor at Tallinn University, Estonia, with a focus on working life skills and entrepreneurship education, he holds an M.A. in Education with a technology-oriented teacher education, along with minors in special education and technology education. His expertise is centered on multidisciplinary modules that promote working life and entrepreneurial competence. Since 2019, he has educated hundreds of teachers and has over four years of experience at JA Finland, where he worked as a Specialist, Coordinator, and Instructor, contributing to the development of entrepreneurial education.
Project coordinator for an entrepreneurship education project, he holds an M.Sc. in Geography with a specialization in regional development and economic geography, along with a Specialist Vocational Qualification as a Business Advisor and a Scrum Master. His expertise includes organizing both online and onsite business programs and offering individual business advice on a wide range of topics, from business idea creation and prototyping to financial calculations. He also has experience organizing pop-up events, where participants can validate their business ideas and receive feedback from real customers.
An advisory teacher for ICT education, she has experience as a class teacher and early education and care teacher with expertise in ICT and STEAM education at primary and secondary levels. Her work involves training and consulting on ICT in alignment with the Finnish core curricula and local strategies for ICT and STEAM education. She has also contributed to development projects funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education, focusing on innovative learning environments.
Advisory Teacher for sustainable future in the City of Oulu, she is an environmental educator and expert with a background in teaching Biology, Geography, and Languages. Her expertise focuses on education for sustainability, particularly in climate and environmental issues. Passionate about hope and solutions-oriented education, she emphasizes “realistic hope,” “constructive dialogue,” and “community-level action.” Her work involves planning materials, organizing training and events for teachers and students, advising schools on sustainability, and managing development projects on education for sustainability funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
This is a provisional program.
Day 1, Sunday (Oulu)
Welcome to Oulu – let’s mingle!
Arrival to Oulu
15:00 Introduction session
- Let’s mingle
- Welcome to Oulu
(Self-study: Online materials: Finnish Education system 1-4h)
Day 2, Monday (Oulu)
Introduction
- Finnish education as an example
- Dive into entrepreneurship education
- Lunch
- EE in Oulu
Day 3, Tuesday (Oulu)
Entrepreneurship education in practice
- Tools for EE
- Lunch
- EE in Oulu – visit to comprehensive school
Day 4, Wednesday (Oulu)
Entrepreneurship education in practice
- Tools for EE
- Lunch
- EE in Oulu – visit to upper secondary school
Day 5, Thursday (Oulu)
Entrepreneurship education in practice
- EE in Oulu – visit to extended learning environment
- Wrap up & summary
- Best practices
- Design your own
- Final reflections
- Feedback & course certificates
- Travel from Oulu to Helsinki (train, bus, flight)
Day 6, Friday (Oulu)
Visit to Finland’s leading event for the education and training sector – Educa Fair
Day 7, Saturday (Oulu)
Visit to Finland’s leading event for the education and training sector – Educa Fair
