- The Estonian Qualifications Authority is an impartial platform for cooperation that is tasked with identifying the skills and professions needed today and in the future.
- The Estonian Qualifications Authority is working daily to ensure that the labour needs of the future are integrated into education and bring about real change.
- OSKA surveys on the needs for labour and skills, together with professional standards, to help people make informed career choices. Professional certificates lend support in choosing skilled professionals.
- OSKA surveys contribute to the formulation of forward-looking employment and education policies.
The Estonian Qualifications Authority (trademark – Kutsekoda) as a private legal entity (foundation) was established in August 2001 in order to continue developing the occupational qualifications system launched by the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1997.
Kutsekoda was established by the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Estonian Employers’ Confederation, Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Education and Research, the Estonian Employees’ Unions’ Confederation (TALO) and the Confederation of Estonian Trade Unions.
In addition to the founders of Kutsekoda, the Supervisory Board of Kutsekoda includes a representative of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications.
Kutsekoda is developing a support structure for occupational qualifications system in order to increase the competitiveness of Estonian employees and promote the development, assessment, recognition and comparison of their occupational competence.
Functions of Kutsekoda
- To develop and implement the occupational qualifications system.
- To organise and coordinate the activities of occupational qualification councils and the cooperation between the councils.
- To develop and approve the common methodology for preparing occupational standards and awarding qualifications.
- To develop and approve the methodology, document forms and samples related to the occupational qualifications system.
- To organise the development and updating of occupational standards on the basis of decisions made by occupational qualification councils.
- To organise administrative supervision over the awarding bodies.
- To maintain, the register of occupational qualifications.
- To organise consultation and training related to the occupational qualifications system.
- To introduce the Estonian occupational qualifications system on the national and international level by creating conditions for the mutual comparison of qualifications.
- To develop occupational qualification certificate supplements.
- To organise the registration and issuing of occupational certificates.
- To organise the work of Europass Centre.
- To act as a NCP (National Coordination Point) for implementing EQF (European Qualifications Framework).
- To develop and implement the anticipation and monitoring system for labour and skills demand – OSKA.