In the Estonian occupational qualifications system, the labour market is divided into 14 sectors (on the bases of statistical classification of economic fields of activity in Estonia) and each sector is managed by a occupational qualification council.
Institutions represented in occupational qualification councils are nominated by the government (10-20 institutions) and persons representing these institutions are nominated by the Minister of Education and Research. Typically, institutions represented in occupational qualification councils are: employers organizations of the sector; trade unions of the sector; professional associations of the sector; education and training institutions; ministries responsible.
The objective of the occupational qualification council is registering the viewpoints and suggestions of different institutions, and achieving a consensus upon working out, developing and implementing the occupational qualifications system of the field of occupational activity.
Occupational qualification councils are responsible for
- making proposals for developing and updating occupational standards; approving them;
- giving right to awarding bodies to award occupational qualifications and to participate in supervision exercised over the awarding bodies;
- approving the procedure for awarding occupational qualifications;
- approving the amount of the fee for awarding and recertifying occupational qualifications;
- resolving disputes related to awarding of occupational qualifications;
- making other relevant proposals concerning the field of occupational activity (the amount of state-commissioned study places etc.) .
Occupational qualification council appoints experts who shall
- map (in working groups) the main occupations in this sector or activity field;
- develop the occupational qualification standards;
- work out the scheme for awarding occupational qualifications.
Cooperation between occupational qualification councils coordinates the Board of Occupational Qualification Council Chairmen. They decide on the allocation of the initial occupational qualifications in the EstQF and the need to develop higher qualification levels, and approves the need for the development of the occupational qualification standards.
List of occupational qualification councils
- Architecture, Geomatics, Construction and Real Estate
- Commercial Service and other business activities
- Culture
- Education
- Energy, Mining and Chemical Industry
- Engineering, Manufacturing and Processing
- Forestry
- Food Industry and Agriculture
- Health
- Information Technology and Telecommunication
- Property and Personal Protection
- Service
- Social Care
- Transport and Logistics