Vocational qualification in safety and security graduates highly employable – but the drop-out rate of the studies is high

FINEEC recently carried out an evaluation of vocational competence in the safety and security sector. The evaluation found that students have strong basic vocational skills and good social interaction skills, but that their reporting competence and language skills do not always match the requirements of the labour market. In addition to this, students need more guidance during workplace education and training periods, and the drop-out rate of the studies is high.

The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) recently carried out an evaluation of the competence produced by the vocational qualification in safety and security and the further vocational qualification in the security sector and the pedagogical activities of vocational education and training (VET) providers. The evaluation included all VET providers offering these qualifications and involved examining the completed study units and competence of approximately 5,300 students.

Reporting competence and language skills in need of strengthening

The strengths of safety and security sector students include good basic vocational skills and customer service and interaction skills. On the other hand, some graduates lack the reporting competence and language skills required by the labour market, so these skills need to be strengthened. Many jobs in the safety and security sector require a good oral and written command of the working language. It is the responsibility of VET providers to ensure that all students achieve the language skills required for their future jobs during their studies.

Students need more support during workplace education and training periods

The guidance and support that students receive during their workplace education and training is often insufficient. The objectives of workplace education and training are not always agreed upon between the student, their teacher and their workplace instructor, and workplace instructors are not always aware of students’ learning objectives.

It is the responsibility of VET providers to ensure that students receive the support and guidance that they need during workplace education and training. Workplace instructors should primarily be people who work with the student, and the student should know who is instructing them, says Senior Evaluation Advisor Raisa Hievanen.

Challenges in the completion of studies – drop-out rate high

Dropping out is common in safety and security VET. Of the students who started studying for a vocational qualification in safety and security in 2021, only half graduated within the target time of three years. The graduation rate of the further vocational qualification in the security sector was slightly better: 69% after the target time of two years. In both qualifications, approximately a fifth of students dropped out of VET entirely.

Educational institutions should invest in student guidance and support so that more students graduate or at least transfer to other studies instead of dropping out of VET. It is also important to provide students who apply for a qualification with realistic information about the competence required to study and work in the safety and security sector. At the same time, VET providers must ensure that the people they admit as students have the skills necessary for studies in the sector, says Counsellor of Evaluation Paula Kilpeläinen.

Vocational qualification graduates have above-average employment prospects

The employment situation of vocational qualification in safety and security graduates one year after graduation has been better than that of initial vocational qualification graduates on average. The employment rate of further vocational qualification in the security sector graduates, on the other hand, has corresponded to the national average. The employment of graduates is supported by employer-oriented VET, good employer networks and the attitude and motivation of students.

FINEEC will publish the results of the evaluation on 7 October 2025. The publication webinar offers VET providers, teachers and employer representatives an opportunity to engage in peer learning and the sharing of good practices.

Report:

Hievanen, R & Kilpeläinen, P. Vocational competence and pedagogical activities in the vocational qualification in safety and security and the further vocational qualification in the security sector. Publications 8:2025. The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre.