Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary on Thursday held a bilateral meeting with Finland’s Minister of Employment Matias Marttinen to explore opportunities for strengthening cooperation between India and Finland in the areas of skill development, vocational education and workforce mobility.
The meeting focused on expanding collaboration between the two countries to build resilient and future-ready talent ecosystems, with both sides discussing ways to deepen partnerships among institutions, industries and training systems.
Speaking during the meeting, Chaudhary said India is steadily moving towards becoming the “Global Skill Capital” under the leadership of Narendra Modi. He noted that India’s young and dynamic workforce, combined with a rapidly expanding skilling ecosystem, positions the country to contribute skilled talent to industries around the world.
“India’s demographic strength and Finland’s technological and vocational excellence create a natural partnership in the domain of skills,” Chaudhary said, adding that the discussions focused on building practical bridges between the two countries’ training ecosystems and creating pathways for skilled youth to access global opportunities while maintaining high standards of training and mobility.
Marttinen welcomed the growing partnership between the two countries in vocational education and workforce development, highlighting the contribution of Indian professionals working in Finland across multiple sectors.
He said India’s strong skilling ecosystem and young talent pool offer significant opportunities for collaboration, particularly in addressing workforce challenges while promoting innovation and sustainable economic growth.
During the meeting, both sides acknowledged the complementarities between India’s expanding skill development ecosystem and Finland’s evolving labour market needs. Key sectors identified for potential cooperation include healthcare, construction, green technologies and advanced manufacturing.
The ministers also emphasised the need for structured and mutually beneficial mobility frameworks that enable skilled professionals to work internationally while ensuring high standards of training, certification and worker welfare.
Discussions further explored strengthening partnerships between vocational education and training institutions in the two countries, promoting knowledge exchange and encouraging industry-led skill development initiatives.
The two sides also deliberated on capacity building for trainers, integration of language training to support international mobility, and the development of pathways allowing learners to combine vocational training with academic qualifications.
Both countries expressed interest in exploring mechanisms to facilitate smoother recognition of vocational qualifications and encourage mobility of skilled professionals in sectors facing labour shortages.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Finland to expand cooperation in skill development, strengthen vocational education systems and promote ethical and sustainable workforce mobility through continued institutional partnerships and dialogue.
