CVTS, continuing vocational training: documentation of statistics

The Continuing Vocational Training Survey (CVTS) collects information on enterprises’ investment in the continuing vocational training of their staff. Continuing vocational training (CVT) refers to education or training measures or activities which are financed in total or at least partly by the enterprise (directly or indirectly). Partial funding may include using working time for training and funding training equipment.

Information available from the CVTS is grouped around the following topics:

- Provision of CVT courses and other forms of CVT (training/non-training enterprises)

- CVT strategies

- Participants in CVT courses

- Costs of CVT courses

- Time spent in CVT courses

- Characteristics of CVT courses

- Assessment of CVT activities

The CVTS also collects some information on initial vocational training (IVT).

For national needs we asked the number of participants in other forms of of training (B2a-B2e), the proportion of training hours by training subject (C5a-C5l), the proportion of training hours by training provider (C6a-C6g) and important skills and competences in company in the next few years (A12a-A12l). For A12a-A12l respondents ticked yes/no to every item and then three most important one. We also included additional variables C2m and C2f (the number of training hours by gender) to our questionnaire for national needs.

Questions were also added to the questionnaire on the impact of restrictions related to the corona pandemic on CVT in enterprises in 2020.

For further information see the CVTS 6 legislation (http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/education-and-training/legislation) and the CVTS 6 implementation manual (http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/education-and-training/methodology).

The statistics’ statistical population consists of enterprises with a minimum of 10 people, excluding agriculture and forestry, health and social services as well as education, and public administration. In 2020, the sampling frame of the data collection covered 18,853 enterprises, of which around 3,000 were selected for the sample. The sample was drawn as a random sample from strata formed by three size categories and 20 industry categories, nevertheless in such a way that all enterprises with more than 250 employees were included. The sample was drawn from Statistics Finland’s Business Register.

The statistical unit is an enterprise.
 

The data are published in numbers, shares, euros and training hours and days.
 

The latest reference period of the statistics is the calendar year 2020.
 

The data cover enterprises operating in Finland which have employees whose salaries are paid by this unit registered in Finland. Both Continent Finland and Åland are included - no under-coverage.

The statistics cover enterprises with a minimum of 10 people, excluding agriculture and forestry, health and social welfare as well as education, and public administration.

Data are available on the survey years 1999, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020. The statistics are final.
 

The statistics on continuing vocational training are compiled at approximately five-year intervals and the results are published on Statistics Finland’s website.

The material concerning a single year is published in several releases covering different areas of content.

The accuracy of data collected in a sample survey is affected by measurement errors, non-response and the random variation attributable to the sample. Measurement errors may arise from the erroneous interpretation or marking of questions, for example. 

The values of the CVTS6 (2020) indicators have fallen significantly from the previous CVTS5 (2015). Possible reasons for this are the corona pandemic, which has decreased the organisation of training and participation in it, and the fact that the skills and competence development of personnel have been arranged in enterprises in ways from which no data are collected in the data collection of the survey.

The statistics on continuing vocational training are compiled approximately every five years. The most recent data collection was carried out in the spring and summer of 2021; it concerned the statistical reference year 2020. The deadline for the delivery of the data was 18 months after the data collection's reference year. The data were delivered 1.5 weeks after the deadline. The first data are published some 22 to 23 months after the data collection’s reference year.

The deadline for the delivery of the data was 18 months after the data collection's reference year. The data were delivered 1.5 weeks after the deadline.

The data from 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020 are mutually comparable.
 

Both the statistics on continuing vocational training (CVTS) and the statistics on participation in adult education measure the participation rate in education and training subsidised by the employer (personnel training). In the statistics on continuing vocational training, the term competence development in enterprises has been adopted instead of the term personnel training. Competence development in enterprises refers to the competence development of the enterprise's personnel, which is wholly or partly financed by the employer, and which is performed wholly or partly during working hours.

The statistics on participation in adult education produce this information from the viewpoint of individuals (wage and salary earners aged 18 to 69) while the statistics on continuing vocational training (CVTS) produce it from the viewpoint of enterprises (mainly private sector enterprises with at least 10 employees). The reference years of the statistics differ from each other.

The statistics on participation in adult education cover all types of learning activities, whereas the collection of data in the statistics on continuing vocational training (CVTS) focuses on course-based studying.

Possible differences in survey results are caused by differing survey designs, data collection methods, target groups and contexts.

The sampling frame in the statistics’ data collection covered all private sector enterprises with at least ten employees, excluding agriculture and forestry, education, health and social welfare as well as public administration. The sampling frame in 2020 covered 18,853 enterprises, of which around 3,000 were selected for the sample. The sample was drawn as a random sample from strata formed by three size categories and 20 industry categories, nevertheless in such a way that all enterprises with more than 250 employees were included. The sample was drawn from Statistics Finland’s Business Register. The net sample was 1,643 enterprises.

The data collection of CVTS6 (2020) was carried out in the form of an online survey. An accompanying letter, which included a user ID and password, was mailed to all enterprises selected for the sample. The data were collected in the spring and summer of 2021.

The data are collected roughly every five years. In Finland, the data have been collected in 1999, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020.

The data are reviewed and tested in terms of errors in the orders of magnitude or entries, illogicality and unit changes. The necessary conversions of national variables are also carried out. The aim in corrections is to obtain the correct data through recontacting. Mean imputations in specified groups (stratum or broken down stratum) are carried out in terms of the undefined item nonresponse of continuous variables.

The differences in the stratum-specific setting of quotas carried out with a stratified sample (20 industry categories and three size categories, enterprises with more than 250 employees with certainty) are accounted for in the weighting through so-called design weights. Correspondingly, potential differences in the representation of various response groups within the response data attributable to unit nonresponse are corrected with a nonresponse weight, which allows for correcting the deficiency resulting from the nonresponse to the level of the sample within the stratum. The weight used in the calculation of the results is the product of the design weight and nonresponse weight.

The data of the statistics on continuing vocational training are validated at many stages during the statistical process. During the processing of the data, the high quality of the data is ensured through various statistical verification programs, data requests addressed to data providers as well as by comparing the data with previous comparable statistics and other data sources.

Tilastokeskus

Social Statistics

The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.

Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.

Further information: Statistical legislation

The data collection related to the statistics on continuing vocational training is based on Regulation (EC) No 1552/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council and on Commission Regulation (EU) No 1153/2014, which defines the data collection’s practical implementation (timetable, content, sample, quality reporting).

The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed in accordance with the requirements of the Statistics Act (280/2004), the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and the Data Protection Act (1050/2018). The data materials are protected at all stages of processing with the necessary physical and technical solutions. Statistics Finland has compiled detailed directions and instructions for confidential processing of the data. Employees have access only to the data essential for their duties. The premises where unit-level data are processed are not accessible to outsiders. Members of the personnel have signed a pledge of secrecy upon entering the service. Violation of data protection is punishable.

Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)

The control tables and tested, accurate data (imputed and unimputed) are delivered to Eurostat via the EDAMIS Web Portal no later than within 18 months from the end of each reference year, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1552/2005.

The quality report is delivered to Eurostat on the ESS Metadata Handler platform no later than within 21 months from the end of the reference year. Its structure must accord with the European Statistical System’s standard outline for quality reports.

Unidentifiable and aggregated national or international data may be made available for research groups through a special licensing procedure. Each participating country nevertheless decides on the disclosure of such data on the basis of its own
data protection policies and data disclosure procedures. CVTS microdata (for research purposes) is available for the survey years 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020.

Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data are public after they have been updated in the web service.

Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland

The data are published in the release system on Statistics Finland’s website, as database tables and articles.

The statistical data are delivered to Eurostat no later than within 18 months from the end of each reference year, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1552/2005. Eurostat publishes tables containing EU-level survey data, and makes the survey microdata available to researchers in accordance with its own licensing procedures.

Statistical data are published as database tables in the StatFin database. The database is the primary publishing site of data, and new data are updated first there. When releasing statistical data, existing database tables can be updated with new data or completely new database tables can be published.

In addition to statistical data published in the StatFin database, a release on the key data is usually published in the web service. If the release contains data concerning several reference periods (e.g. monthly and annual data), a review bringing together these data is published in the web service. Database tables updated at the time of publication are listed both in the release and in the review. In some cases, statistical data can also be published as mere database releases in the StatFin database. No release or review is published in connection with these database releases.

Releases and database tables are published in three languages, in Finnish, Swedish and English. The language versions of releases may have more limited content than in Finnish.

Information about changes in the publication schedules of releases and database tables and about corrections are given as change releases in the web service.

Time series data on the statistics on CVTS for the data collection years 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020 are available on the website of the Statistical Office of the European Union.

Unidentifiable and aggregated national or international data may be made available for research groups through a special licensing procedure. Each participating country nevertheless decides on the disclosure of such data on the basis of its own
data protection policies and data disclosure procedures. CVTS microdata (for research purposes) is available for the survey years 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020. A user licence is applied for from Eurostat https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/microdata.

Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions.

The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.

The quality of the statistics on continuing vocational training is assessed in several different stages of the statistical process. During the processing of the data, the high quality of the data on continuing vocational training is ensured through various statistical verification programs, data requests addressed to data providers as well as by comparing the data with previous comparable statistics and other data sources.

A quality report in accordance with Eurostat’s requirements is also prepared on the statistics.

Data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may only be handled at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.

Further information: Publication principles for statistics

Unless otherwise separately stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer of the data and the owner of the copyright. The terms of use for statistical data.