Workforce Mobility and Vocational Education Take Centre Stage in India Finland Talks as Jayant Chaudhary Meets Finland Employment Minister Matias Marttinen

Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State Independent Charge for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India, and Finland’s Employment Minister Matias Marttinen discuss pathways for institutional partnerships, trainer capacity building and skilled workforce mobility across sectors including healthcare, construction and green technologies.

Mumbai, March 5, 2026: Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State Independent Charge for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India, held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Matias Marttinen, Hon’ble Minister of Employment, Government of Finland, to discuss expanding cooperation between India and Finland in skill development, vocational education and workforce mobility.
The discussion reflected increasing alignment between the two countries in building future ready talent ecosystems. Both sides examined opportunities to deepen collaboration between institutions, industry and vocational training systems to strengthen skill development frameworks and enable skilled workforce mobility.

Shri Jayant Chaudhary said, “Under the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, India is steadily moving towards becoming the Global Skill Capital of the world. With one of the youngest and most dynamic workforce, supported by a rapidly expanding skilling ecosystem, India is well positioned to contribute skilled talent to global industries. India’s demographic strength and Finland’s technological and vocational excellence create a natural partnership in the domain of skills. Our discussion focused on building practical bridges between training ecosystems, strengthening institutional cooperation and creating pathways for skilled youth to access global opportunities while maintaining high standards of training and mobility.”

Mr. Matias Marttinen said, “Finland values its growing partnership with India in the field of vocational education and workforce development. We deeply appreciate the contribution of highly skilled Indian professionals who are working across different sectors and strengthening our workforce. India’s strong skilling ecosystem and its young talent present significant opportunities for further collaboration. By strengthening cooperation between our institutions and industries, we can address workforce challenges while promoting innovation, skills development and sustainable economic growth.”
Both sides recognised the complementary strengths between India’s expanding skilling ecosystem and Finland’s evolving labour market needs. The discussion highlighted potential collaboration in sectors such as healthcare, construction, green technologies and advanced manufacturing.

The ministers also emphasised the importance of developing structured mobility frameworks that allow skilled professionals to access international opportunities while maintaining strong standards of training, certification and worker welfare.
During the interaction, the two sides discussed strengthening partnerships between vocational education and training institutions, promoting knowledge exchange and encouraging industry driven skill development initiatives. Areas such as trainer capacity building, language training for international mobility and pathways that allow learners to combine vocational education with academic qualifications were also discussed.

The conversation further underlined the need for closer coordination between institutions and industry stakeholders in both countries to align skill standards with evolving global requirements. Both sides expressed interest in exploring mechanisms that would support recognition of vocational qualifications and encourage mobility of skilled professionals in sectors facing workforce shortages.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Finland to deepen cooperation in skill development, strengthen vocational education systems and promote ethical and sustainable workforce mobility. Both ministers agreed to continue engagement through institutional partnerships and dialogue to identify priority sectors and practical areas of collaboration.

The Finnish delegation included Ms. Teresa Salminen, Adviser to the Minister, Ms. Sonja Hämäläinen, Director General Labour Migration and Integration, Ms. Laura Lindeman, Senior Director Work in Finland, Ms. Liisa Toivonen, Counsellor Innovation, Mr. Tuomas Vasama, Chief Executive Officer Works Oy, Ms. Shrestha Sharma, Talent Boost Programme Business Finland and Ms. Amanda Hekkala, Embassy of Finland.
The Indian side was represented by Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Nirmaljit Singh Gaba, Member National Council for Vocational Education and Training, Shri Dilip Kumar, Director General Directorate General of Training and Shri Niranjan Kumar Sudhansu, Additional Secretary MSDE.

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