In many education systems, a gap persists between what is taught and what the labour market actually needs. SUSFOR shows that bridging this gap requires more than analysis – it requires people who are willing to change how teaching really happens.

Over the past year, the SUSFOR project has focused on one very specific question: what skills do forestry graduates need to succeed in today’s rapidly changing work environment?

In collaboration with employers, teachers, and students, key competence gaps and future skills needs were identified in Tanzania and Zambia. But mapping the gaps is only the beginning.

The real question is: does anything actually change – and if so, what exactly – once we know where the gaps are?

From mapping skills to changing teaching

In SUSFOR, this change is now underway. The focus is shifting to the teacher – their skills, knowledge, and ability to engage learners using modern approaches.

We need teachers who are willing to change themselves. Teachers who are adaptive learners, capable of analysing gaps and turning them into inspiring teaching. The focus is on how knowledge is truly integrated into the learning process – through new learning materials, teaching methods, and everyday practice.

A changing world is placing increasing demands on VET teachers. Developments in artificial intelligence and broader labour market shifts require continuous adaptation, learning, and rethinking. As a result, it is becoming standard practice to co-develop learning materials with partners, test them in real teaching environments, and continuously improve them through feedback.

A lecturer’s experience: a shift in mindset

For Bechani Nyawali, Acting Head of Department – Forestry Engineering Services at Zambia Forestry College, the analyses and stakeholder engagement carried out in SUSFOR have not been just another project phase, but a fundamental shift in his professional thinking and the way of application of theories to practice.

Before engaging in SUSFOR, Mr. Nyawali had already built extensive experience in curriculum development over nearly two decades, both as a full-time lecturer at Zambia Forestry College and as a part-time lecturer at The Copperbelt University, in Kitwe Zambia. He has also contributed to national-level curriculum development under an the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)-funded project.

This background makes the shift he describes particularly significant. Through collaboration with employers and other stakeholders, he began to see curriculum development in a much broader context:

“I have been involved in curriculum development for many years, but this experience fundamentally changed how I understand the process. It is no longer about what we think students should learn – it is about what the sector actually needs,” says Mr. Nyawali.

“The biggest shift for me was moving from a classroom perspective to a systems perspective. Curriculum is no longer an isolated academic document – it is a shared responsibility with the sector and society. It is an approach that brings into curriculum design all those we exist for as an institution – the learners and their future in different forms of work.”

Systemic teaching

This shift in mindset is now reflected in very concrete changes in teaching. The focus is moving from a theory-based approach to practical, work-life-relevant skills. Learning is being redesigned to reflect the real needs of the forestry sector – both today and in the future.

Nyawali explains: “We now focus on the skills that truly matter – entrepreneurship, climate-smart forestry, geographic information systems, and even carbon finance.”

What used to be optional or considered an additional topic has now become essential. If education does not equip learners with knowledge and skills in areas that are meant to drive the sector forward, graduates will struggle in the labour market – and the development of the sector itself will slow down.

“The goal is not only to transfer knowledge, but to prepare learners to think, adapt, and act in real situations. This requires a completely different approach both in how curricula are designed and how teaching is delivered. We are not just creating a new curriculum, but a new way of thinking. This will influence how we develop and update programmes in the future.”

Capacity beyond the curriculum

This shows that Nyawali’s experience is not an exception, but reflects a broader shift across partner institutions.

What matters is not only what is taught, but how it is taught. Change in education begins with the teacher – with how they rethink their role and redesign learning. This is a core competence that must first develop in the teacher, so that it can then be fostered in learners.

As Nyawali emphasises: “The future of forestry training remains bright in the participating VET institutions as the skills, knowledge and right attitudes associated with this will be used in future curriculum review.”

The role of a VET teacher is becoming increasingly central – to take a balancing leadership role between sector needs and the development of future professionals.

Only when skills mapping, meaningful employer engagement, and forward-looking curriculum development come together does something more emerge than just a new curriculum.

Capacity emerges. The capacity to ensure that learning does not fall behind, but instead shapes smarter, more adaptable, and truly work-ready future professionals.

Because in the end, the question is not whether we identified the right skills, but whether we can use them to shape learners who are ready to create, adapt, and take responsibility for the future of forestry.

The third international SUSFOR project workshop took place at Zambia Forestry College, bringing together forestry educators, trainers, and stakeholders from Tanzania, Zambia, Estonia, and Finland. The workshop focused on strengthening teaching capacities, modernising forestry education, and enhancing cooperation between educational institutions and industry.

During the workshop, participants explored a range of modern teaching and learning approaches, including the SUSFOR Teaching Kit, data collection methods, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and the use of Moodle as a learning-supporting environment from both technical and pedagogical perspectives.

The Estonian partner shared its experience in developing e-learning courses that combine theoretical knowledge with practical learning videos. Discussions highlighted how digital tools can make forestry education more engaging, accessible, and learner-centred while supporting independent learning.

A key practical component of the workshop involved the creation of visual learning materials. Participants worked together to design and produce short educational videos in a forest environment, covering the entire process from planning and scripting to filming in the field. These hands-on activities provided valuable experience in developing modern teaching resources that can be adapted and reused in future learning contexts.

An important part of the workshop focused on bridging the gap between forestry education and the needs of the labour market. Educators, industry representatives, and sector stakeholders discussed how forestry training can better prepare students for modern working environments.

Industry representatives emphasized that graduates need not only strong theoretical knowledge but also practical experience, problem-solving skills, entrepreneurship, communication and teamwork competences, and the ability to adapt to new technologies and sustainable forestry practices.

Participants highlighted several priorities for the future development of forestry education, including:

• stronger cooperation between forestry schools and industry;
• longer and more meaningful internship opportunities;
• workplace-based learning;
• modern laboratories and practical training facilities;
• updated teaching materials and curricula developed together with industry experts; and
• real-life assignments that reflect the realities of professional forestry work.

A clear message emerged from the discussions: stronger partnerships between education providers and industry benefit students, educational institutions, and employers alike.

The workshop also included a study visit to Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation Plc (ZAFFICO), where participants explored forest plantations and a modern sawmill. The visit provided valuable insight into the forestry value chain and offered practical examples of how contemporary industry practices can be integrated into forestry education and training.

Through collaboration, innovation, and the exchange of expertise, the SUSFOR project continues to support the development of forestry education that is practical, relevant, and future-oriented.

Evidence from Zambia and Tanzania highlights critical competence gaps in forestry VET systems — with important implications for policy and curriculum reform.

Across many vocational education and training (VET) systems, forestry education has traditionally focused on strong technical foundations and established professional practices. However, evidence from recent competence and needs-gap analyses conducted in Tanzania and Zambia suggests that this approach alone is no longer sufficient.

Stakeholder consultations with employers, public authorities, and training institutions reveal a growing mismatch between what forestry graduates are trained for and what the labour market increasingly requires. Employers report that while graduates often possess basic theoretical knowledge, they frequently lack critical competences in digital forestry tools (such as GIS, remote sensing, drones and AI applications), climate-smart forestry, carbon assessment, and transversal skills such as problem-solving, communication and adaptability.

Evidence from the SUSFOR project shows that these challenges are not isolated or country-specific.

Findings from both Zambia and Tanzania point to remarkably similar patterns: curricula in forestry VET institutions are often outdated, in some cases developed more than a decade ago, while expectations placed on graduates have shifted rapidly due to technological, environmental and economic change. In both contexts, stakeholders highlighted that emerging areas such as climate change mitigation, carbon-related competencies and digitalisation are no longer optional additions, but core requirements for employability. These findings are highly relevant beyond the two countries, as similar competence gaps are increasingly reported across forestry VET systems globally.

At the same time, context-specific nuances reinforce the same systemic message.

In Zambia, outdated curricula were frequently identified as a direct barrier to graduate employability, while in Tanzania stakeholders emphasised limited exposure to modern industrial technologies and digital tools during training. Despite these contextual differences, the underlying conclusion was shared: without structured, competence-based curriculum reform supported by appropriate teacher capacity and infrastructure, VET institutions struggle to respond to current and future sector needs. If these gaps remain unaddressed, forestry VET risks producing graduates who are formally qualified but increasingly disconnected from labour-market realities.

An important element of this process was the structured involvement of European VET partners from Estonia and Finland. Rather than transferring ready-made curricula, their role focused on demonstrating how to analyse labour-market needs, structure competence-based curricula and critically assess existing training programmes. This collaborative approach supported institutions in Zambia and Tanzania in building their own capacity for evidence-based curriculum analysis and reform, ensuring that solutions are locally grounded while informed by international practice. This approach demonstrates how international cooperation can support local VET systems without prescribing solutions, but by strengthening their capacity to analyse and respond to change.

This gap is not a marginal issue. In several cases, employers indicated reluctance to recruit graduates who require extensive retraining before becoming productive, particularly in sectors facing rapid technological change and increasing sustainability demands. At the same time, the studies underline that curriculum reform alone is not sufficient if it is not accompanied by investments in teacher capacity, modern training infrastructure and structured cooperation with industry.

From a policy perspective, these findings carry a clear message: curriculum relevance and graduate employability can no longer be addressed through incremental updates or isolated projects. What is needed is a systemic shift towards competence-based education that is regularly informed by labour-market evidence, emerging environmental challenges and technological developments.

Key takeaway for VET policy and system-level decision-makers:

Ensuring the future relevance of forestry VET requires evidence-based, competence-oriented reforms that link curricula, teacher capacity and industry cooperation into a coherent system response — not as an add-on, but as a core policy priority.

The first year of the SUSFOR project focused on one essential question: How can forestry education better respond to real labour market needs?

To address this, the project placed strong emphasis on meaningful cooperation with employers and sector stakeholders in Tanzania and Zambia. Rather than collecting formal or fragmented feedback, the aim was to gain a structured and in-depth understanding of the skills, knowledge and competences required in real forestry work contexts.

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How was employer input gathered?

During the first project year, employers and sector representatives were actively involved through:

• focus group discussions, enabling open dialogue on skills needs and workplace realities
• practical workshops, where forestry occupations and day-to-day work tasks were analysed
• stakeholder mapping, to identify cooperation networks and partnership opportunities
• broader contextual analyses, taking into account economic, social and environmental drivers shaping future skills needs

This approach ensured evidence-based input grounded in real practice rather than isolated opinions.

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What were the concrete results?

As a result of this close cooperation:

• key skills and competences expected by forestry employers were clearly identified
• gaps between education outcomes and labour market expectations were highlighted
• occupational roles were described from an employer perspective
• priority areas for strengthening long-term cooperation between education providers and employers were defined

All collected input was consolidated into a coherent knowledge base that now serves as a practical foundation for further curriculum development and capacity-building activities.

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Why does employer involvement matter?

Employer engagement helps to:

• align learning outcomes with real work processes
• improve graduates’ readiness for employment
• strengthen trust between education providers and the forestry sector
• support the development of a sustainable and future-oriented workforce

The SUSFOR project demonstrates that quality education does not emerge in isolation – it is built in partnership with those shaping the sector on a daily basis.

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Looking ahead

The results of the first project year provide a strong basis for the next steps of the project, including curriculum updates, development of practical cooperation models, and further integration of employer perspectives into forestry education.

Key takeaway for VET and policy stakeholders: SUSFOR demonstrates a recognised need within VET systems to strengthen structured cooperation with employers.

💬 Employer partnerships are not an additional activity – they are a prerequisite for relevant and sustainable education.

Employers as partners: Key outcomes from the first year of the SUSFOR project

At today’s Advisory Board meeting, members listened to an overview of SUSFOR’s goals, quality plans, communication activities, and financial structures and monitoring. The Board expressed satisfaction with the project’s progress so far and underlined the importance of every member’s joint contribution to achieving the objectives.

They highlighted that only through strong collaboration can we ensure that the project goals are achieved and that vocational forestry education moves closer to meeting employers’ expectations as well as climate goals.

We are also pleased to announce that Dr. Edward Kohi from FTI was elected as the first Chair of the Advisory Board and will guide the Board’s activities this year.

The second SUSFOR face-to-face meeting is taking place in Tanzania!
This week, the project partners are gathering at FITI in Moshi for a DACUM workshop focused on improving forestry curricula to better align with labour market needs and learner competencies.

Over the past months, Tanzanian and Zambian partner schools have made great progress – they have mapped their key stakeholders and conducted surveys to understand what kinds of forestry professionals and skills are most needed in their national labour markets.

Based on these insights, a comprehensive gap analysis was carried out to identify mismatches between current curricula and industry expectations — and to prioritise areas for development.

The DACUM workshop brings together not only teachers and curriculum developers, but also employers and industry representatives. Together, they are discussing how to bridge the gaps between learners’ needs, teachers’ methods, and employers’ expectations — one of the key goals of the SUSFOR partnership.

By working hand in hand, we aim to co-create modern, competency-based training programmes that support sustainable forestry education and strengthen the link between education and employment in Tanzania and Zambia. 

Local voices matter: engaging stakeholders in forestry education

In both Zambia and Tanzania, our SUSFOR project partners are currently mapping national forestry stakeholders and planning meetings with key organisations and companies.

Why is this important? Because sustainable forestry education doesn’t happen in isolation. Collaboration with employers, industry bodies, and local institutions ensures that vocational training is relevant, up-to-date, and connected to real-life forest sector needs.

By working with national stakeholders, we can:

* align training with labour market demands;
* improve employment opportunities for graduates;
* promote innovation in forest management;
* support sustainable and climate-resilient practices.

Stay tuned for insights and reflections from these stakeholder dialogues across both countries!

Our 5-day SUSFOR kick-off meeting in Finland brought together project partners from Tanzania, Zambia, Estonia and Finland to build connections, align goals and lay the foundation for meaningful collaboration.

We explored shared values, defined working rhythms, and looked ahead – with plenty of group work, planning sessions and reflection. 

Since forestry education is at the heart of SUSFOR, we also went outdoors: visiting a student forest skills exam, hiking around a lake, and connecting with nature the Finnish way – including hot sauna, cold swims, and grilled sausages over the fire. 

Now we’re ready to take the next steps:
✅ Interviewing employers
✅ Updating forestry curricula
✅ Enhancing teacher competence and training systems

Together, we’re building stronger vocational forestry education in Tanzania and Zambia — inspired by Nordic experience, grounded in local needs.