Article
March 10, 2026 · 2 min read timeThe Finnish Learning Awards competition is being organised for the first time in spring 2026. Tiina Vanala, who sits on the judging panel, hopes to see insightful learning initiatives embedded in organisational culture in the applications. “When learning enhances well-being, we’re focusing on the right thing,” she reflects.
Tiina Vanala, who works as a Senior People Partner at Nitor, serves as a judge for the Finnish Learning Awards, held for the first time in spring 2026. The competition aims to highlight learning initiatives that are concretely visible in everyday working life and don’t remain mere mentions in strategies and ceremonial speeches.
Behind the Finnish Learning Awards is Skille, a nationwide competence development network that brings together learning professionals. The competition is carried out in collaboration with the Helsinki Education Hub.
As a judge, Vanala intends to pay particular attention to how learning is integrated into the organisation’s everyday life.
“I value imaginativeness and perhaps thinking slightly outside the box. Above all, I expect that learning is examined as a whole, also from the perspective of well-being and work ability,” she says.
“Learning is at its best when it is baked into the work and organisational culture as an inspiring opportunity, where the journey matters more than the destination.”
Through her participation in Skille’s activities, Vanala has also showcased Nitor’s learning culture and best practices. Among other things, she has been responsible for Nitor’s mentoring pilot launched in 2022, which was later made a permanent part of competence development. She also trains clients’ leadership teams and speaks at stakeholder events.
In her work, Vanala observes learning up close, particularly in expert and consultant roles. According to her, workplace learning has changed noticeably in recent years.
“The pace is faster. At the same time, the focus has shifted from specific technical skills more toward meta-skills. The ability to conceptualise, communicate, and convey insights across different levels of business has become highly central,” she assesses.
According to Vanala, a genuinely functioning learning culture is reflected in concrete things. If an organisation has training days, for example, but people don’t dare to use them, a learning culture doesn’t truly exist.
At Nitor, learning is essential, not a burdensome obligation or a cost to be borne.
“It’s important that the organisation actively communicates what kind of competencies are needed. It’s also worthwhile to support the employee on their learning path, for example, through mentoring or professional supervision,” Vanala states.
