The development of Estonian qualification system began on request of the Government of the Republic of Estonia in 1998, when Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry established a Qualification Reform Team and the first occupational qualification standards were devised. Since 2001, the occupational qualification system has been developed by Estonian Qualification Authority (Kutsekoda). Since 2008 the occupational qualifications system is governed by the Professions Act.

Awarding occupational qualifications is a part of the qualification system. The qualification system serves as the set of activities related to the assessment and recognition of people’s occupational competences. The qualification system includes preparation of the standards, arrangement of the awarding of occupational qualifications and maintenance of the register of occupational qualifications.

The objectives of the occupational qualification system are:

• to support the competitiveness of Estonian employed population – employees are competent, possessing relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes for successful performance;
• to be a supportive structure for the education system – the content and quality of the education aimed at the occupational performance is compatible with the needs of the labour market;
• to facilitate the assessment and recognition process of people’s competences regardless the precise details of the studies;
• to contribute to the comparability of occupational qualifications both at national and international level.

The qualification system also allows the educational and training institutions to become aware of the current needs of the labour market in order to adjust their curricula. Employers have a possibility to evaluate and improve the skills of the employees with the help of the qualification system.

In order to bring the competences of school-leavers and employees into conformity with the labour market requirements, the relevant competence for successful performance is worked out together with the employers and employees in a particular field. A qualification standard is prepared for every occupation. Occupational qualification standards establish opportunities for assessment of the competences, the process of which is called the awarding of qualification.

If the person possesses the knowledge and skills described in the occupational qualification standard, they are issued an occupational qualification certificate. The Estonian Qualifications Authority is the legal entity responsible for the development of the qualification system.

The development of the occupational standard of an adult educator began in the early 2000s and the first qualification certificates were issued to andragogues in 2004. The right to award the qualification of adult educator was given to Estonian Association of Estonian Adult Educators Andras (AEAE Andras), who established a professional committee, involving the leading experts in the field. First occupational standard was knowledge-based. For the implementation of a competence-based occupational standard, a new version was developed and the already existing three levels (III – V) were supplemented by level II (2007).

In November 2011 four new occupational standards of adult educator were approved which are now fully compatible with the eight-level comprehensive qualification framework valid in Estonia. Since 2012 AEAE Andras awards occupational qualifications of adult educator at levels five, six, seven and eight.

So far 497 professional certificates of adult educators have been issued.