Terms and conditions of the “Best Practice 2025” competition
I Terms and conditions of the competition
1. This Statute establishes the procedure for selecting and recognising the best traineeship organisations and the best trainees in the “Best Traineeship 2025” competition.
II Aim of the competition
2.1 The aim of the Best Apprenticeships 2025 competition is to recognise and highlight organisations that offer apprenticeships to students and vocational students and do so in an outstanding way, with a sense of responsibility to society and a significant contribution to the development of the next generation of the workforce.
2.2 Raise awareness of the importance of apprenticeships and work-based learning among employers and encourage and motivate them to offer apprenticeship opportunities.
2.3 Emphasise the importance of apprenticeships for young people in their learning process and career planning, helping them to understand how the experience gained through an apprenticeship contributes to their professional development and employability.
2.4 Recognise and highlight pupils and students from VET institutions who take a responsible approach to their apprenticeships as part of the curriculum and whose work performance is highly satisfactory to the apprenticeship organisation.
2.5 In the longer term, contribute to a better match between the skills of school leavers and the needs of employers.
III Categories
3.1 The best traineeship organisations or traineeships will be recognised in the following categories:
3.1.1 Best Apprenticeship – the award recognises one employer who excels in a systematic and consistent approach to providing apprenticeships and contributes to the development of a skilled workforce in a remarkable way, using apprenticeship systems and models from which others can learn.
3.1.2 Best Small Business Traineeship – the award recognises one employer with up to 49 employees who has a systematic and consistent approach to providing traineeships.
3.1.3 Best Regional Traineeship – the award recognises one employer whose activities in providing traineeships promote regional cooperation in training the next generation of skilled workers outside Harju County in a remarkable way.
3.1.4 The jury and the organiser of the competition have the possibility to award a special prize, if necessary, and to recognise with an award one employer whose activities in providing traineeships promote the training of the next generation of qualified workers in an innovative way.
3.2 The best trainees will be recognised in the following categories:
3.2.1 Best apprentice in vocational education (vocational schools);
3.2.2 Best trainee in higher education (universities of applied sciences and universities);
3.2.3 Best international student trainee;
3.2.4 Audience favourite.
IV Organisation of the competition
4.1 The competition is organised by the Estonian Employers’ Confederation, which announces the competition, forms an evaluation committee and announces the winners.
4.2 The winners will be selected by an evaluation committee, whose composition will be approved by the CEO of the Estonian Employers’ Confederation.
4.3 The evaluation committee will select one winner in each category from the candidates submitted to the competition, for a total of 6 (+1) winners.
4.4 An electronic vote will be held to determine the public’s favourite of the best trainees.
4.5 Candidates can apply for the competition until the deadline published in the competition notice.
4.6 The competition notice and the terms and conditions shall be published on the website of the Estonian Employers’ Confederation and in other information channels.
4.7 The names of the winners of the competition will be published on the website of the Confederation of Estonian Employers and in other information channels.
4.8 The competition organiser reserves the right to make changes to the competition conditions, the categories to be assessed and the competition schedule.
V Submission of nominations
5.1 The Best Traineeship 2025 competition is open for nominations for the best traineeship and the best apprentice between 30 May and 30 September 2025.
5.2 Organisations (including themselves), vocational training institutions and higher education institutions that have provided traineeships for vocational trainees and/or students during the academic year 1.09.2024 – 31.08.2025 can be nominated as candidates for the best traineeship.
5.3 When submitting a nomination for the best traineeship, it is important to provide a description and explanation of how the traineeship is well organised in the organisation. It is not the number of trainees that is important in the application, but the work done in developing the trainees.
5.4 Candidates for the best traineeship can be submitted by organisations that have offered traineeships during the academic year 1.09.2024 – 31.08.2025. Each organisation may submit one nominee in each category of best trainee.
5.5 Students from vocational schools, universities of applied sciences and universities who have completed the traineeship prescribed in the curriculum in the academic year 1.09.2024 – 31.08.2025 can be nominated as best trainee candidates.
5.6 To apply, you must fill in the online application form: best traineeship(https://bit.ly/Ankeet-Parimpraktikakoht2025) or best trainee(https://bit.ly/Ankeet-Parimpraktikant2025).
VI Evaluation criteria
6.1 The following are important for the assessment of the traineeships submitted to the competition:
6.1.1 the systematicity, completeness and continuity of professional practice within the organisation;
6.1.2 Enabling the achievement of the set objectives;
6.1.3 the effectiveness of the cooperation between the trainee and the institution.
6.2 The following are important for the assessment of trainees submitted to the competition:
6.2.1 the apprentice’s learning ability, willingness to learn and development during the professional practice;
6.2.2 the possibility of achieving the objectives and outcomes of the apprenticeship;
6.2.3 the organisation’s satisfaction with the trainee’s performance, analysis or suggestions and ideas.
VII Recognition
7.1 The winners will be announced in autumn 2025.
7.2 The winners of the best placements (in three (+1) categories) will be awarded a certificate and a plaque.
7.3 The best trainees (in three categories) will be awarded a certificate and a prize.
7.4 A certificate and prize will be awarded to the winner of the Audience Favourite title, as determined by electronic voting.
7.5 The recognised employer will have the right to use the specially developed label on its website, promotional materials, publications and products.
7.6 The competition will be accompanied by media announcements organised by the Estonian Employers’ Confederation.