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The main aim of Finnish education policy is to give equal opportunities to everyone regardless of their social background, domicile, gender or ethnic background. Arrangements for vocational education and training are flexible and take into account individual needs. VET [vocational education and training] provision is based on decentralised decision-making. Local and regional education and training providers have the freedom to focus training provision according to local needs within the national framework. There are no dead-ends in the formal education system in Finland; initial vocational education and training also provides eligibility for higher education studies. All vocational upper secondary programmes take three years, including a practical training period of at least six months. Qualifications can be completed in the form of school-based education and training or apprenticeship training. Since the early 1990s, vocational training for adults has been moving towards a competence-based qualification system. Lifelong learning in Finland is understood as a wide supply of training for basic vocational skills and open opportunities for further studies.