Photo above: Jan Allis, Turku Vocational Institute / Skills Finland
The Taitaja2025 event took place in Turku, Finland from May 5–8, 2025. More than 400 young people studying in vocational education competed for Finnish championship medals. Medals were awarded in 47 categories, five of which were TaitajaPLUS categories intended for students needing special support. Jamix acted as an expert partner in the Restaurant and Catering Services TaitajaPLUS competition.
In the photo above, the winners of the P1 Restaurant and Catering Services category:
- Gold: Emma Lehtonen and Lilja Alander / Ammattiopisto Spesia
- Silver: Abbas Beni Zaid and Oula Wazaz / Ammattiopisto Live
- Bronze: Paavo Jalasto and Rania Baranriz / Ammattiopisto Live
Entrepreneurship, alongside sustainable development and occupational safety, was one of the event’s themes, which were to be reflected in all Taitaja categories. In each of these thematic areas, one category was awarded for exemplary implementation. The Taitaja Entrepreneurship Award went to the TaitajaPLUS Restaurant and Catering Services category, where participants developed a new food product for a real company using provided ingredients.
A Joyful and Supportive Atmosphere Created a Positive Mood for the Competition
Miia Kamunen, Account Manager at Jamix, acted as a judge in the TaitajaPLUS competition, drawing on her strong expertise in restaurant services through both her education and work experience.
“It’s a pleasure to see how vocational education is still going strong and appreciated. The young competitors are motivated, value learning, and take feedback and development tips well,” Miia reflects on her impressions from the event, continuing:
“Especially this year, there was a particularly positive overall atmosphere. ‘Through joy’ probably best describes the spirit of our category too. The young people support each other’s efforts and celebrate when a teammate succeeds, even if something didn’t go right for themselves. They accept feedback and make adjustments for the next competition day. And that’s really what this whole thing is about — learning.”
Miia also emphasizes the importance of business collaboration at the event: “Having professionals from working life involved in judging is meaningful because we bring with us the latest industry knowledge — whether it’s about operational practices, technology, or equipment.”
While the event is organized for the future professionals, it gives a lot back to the partners as well:
“It’s true that when you put on a chef’s jacket, you remember where you came from and what your professional identity is built on. And I had absolutely fantastic fellow judges. The category manager and steering group did an excellent job with the task planning and the overall execution of the competition,” Miia says, praising her judging experience this year.
