Tapio Säävälä has been working in the field of education since 1985. He started his career as a Special Needs Education Teacher, and worked as a School Headmaster and as a Senior Adviser in the National Board of Education in Finland.

He joined the European Commission in 2002 to work for the lifelong learning policies, and key competences in particular. Currently, he is Head of Unit at the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, responsible to adult learning, VET and eTwinning and EPALE platforms.