Language course + oppisopimus

[Nickcoy]

Hi everyone,

I am currently living in Seinajoki with my girlfriend (same auld story I’m afraid) and we are moving to Helsinki in October, I have my RP (everything has been viewed by the police and the maistraatti – where they look how much money you have to support yourself and how much your spouse or partner earns.)

As soon as I arrive in Helsinki I will be going to the local job centre to try and apply to get onto a language course. So here it comes to my first question –

Has anyone/ does anyone know how long it will take after I apply? (My girlfriend has spoken to someone from a police station in Helsinki who said it shouldn’t be to long maybe 2-3 months after applying – but I don’t think they were the correct department to speak to regarding this stuff.)

What are the hours of the course?

I hear off a few friends of mine who currently live in Oulu that after you have done this language course there are a few options, either go back to school (not something I really want to do but if needs be I will) or go to vocational school – is this the oppisopimus?

Has anyone on this forum been on a oppisopimus course? From what I understand it is a work placement and if you impress them you have quite a good chance of being offered a permanent contract – (I have to be honest and say that I take most things I hear about employment opportunities in Finland with a pinch of salt as people will say anything to you to give you a glimmer of hope – where I like to be realistic and by the looks of things so do many of the people who use this forum) I am perhaps being unrealistic in thinking that I will get onto one of these courses and even if I did – at the moment I am just assuming that I can enrol straight after the language course has finished and start straight away – is this normal or would you have to wait a long time?

To get to the point I am interested in looking at oppisopimus after the language course as it looks like a very good entry into employment – has anyone attended one of these courses?

Does anyone know if there is any kind of oppisopimus course or route to becoming an electrician instead of going to vocational school?

Any feedback will be appreciated, I won’t be offended it will give me more scope and hopefully will help my girlfriend and I to make the best decision.

To be honest I would like you to be critical and to pick holes in our plan –

[Hank W.]

The MOL has quite a variety of courses you need to apply for, and they tend to take people who speak some Finnish as opposed to those who don't know any, so the starters would be those providing language training. Of course theres a lot of people queuing up for those. Oppisopimuskoulutus is basically on-the-job traineeship usually, to get the training and work experience and provide labor for small companies and making the statistics look good... they usually require the basic courses done in the vocational school or prior knowledge as they don't start with the basics. But most of those trainings are in Finnish for the electric side.

[onkko]

Oppisopimus is good way IF you get good employer, electricians are on demand now (atleast on hi voltage) (i hate that english dont have difference on Elektroniikka and Sähkö).
Language will be problem, big broblem. You can try in bigger places but in smaller they need that you are able to speak finnish.
Oppisopimus is "learn while work" so youre hired as worker but have some courses etc and in principle you shouldnt work without supervision (HAHAAA).
Best luck.