Can I learn a trade skill in Finand?

scottherlock · Post by **scottherlock** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:44 pm

Hi everyone

I have recently moved to Finland with my fiance (She is Finnish) and am currently going through the process of registering here so I can work and study, seems to be a bit of a process but shouldn't take too long hopefully!

Does anyone know if it is possible to go to college and learn a trade skill in English or as even part of my Finnish language course? My Finnish is very basic and I know that the worse case scenario is to become Fluent and then go to the same course as a Finn would.... except as we all know learning Finnish does not come quickly and could take years before I could understand in such depth.

If anyone has done something similar or knows any info on this I would really appreciate your help

Thanks

Scott

**Sponsor:**

CAD_Guy · Post by **CAD_Guy** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 3:10 pm

I actually wouldn't mind knowing the answer to this as well.

I know there are polytechnics that have some English programs, I know there are universities as well. I have yet to find anything that I want to study in either and I highly doubt that any trade schools will be in English.

I of course could be mistaken.

I wouldn't mind doing some courses in automation (electrical industry) if such exists here in English. I have been learning some of the technical language for my industry, it isn't easy!

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 3:33 pm

Ok, skills like welding are definitely not available at universities (they're "academic" institutions) - you might find something at UAS's aka polytechnics... but basically, if one wants to become a welder it's rather a question of secondary-level vocational education rather than higher education.

(Automation, this may be an option in higher education too - check the universities of technology & UAS's... I guess the answer depends on your required starting level...)

For vocational education, there's this website http://www.ammatillinenkoulutus.com which however seems to be a bit out of date, at least the English language section... some links seem to lead to pages that no longer exist. Perhaps some of the basic info is still relevant though.

Higher education English-language programmes have their own database, but I haven't come across a corresponding one for vocational level studies... maybe it's partly because they're likely to offer only the occasional option in English... but have a look at these sites, at least they might get you somehow started with your search

http://opintoluotsi.fi/en-GB/Studies_in_English/

http://www.koulutusnetti.fi/ (the "Search for Education" section would not function just now so I don't know what you'll actually find there nowadays...)

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 4:42 pm

Then theres AEL courses for immigrants. Though then again it depends where you are living at what they have on offer.

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 4:54 pm

Pursuivant wrote:Then theres AEL courses for immigrants. Though then again it depends where you are living at what they have on offer.

... here's the link http://www.ael.fi/?lang=en Could be a good idea to contact them, especially if you live in the capital area.

scottherlock · Post by **scottherlock** » Fri Sep 24, 2010 3:29 pm

Cheers for the replies! Some useful stuff...

It does seem though that to become a qualified welder on a 3 year course I will have to know Finnish. So here is my plan... Study the language at a integration school for 1 year and with my Finnish partner, from what I have been old and read it's quite unlikely that I'll be happily chatting away fluently but a good possibility of being able to understand what's being said.. For Immigrants there is also extra tutor help to go over anything not understood, im guessing this is outside class hours but still a good thing!

Having only basic Finnish and only got here 3 weeks ago I may be hoping for to much, if anyone thinks a year of hard studies could be enough to do this please feel free to offer some encouragement!

Cheers

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Fri Sep 24, 2010 3:42 pm

Study the language at a integration school for 1 year and with my Finnish partner

Make a deal with your partner that she will only speak Finnish with you. If you refrain from speaking English, learning the local lingo goes much quicker.

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Fri Sep 24, 2010 3:47 pm

scottherlock wrote:Having only basic Finnish and only got here 3 weeks ago I may be hoping for to much, if anyone thinks a year of hard studies could be enough to do this please feel free to offer some encouragement!

It's very hard to say because so much depends on your own motivation and language-learning skills. But

anyway - and maybe the best advice would be to steer away from all English-speaking company, be firm with your resolution to speak as much Finnish as possible... as rinso said... it's so easy to get stuck in a "we get by in English so why change that" situation.

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Fri Sep 24, 2010 3:59 pm

Agreed with previous posters. If you want to learn Finnish, you better drop other languages for a while.

casuallyrad · Post by **casuallyrad** » Sat Sep 25, 2010 2:57 pm

I just want to reinforce AGAIN that you should speak as much Finnish at home as possible if you really want to learn the language. English is also my first language and it can actually be a disadvantage because (almost) everyone understands it so I never have to use Finnish outside of school. I even told my co-workers to start speaking Finnish to me.
What is this about a tutor or something for foreign students? Sounds interesting!

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