This story is told from the perspective of a mother, who has lived in Finland for many years. For a long time, she stayed at home with her small children. Recently, she started her studies in VALMA and, soon after, in vocational training in business studies.
Tässä tarinassa pohditaan opintojen aloittamisen saavutettavuutta erään maahan muuttaneen pienten lasten äidin näkökulmasta. Hän on aloittanut loppukeväästä 2022 ammatilliset opinnot liiketoiminnan perustutkinnon koulutusohjelmassa. Tarina on kirjoitettu englannin kielellä.
Life before studies
Could you share something about your background – what was your life situation before you started your current studies?
I had some experience running a small company in management. But it was local and in a different language in my home country. Here in Finland, I tried to take some courses in “avoin yliopisto” (open university) during my maternity leave. But there were courses I didn’t finish because with small kids it’s too much work.
Then I started to read forums, and talk with other people who experienced difficulties to find a job in Finland, even with a higher education in English. In many professions, they require Finnish. I had to decide to make a choice. I was for five years in maternity leave. When I was in maternity leave I thought, what should I do – should I go study in English, or should I go study in Finnish?
I didn’t want to waste time. I was in a Finnish language course where one of the students said her sister is studying in VALMA. In VALMA, she tried to learn about different professions and little bit develop Finnish. I thought, OK, maybe it’s a place where I can have time to study, and have time to think, to look around.
Going to VALMA was the right decision.
Starting studies in vocational school
You started business studies in vocational school in April (2022). How would you desrcibe the beginning of your studies?
It’s good, because without a certificate it is difficult to find a job. I started in a group that had already started, but because they had a few free places, they invited me for a trial period from VALMA. Then after two weeks we get confirmation to continue the studies.
There was a teacher assistant, but we said, we don’t really need an assistant with the studies because the only problem for us, it’s Finnish. We need assistance to understand the questions, what we need to do.
One of the YTO courses was a digi course. There were also Finnish students from different programs. And then, a few of us with an immigrant background. And the teacher talked about same tasks for everybody. He said OK, for Finnish students it will be two hours, for you it will be four hours, if not more. But the criteria and everything it’s the same. Then you feel it’s more challenging.
Have the teachers provided support, if you need it?
We have the same criteria like everyone else, but just lower “arviointi” (evaluation) when we make the tasks. And of course if Finnish is not your native language, it’s difficult. For example, there was this task to write about “Tekoäly kirjanpidossa” (artifical intelligence in accounting). You need these professional websites to search, and then do the presentations. Sometimes I was like “Oh my God, what it’s about”, because there are difficult terms. So that is a bit challenging.
How does it feel, now that you have started studies?
Of course it has released the stress. I can’t just sit and wait like “OK, I will find something.” I need to have some steps: what I’m doing. And I know that if I do this, I get the possibility to get a job in two years.
We have also “työvalmennus” (training for work life) course. They talk about what are your worries for finding a job. Then the teacher said this story: she had a student, I think with some immigrant background, and he was wondering when he applied for jobs that he couldn’t find any. But when he changed his name into a Finnish last name, that sounds more Finnish, he get the invitation to job interviews.
Self-help for moving forward with studies
What helps you, if there are challenges in your studies?
Of course it helps that I have already studied before (in my home country). I understand how to summarize. I try to understand what the teacher wants. How to get the main ideas and present it.
I try to understand what is most important for professional development. Because there can be topics that are little bit more theoretical – but I try to concentrate on what I need for the work life.
What would you like to say to other women and anyone else, who shares a similar background with you? Who are maybe wondering whether they should apply for studies?
I would say, don’t take very big goals. Everyday something to do. For example, first I couldn’t take full courses. I tried to first take some online courses. But I couldn’t do everything, and sometimes I give up. But even if I cannot do it 100%, it was better than doing nothing. And also, to really think what you want, but also to have some variance. Because different people can say different opinions, like “No, it’s impossible” or “There is some profession with which it’s easy to find a job.”
To have a goal and try to understand how to reach there. What could be the steps. Step by step, and from there you can develop. I think the most difficult is the entry. That’s what I would recommend: real goals and everyday, some small steps.
