Study opportunities and competence development for immigrants

Career Boost programme in ICT is targeted to highly educated immigrants who are currently unemployed and who aim to develop or update their competence or to specialise in a new area in ICT. We will design an individual study plan for you based on your needs, background and career goals in order to match your competences with the requirements of the ICT industry in Finland, and thus improving your employment prospects in Finland.

The programme offers a wide range of courses covering SW development, cloud computing (including networks, cyber security and servers and applications) and artificial intelligence and machine learning. In addition to these, some IT fundamental courses are offered for updating essential skills.

The offered courses give a broad view to latest developments in the ICT field and develop competences for various advanced specialist tasks, such as a Front-end SW developer, Web developer, Full-stack SW developer, Solution Architect, IT Specialist, System Specialist, System Administrator, Quality Engineer or Test Engineer.

Mode of delivery, structure and timing:

• Language of tuition: English
• Timing of studies: non-stop
• Length: 2-12 months, according to a personal study plan, mainly part-time studies
• Extent: max. 60 ECTS credits
• Mode of delivery: online studies independently
• Number of seats: max. 100 yearly
• Studies are free of charge

Courses from which the most suitable ones for you will be selected:

Career Boost: NonStop Virtual Courses

General criteria for the Career Boost programme in ICT:

• You are an unemployed jobseeker
• Your native language is other than Finnish, Swedish or Sami
• You live in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa or Kerava
• You have completed a higher education degree abroad related to ICT
• You speak English (B1-level or better): evaluate your language competence on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
• You wish to find employment in the Finnish job market in your field of expertise

How to apply to the programme?

1. Sign up online for a SIMHE guidance discussion.
2. A SIMHE Career Coach will map your study and professional background, your career plans and your suitability to the programme in a personal guidance discussion.
3. An expert from your field will assess your professional competence, previous studies and work experience with you and compare these to the typical requirements in your field in Finland. Based on the discussion the expert will confirm which courses match your background and drafts an Individual Study Plan (IPS) for you.
4. Have the IPS accepted by the employment services of your municipality of residence before starting the studies. The employment services will also check the conditions for unemployment benefits in your case.

Welcome to the Career Boost programme!
More information: simhe [at] metropolia.fi
Information on study courses: project specialist Chau Truong Minh, chau.truongminh [at] metropolia.fi

The Career Boost program in the real estate and construction sector is for immigrants who have a relevant university degree from abroad and who aim to supplement their professional competence, develop their Finnish language skills and expand their knowledge of the Finnish operating environment in the field.

The program complements knowledge of Finnish building regulations, design criteria and construction project practices, and information modeling of construction projects. Finnish language studies support the ability to work in a Finnish-speaking work environment in the field. The program also includes career coaching and working life networking.

Course selection:

Summer / Autumn 2022 Independent Online Studies (Moodle)

• Johdatus puurakentamiseen ja kestävään kehitykseen 5 op (Overview on Possibilities of Timber Building and Sustainability)
• Puurakenteet ja puurakentaminen 5 op (Basics of Wood Structures)

Autumn 2022 courses (excact time schedule to be specified in June)

• Talonrakennuksen perusteet 5 ECTS (Basics of building construction)
• Rakentamisen tietotekniikka 5 ECTS (IT in Construction)
• Kiinteistö- ja rakennusalan lainsäädäntö ja viranomaisohjaus 5 ECTS (Real estate legislation and regulations)
• Ammatillista suomea 2, 5 ECTS (Professional Finnish 2)
• Ammatillista suomea 3, 5 ECTS (Professional Finnish 3)

Mode of delivery, structure and timing:

• Language of tuition: Finnish
• Start of studies: June 2022 or September 2022
• Duration of studies: according to an individual study plan
• Extent: 5-35 ECTS credits
• Mode of delivery: partly indepedent online studies, or on campus studies (Autumn 2022) 
• Location of contact teaching: Myllypuro campus (Myllypurontie 1, Helsinki)
• Studies are free of charge

Programme-specific selection criteria:

• You have university degree from abroad in real estate or construction, eg civil engineer or graduate engineer, master builder or building architect
• You live in the Helsinki region
• Your native language is other than Finnish, Swedish or Sami
• Proficiency in Finnish at least B1 level (European Language Proficiency Assessment Reference Development CEFR)

How to apply to the programme?

1. Sign up online for a SIMHE guidance discussion.
2. A SIMHE Career Coach will map your study and professional background, your career plans and your suitability to the programme in a personal guidance discussion.
3. An expert from your field will assess your professional competence and compare these to the typical requirements in your field in Finland. Based on the discussion the expert will confirm which courses match your background and drafts an Individual Study Plan (IPS).
4. If you are unemployed, please contact your local employment services before starting the studies. The employment services will determine the conditions for studying when receiving unemployment benefits.

Welcome to the Career Boost programme!

More information: simhe [at] metropolia.fi
Information on courses: senior lecturer Simo Hoikkala, simo.hoikkala [at] metropolia.fi

The Career Boost programme in nursing is designed to support immigrants who have a degree in Nursing from abroad to obtain the right to practise the nursing profession in Finland. 

The content and the length of the programme will be determined by the requirements set individually by Valvira. The competences covered in the programme include e.g. clinical, surgical and perioperative nursing and nursing in the contexts of internal diseases, mental care and substance abuse. Also, you will develop special competences required in work with children, the youth, families and the elderly. Furthermore, you will learn about different service environments and nursing in cases of special needs.

Note that in addition to the programme, in order to obtain the right to practise the profession you will also need to be able to demonstrate sufficient Finnish language competence:

• YKI test with the result 3, coordinated by the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI)
• another nationally accepted language degree (see the EDUFI website in Finnish) or
• upper secondary education in Finnish.

Mode of delivery, structure and timing:

• Language of tuition: Finnish
• Timing of studies: start once a month during the academic semesters, studies according to the individual study plan
• Length: varies depending on the education background (e.g. degree from EU/EEA or non-EU/EEA countries) and the Valvira requirements
• Extent: 25-40 ECTS credits depending on the Valvira requirements
• Mode of delivery: multiform learning mostly online including simulations; work placements take place in different units in the health care sector
• Location of contact teaching: Myllypuro campus (Myllypurontie 1, Helsinki)
• Number of seats: max. 40 yearly

Studies are carried out in accordance with Valvira's regulations, usually including 25-40 ECTS:

• Three simulations, clinical practices (minimum 8 ECTS), final exam (1 ECTS)
• Service system and legislation in health care and social services, medication, clinical care
• Guidance and professional Finnish (max. 8 ECTS)
• In addition you will develop your career skills and network with local employers

Programme-specific selection criteria:

• A bachelor-level higher education degree in nursing which is based on nursing science (NB: not medicine)
• Language requirement: min. B1 level Finnish demonstrated with an YKI3 result at the start of the programme or the preparedness to reach YKI3 level - note also the requirements to obtain the right to practise profession
• Career Boost programme for nurses accepts individuals nationwide, but please notice that the programme includes some contact teaching in Helsinki. Furthermore, collaboration in clinical practice matters is limited to municipalities and other employers in the Helsinki region. If you wish to find a clinical practice required by Valvira outside the region, you are responsible for independently securing one. While searching for such a placement, note that Metropolia does not pay guidance fees to employers. 

How to apply to the programme?

Apply to the programme by 31 May 2022.

1. Sign up online for a SIMHE guidance discussion.
2. A SIMHE Career Coach will map your study and professional background, your career plans and your suitability to the programme in a personal guidance discussion.
3. An expert from your field will assess your professional competence and compare these to the typical requirements in your field in Finland. Based on the discussion the expert will confirm which courses match your background and drafts an Individual Study Plan (IPS) for you.
4. If you are unemployed, please remember contact you local employment services before starting the studies. The employment services will check the conditions for unemployment benefits during the studies. 

Welcome to the Career Boost programme!

More information: simhe [at] metropolia.fi

Application to the programme is closed.

Career Boost for automation business is targeted to professionals in electrical and automation technology who wish to develop and update their skills or specialise from programming to automation business. You will learn to programme industrial applications and devices (e.g. embedded measurement and control systems, control devices, data collection and management, different industrial IoT applications). You will also develop your competence in data management and analytics by exploring data management in different databases, data-based problem-solving and applications of machine learning and AI. The studies also give you the opportunity to develop your skills in operating in project environments and in managing projects.

By completing the programme you will improve your employment prospects in jobs such as e.g. automation engineer/specialist, industrial engineer/manager, system specialist or maintenance specialist in Finland. You will also develop your field-specific language skills in Finnish and build your networks with the local businesses and industry.

Mode of delivery, structure and timing: 

• Language of tuition: Finnish, but material also in English
• Duration: max. 12 months
• Extent: max. 60 ECTS credits
• Mode of delivery: online studies and contact teaching partly in groups, partly independently

Courses from which the most suitable ones for you will be selected:

• Industrial programming technology and an IoT project (max. 10 ECTS), programming (max. 10 ECTS), control system engineering and mathematics (max. 10 ECTS), innovation project and safety at work (max. 10 ECTS)
• Professional Finnish (max. 15 ECTS)
• Work-based learning (max. 10 ECTS)
• In addition you will develop your career skills and network with local employers

Programme-specific selection criteria:

• A higher education degree from abroad related to automation business, e.g. technician or engineer, or when applicable also professional competence developed through work experience
• Language requirement: min. B1 level in Finnish, in addition good English skills
• Good mathematical skills
• In addition the above eligibility criteria for all the programmes

Application to the programme is closed.

Career Boost for business accounting is targeted to professionals who wish to update their knowledge of financial and management accounting and understand better the work environment and expectations of this field in Finland.

By completing the programme, you will learn to produce bookkeeping and financial statements according to Finnish legislation and taxation practices. You will also learn about salary administration and how salary entries are done. You will be able to produce and analyse financial data to support decision-making, e.g. budgets, reports, indicators, analyses and calculations of costs and profitability. The programme also prepares you to use business intelligence and analytics tools for developing business solutions of quality and impact. In addition, integrated Finnish language studies will help you improve your substance related Finnish language skills to the next level.

By completing the programme you will improve your employment prospects in management accounting and analytics, e.g. as a controller, consultant of profitability accounting, financial manager or analyst. You can also find employment in financial accounting in duties such as salary administration, bookkeeping or management of accounts ledger.

Mode of delivery, structure and timing: 

• Language of tuition: Finnish
• Duration: until max. 31 Dec 2022
• Extent: max. 60 ECTS credits
• Mode of delivery: combined face-to-face and online studies, partly in groups, partly independently

Courses from which the most suitable ones for you will be selected:

• Business accounting (max. 15 ECTS), management accounting (max. 10 ECTS), business analytics and tools (max. 10 ECTS)

• Professional Finnish (max. 15 ECTS) 

• Work-based learning (max. 5 ECTS)

• In addition you will develop your career skills and network with local employers

Programme-specific selection criteria:

• A higher education degree in business or similar from abroad
• Good IT skills (Microsoft software)
• Language requirement: min. B1 level in Finnish
• Work experience and independent learning of business administration is an asset
• Ability to take initiative and learn independently, reflection and meta cognitive skills and interest in the thematic area of business administration
• In addition the above eligibility criteria for all the programmes