Vocational education in Vantaa
Introduction
Vantaa offers diverse opportunities for vocational studies. Vantaa Vocational College Varia is a vocational educational institute owned by the City of Vantaa. Vantaa also has private vocational educational institutes as well as institutes maintained by foundations.
Studying in a vocational upper secondary institute
A vocational upper secondary qualification is a vocational degree that gives the student a comprehensive qualification for positions requiring field-specific basic competence as well as more specialised competence in one field as shown by the training programme. The scope of the degrees is 180 study credits, and it takes an average of three years to receive a vocational qualification. The studies progress in accordance with the student’s individual competence development plan (HOKS). The students’ progress in their studies will also be assessed through tests proving their competence.
A vocational upper secondary qualification gives the graduates the qualification to continue their studies in universities and universities of applied sciences.
A vocational upper secondary qualification in a nutshell:
A vocational upper secondary qualification (180 competence points) comprises:
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vocational degree modules (135 competence points)
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general degree modules (35 competence points)
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optional degree modules (10 competence points)
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individual degree modules increasing the degree scope
The vocational degree modules include learning the knowledge and skills needed for the profession being studied. The optional degree modules can be vocational, complement the student's vocational training, comprise general education, or be related to the student’s extracurricular goals. The general degree modules are the same for all students. They include communications and interaction skills, mathematical and natural science competence, society and working life-related competence and free-choice competence goals.
Degree modules can also be picked and chosen from other vocational upper secondary qualification programmes, general upper secondary schools and vocational qualification or specialist vocational qualification programmes. Students can also complete general upper secondary school studies and take a matriculation examination while studying for a vocational upper secondary qualification.