Finland believes in high-quality early education and care. Finnish people believe that these two matters should be universal rights for every child, regardless of the country.
Edunation’s Pathway Diploma program in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) gives international students a great opportunity to contribute to early childhood education in Finland, as well as abroad. In this blog post, you will find out what ECEC is in Finland, where graduates of the program can work, and more.
Early Childhood Education in Finland
The ECEC model in Finland is a combination of teaching, education and care. Children are taught in unique ways, such as learning through play and other forms of informal education. Skilled professionals are committed to supporting each and every child’s learning, development and growth in a balanced way. A word that is used to sum up the model in Finland is called “educare”.
Most of Finland’s early childhood education and care focuses on play, teamwork, attention, free exploration and learning to take responsibility for one’s own actions. In Edunation’s Pathway Diploma program for Early Childhood Education and Care, students get to know in more detail how the early childhood education system works in Finland. They will also get to develop their skills as experts in early childhood education. This can later lead to building a career in Finland through multiple job opportunities.
Who can work in early childhood education?
In Finland, people who work in ECEC need to have a degree from a university or a university of applied sciences. Other instructors and caregivers need to have at least an upper secondary level qualification in healthcare and social welfare. If a student wishes to work in Finland as a family daycare giver, they need a vocational qualification in family daycare.
The Pathway Diploma program in ECEC grants students guaranteed admission to degree studies in Turku University of Applied Sciences. The degree gives eligibility to work in the early childhood education field in Finland, as well as abroad.
Job opportunities
The degree prepares students for many job opportunities. In Finland, there is a big need for experts in ECEC. Graduates of the degree can work in private or public companies. Most of the jobs are in kindergartens and other daycare centers. In bigger cities, there are also English-speaking daycare centers where international workers can find employment.
The average salary for a kindergarten teacher is around 2 700€ per month in the public sector. In the private sector, the salary is roughly 2 500€ per month.
If a student wishes, they are also eligible to apply for a master’s degree after completing their degree in ECEC. This is a possibility that would bring even more opportunities career-wise later on.
A qualification from Finland is a huge asset in many parts of the world. In several countries, a degree in Early Childhood Education and Care from Finland prepares students for different management positions as well.
If you want to read more about job opportunities in Finland, check out our other blog post!
