Welcome to Sedu

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Welcome to South Ostrobothnia and Seinäjoki VocationalEducation Centre - Sedu ...................................................................5Facts about Finland and South Ostrobothnia .................................6

Discovering Finland .................................................................................. 6South Ostrobothnia ................................................................................. 7Travelling to and in Finland .................................................................... 8Locations of the Sedu schools ................................................................ 9

Seinäjoki ............................................................................................................. 10Ilmajoki ............................................................................................................... 12Kauhajoki ............................................................................................................ 14Jurva .................................................................................................................... 17Ähtäri .................................................................................................................. 18

Vocational Education in the Finnish Educational System .......... 20Vocational Education and Training in Finland .................................... 20

Overview of Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre - Sedu ...... 23Sedu, Seinäjoki Service Sector School ........................................................ 24Sedu, Seinäjoki Vocational School .............................................................. 26Sedu, School of Crafts, Design and Culture TAIKU ................................. 30Sedu School of Agriculture and Forestry, Ilmajoki, Tuomarniemi ....... 32Sedu, Kauhajoki School of Hospitality ....................................................... 34Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre, Adult Education ..................... 36Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre, Apprenticeship Training ....... 38

Adopt an open mind for cultural differences ............................... 41Tips for Everyday Life ...................................................................... 42

Greeting ................................................................................................... 42Finnish way to communicate ................................................................ 42Humour .................................................................................................... 43Be punctual ............................................................................................. 43Visiting a Finnish home ......................................................................... 43No Smoking ............................................................................................ 44Sauna ....................................................................................................... 44Going to a bank ...................................................................................... 44Post office ............................................................................................... 45Shopping ................................................................................................. 45Mobile telephone and public phones ................................................... 45Telephone calls ....................................................................................... 46

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Welcome to SEDU

Queuing and tipping .............................................................................. 46Travelling in Finland ............................................................................... 46Newspapers, TV and Radio .................................................................... 47Internet connections .............................................................................. 47Sports as a hobby ................................................................................... 48Cinema ..................................................................................................... 49Art exhibitions ........................................................................................ 49Churches .................................................................................................. 49Concerts .................................................................................................. 49Courses at the Civic College .................................................................. 50Library services ....................................................................................... 50Public libraries ........................................................................................ 51Restaurants, pubs, cafés and discos ..................................................... 51

National Holidays ............................................................................ 52Easter ....................................................................................................... 52The First of May ..................................................................................... 53Midsummer ............................................................................................. 53Independence Day .................................................................................. 53Christmas ................................................................................................. 54Ascension Day ......................................................................................... 54

Accommodation and meals ............................................................. 55Accomodation ......................................................................................... 55Meals ....................................................................................................... 55

Health care and insurance .............................................................. 56Private Doctor ......................................................................................... 56Dentist ..................................................................................................... 56Pharmacies .............................................................................................. 57

Permits and Formalities .................................................................. 58Passport ................................................................................................... 58Visa .......................................................................................................... 58Residence Permit .................................................................................... 58Work Permit ............................................................................................ 60

Vocabulary ........................................................................................ 61Production Team .............................................................................. 62

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Welcome to SEDUWelcome to Sedu

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Welcome to SouthOstrobothnia andSeinäjoki VocationalEducation Centre - Sedu

Seinäjoki Vocational EducationCentre (Sedu) provides high-

quality professional basic educationand adult education, as well as runsofficial apprenticeship programmes.All the activities pursued are aimedat serving, working and business lifein the whole of South Ostrobothnia.

Seinäjoki Vocational EducationCentre provides up-to-datemethods, facilities and equipmentfor the education of the youth – as well as more opportunities for youngpeople to direct their studies individually – even if the goal set were twodiplomas. Sedu has strong expertise in adult education, too. Also theeducational needs of business life are responded to more swiftly and ina more customized way than before. Close cooperation with workingand business life forms the basis for all our education. All our educationleading to a diploma includes on-the-job learning. Moreover, thedevelopment of new educational products is based on the needs ofworking life.Also internationalization is central to the operations of Sedu.The students have an opportunity to participate in international projectsand on-the-job-learning periods aboard.

I welcome you to Seinäjoki and Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre.

Reija LepolaDirector of Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre

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Facts about Finland and South Ostrobothnia

Stream, Finland’s climate istemperate. Summer in Finland iswarm, bright and exhilarating.Most importantly, the air inFinland is fresh, clean, pure andinvigorating at all times of theyear. Due to low humidity,Finland’s climate is actually not ascold as temperature readingsmight seem to indicate.

Around midsummer, in northernFinland the sun does not set forseveral weeks. In Lapland this“longest summer day” lasts forover two months. Even in moresouthern areas, it does not getdark at all at night, the days beingseparated by a couple of hours oftwilight.

In southern and central Finland,the snow usually settles at the

Discovering Finland

You have travelled from yourhome country to Finland, a

northern country in Scandinavia,but you won’t meet any polarbears, and the mosquitoes thatpop up in the summer are notdangerous, either. We are proud ofour country and our standard ofliving. Finland is a small countryof some five million inhabitantsbut large in area; the populationdensity is 17 inhabitants persquare kilometre. The Finns have alot of living space. We believe thetime you will spend in Finland willbe unforgettable. This impressionis shared by many of our formerexchange students, who havebeen happy with the time theirstay here.

Owing to the vicinity of theAtlantic Ocean and the Gulf

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beginning of December and meltsin mid or late April, and innorthern Finland the snow settlesaround five weeks earlier andmelts about three weeks laterthan in the south.Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)are a light phenomenon visible inthe sky in Lapland on clear, darknights. They can sometimes beseen also in the southern part ofFinland.

South Ostrobothnia

The region of South Ostrobothnia,located in Western Finland, is aFinnish-speaking area with200 000 inhabitants. SouthOstrobothnia is well known for itsthriving food production,processing and marketing, woodand metal industries, as well as

Facts about Finland and South Ostrobothnia

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service production.Entrepreneurship and SME’s arestrongly supported by educationand research; a good example ofthis is the EPANET co-operationnetwork of Finnish universities inSouth Ostrobothnia.

The city of Seinäjoki is the livelycentre of South Ostrobothnia andhas about 36 000 inhabitants.This part of Finland is well knownas a wealthy region with a lot ofprivate enterprises, which can beseen in the wide fields and highnumber of entrepreneurs in thetowns and in the countryside. Thesupply of culture and sports iswide.

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Travelling to and in Finland

Flight connections to Finland’scapital Helsinki are excellent fromall parts of Europe, as well as fromoverseas. Helsinki is only threehours from Paris, London andBrussels, eight hours from NewYork andten fromTokyo,respectively.Helsinki isalso easy toreach byboat fromStockholm,Rostockand Tallinn,and bytrain fromMoscowand StPetersburg.

Furthermore,Seinäjoki and the surroundingareas are very easy to get to. Thequickest way from abroad is to flyfirst to Helsinki and from theredirect to Seinäjoki. The flight fromHelsinki to Seinäjoki takes lessthan one hour. It is also possibleto take a train from HelsinkiRailway Station. It takes a littleover three hours to get to Seinäjo-ki from Helsinki

Should you get tired of theOstrobothnian plain, it is easy tomake trips to other regions inFinland from here. Don’t fail tobenefit from our good trainservices, which link us to the

north andthe south.It is not along wayto StPetersburgin Russia,either, orto Tallinn,the capitalof theRepublicof Estonia.There aregood ferryconnectionsbetweenHelsinki

and Tallinn. You can also easilymake a one-day-trip to Umeå,Sweden. When planning yourtrips, never forget Finnish Lapland,no matter if it is summer orwinter. In the autumn, you willfind Lappish nature glowingmagnificently with autumncolours.

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Welcome to SEDU

Locations of the Sedu schools

The schools of Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre are located in thefollowing South Ostrobothnian municipalities: Seinäjoki, Ilmajoki, Jurva,Kauhajoki and Ähtäri.

Locations of the Sedu schools

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Seinäjoki

Seinäjoki is ayouthful city with

a young population,because the areaprovides a lot ofsecondary and higherlevel education. Also,the full culturalspectrum ishighlighted in Seinä-joki: theatre,concerts, plays.There are a lot ofcultural and

sports

eventsgoing on in Seinäjoki with themotto “something for everyone”.

Seinäjoki Science Park, TRIANO, isthe rapidly growing centre for thedevelopment of SouthOstrobothnia and a node innetworks.Its physical core is made up ofthree complexes of buildings: theFoodwest building in the northernpart of the city, the MediwestHealth Technology Centre next tothe Seinäjoki Central Hospital, as

well as theFRAMITechnologyCentre which willinclude a BusinessPark that iscurrently beingbuilt on the riverbank opposite the

Campus Area.

The easiest way offinding out about thehistory of Seinäjoki

and our region is tovisit the Regional

Museum of SouthOstrobothnia, in Törnävä.

Among other things,traditional peasant and popular

life is exhibited in the museum.In the area, you can visit thePeasant Museum, the GunpowderMuseum (“Ruutimuseo”), an oldwindmill, a blacksmith’s shop andmany other interesting historicalbuildings. The Törnävän puistopark, which surrounds themuseum area, is beautifulthroughout the year. There is alsoa nice beach in the park area.

South Ostrobothnia is the regionwhere the world-famous architectAlvar Aalto was born and spentthe early years of his life. Seinäjo-ki is famous for the church ofLakeuden Risti designed by Aaltoand for the administrative and

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Welcome to SEDUfacts Seinäjoki

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cultural centre built around it.This area, the Aalto Centre, wasbuilt between 1957 and 1987. Asa whole, the Aalto Centre is aninternationally renowneddestination for visiting architectsand other experts in the field ofconstruction. The most importantevent in Seinäjoki for youngpeople is the three-day-long rockfestival Provinssirock in June. Thefestival is attended by severalinternational and Finnish topartists and there are always about20 000 people enjoying the musicand atmosphere. Provinssirocktakes place in the park area inTörnävä.

By contrast, the Tango Festival inSeinäjoki takes place in July. Atthe festival, the King and Queenof Tango for the year are crownedafter a hard trial. For thisfive-day-long event,part of the Kirkko-katu streetturnsinto

a tango street, in which peopledance night and day. The numberof visitors is evidence of theimportance of tango for the Finns.The event gathers as many as100,000 people to Seinäjoki.

Seinäjoki was named after theriver passing through the city. Acruise on the river provides aunique way to get to know thecity and to view the riversidescenery.

About 85 per cent of the Finnishcitizens belong to the Lutheranchurch and therefore there is onein Seinäjoki, too. In Seinäjoki,there are two churches, of whichthe Törnävä church, erected in1827, is of historical value. TheLakeuden Risti church (‘Cross ofthe Plains’) was erected in 1960.

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Ilmajoki

Ilmajoki is situated 16 km fromthe City of Seinäjoki. Ilmajoki, a

strong municipality and rich intradition, is located in the middleof the Ostrobothnian plain. Thelandscape is characterized bylow, fertile fields with barns. Theplain is crossed by the Kyrönjokiriver with its fertile riversides,which are in intensive farming.

The population of Ilmajoki is12,000, its area being 609 km2.About 15 per cent of the workinginhabitants earn their living fromprimary production (agricultureand forestry) and about 20 percent from secondary production(industry and construction).More than half of theinhabitants earn theirliving from privateor publicservices.

The nearest cities are Seinäjoki(16 km) and Vaasa (75 km),with several busconnections every day. Thenearest railway station isin Seinäjoki and thenearest airports are inSeinäjoki and Vaasa.Ilmajoki providesvarious recreationaland hobbyfacilities. Themunicipality iswidelyknown

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Welcome to SEDUfacts Seinäj

facts Ilmajoki

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for its cultureand music

festival(e.g. Ilmajoki

Music Festival). Thefolk operas of the

festival areimplemented as a

joint effort by musicprofessionals and local

volunteers. In Ilmajoki,there are a lot of

amateur actors as well asvarious choirs and

orchestras. Those who exercisehave several sports facilities at

their disposal (public swimmingpool, gyms and sports tracks,

illuminated skiing tracks, sports halls,and sports fields). The Civic College

provides courses ranging from silver forgingto sail planing. In addition, the active student

association arranges other kinds of leisureactivities such as excursions and sports, etc.

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Kauhajoki

Kauhajoki is the serviceand industrial centre of

the southernmost part ofSouth Ostrobothnia, where agriculturealso plays an important role. SouthOstrobothnian rustic culture andmodern service and information societymeet here. The commercial andadministrative services of the southernpart of the region are concentrated inKauhajoki. By area, Kauhajoki is thelargest municipality of SouthOstrobothnia and counts about16,000 inhabitants. It is located58 km from Seinäjoki, 100 fromVaasa, and 160 from Tampere. Thereare direct bus connections with all thenearby towns every day. The fastestconnections from Southern Finland, e.g.Helsinki, are by train via Seinäjoki and fromthere by bus.Colourful events such as Kauhajoki Food Fairand Nummirock festival attract thousands ofvisitors to Kauhajoki annually. The Food Fairis of particular importance to the schoolbecause it was the initiator of this bigevent. In Kauhajoki, there are also sightsrelated to Ostrobothnian rural culture andFinnish history. Various sports events addspice to life in Kauhajoki. Several sports andhobby clubs are active arranging differentevents at the national and even international level.Samba-cross competitions, arranged every summer,are popular, too. These events combine Rally Crossand a samba carnival ”in the genuine Ostrobothnianway”.

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In addition to its extensive andrich nature, Kauhajoki has awide range of facilities forexercise. You can exercise inmany ways, ranging from golf tobowling and downhill skiing. Inthe vicinity of the centre ofKauhajoki, you find the largeSotka outdoor recreational

area with an illuminatedrunning/skiing track, skislopes, ski and biathlonstadium, motor sportsarea, rifle range and

Sotkanpesä summertheatre. In the immediate

vicinity of Kauhajoki Schoolof Hospitality, there is asports centre with aswimming pool. In addition to

swimming, you can bowl,exercise in a gym, play squash,

tennis and indoor bandy andpractice shooting there.

Kauhajoki has a vigorous musictradition and amateur theatre

activity. Music lessons are providedby the Panula Institute, the CivicCollege, and the Pop-Jazz Departmentof Kauhajoki Evangelical Folk HighSchool. Kauhajoki Civic College offersinteresting activities to all active people

without age limits and at a low cost. Thelibrary services are also diversified.

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Welcome to SEDUfacts Jurva

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Jurva

Jurva is a municipality of about5,000 inhabitants 55 km from

Seinäjoki. Jurva is famous for itsfurniture industry: most of theFinnish period furniture is madethere. In the municipality, thereare dozens of furnituremanufactures employing a total ofabout 500 people. The fine Centreof Expertise on Furniture, Nikkari-keskus, stands for the futuredevelopment and research forfurniture industry in Finland.Nikkarikeskus is located inconnection withthe School ofDesign and theTAIKU School ofCrafts, Design andCulture in Jurva.The municipalityprovides a range ofpublic servicessuch as a healthcentre withmedical and dentalservices, as well aspolice, postal andbank services. Inthe municipality, there are alsovarious private services available,such as shops, hotels andrestaurants. There is a wide rangeof recreational facilities available.You can exercise in the gymlocated at Kirkonkylän ala-aste

(elementary school) or in theindoor sports facilities of theSchool of Crafts, Design andCulture. Close to the school, thereis a running track, where you canski in the winter. Next to therunning track, you find theSäläisjärvi lake with its publicswimming facilities. On thecamping ground, there is also asauna that anyone can rent fortheir private use. In the winter,you can even try winterswimming.

The Rantala riding farm isan interesting place forhorse enthusiasts. Next tothe farm, there is a motorracing track and a riflerange (Botniaring,Olympiatrap). At the CivicCollege, you can go in fora wide range of hobbies:language studies, danceand music, art subjectsranging from restorationto bookbinding, etc. Jurvahas two drama clubsoffering performances to

the public. Art lovers can visitexhibitions in the local librarythroughout the year. The TAIKUSchool of Crafts, Design andCulture exhibits its activities at itsannual spring exhibition which isopen for all public.

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Ähtäri

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Ähtäri is located in the easternpart of South Ostrobothnia, 80

km from the City of Seinäjoki. Itspopulation is about 7,000 and itstotal area is 906 km². It issurrounded by lakes and largeforest wilderness areas.

The townscape of the centre ofÄhtäri is very clear. Almost allbasic services can be found on themain street of the town.Supermarkets, special shops,

the post office,

banks, and restaurants have a verycentral position on Ostolantiestreet. The hospital and the healthcentre are situated a bit apart, butfollowing the informativesignposts, you should find themwithout problems. At the healthcentre, there is a doctor on duty,as well as a dental clinic.

In Ähtäri you can enjoy visitingthe natural wildlife park which isthe first of its kind in Finland and

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established in 1973. At present,Ähtäri Zoo houses 65 animalspecies, most of which come fromthe coniferous forest zone.

Ähtäri has very developed hikingand skiing route networks as wellas snowmobile routes. There is aspa and a swimming pool at HotelMesikämmen. The Mustikkavuorisports centre provides many

opportunities for sports activities(skiing, shooting, baseball, Nordicwalking, ice skating, ice hockeyetc.). The evening courses ofÄhtäri Civic College providevarious opportunities to study andparticipate in leisure activities.

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Vocational Education in the Finnish EducationalSystem

employment agreement on thetraining. It is also possible to takea qualification in the form of askills demonstration, wherebystudents can demonstrate througha practical test that theycommand the skills andknowledge required for a given

occupation.There are 52initialvocationalqualificationsincluding thefollowingsectors:naturalresources;technologyand transport;business andadministration;tourism,catering andhomeeconomics;health andsocialservices;culture;leisure and

Vocational Education andTraining in Finland

Initial vocational education isarranged both in educational

institutions and in the form ofapprenticeshiptraining. Apprenticeship trainingmeans that the educationprovider, the employer and theemployee enter into a fixed-term

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physical education. The purposeof vocational education is to givestudents the vocational skills theywill need in working life and theskills required to earn a living on aself-employed basis. Completingthe vocational qualification takes3 years and all the qualificationsgrant eligibility for further studies:the graduates can apply foradmission to polytechnics oruniversities. Vocationalqualifications are built on thecomprehensive school curriculum.Matriculated students can alsoopt for initial vocationaleducation and training; theirstudies are shorter owing to credittransfer.

The programmes consist of 120credit units (1 credit unit = 40hours’ work), of which 90 creditunits are made up of vocationalstudies, 20 credit units of generalstudies and 10 credit units offree-choice studies. The commonsubjects required in all vocationalstudies are: the mother tongue,the second national language, aforeign language, mathematics,physics and chemistry, physicaland health education, socialstudies, entrepreneurship andworkplace studies, and arts andcultural studies. The qualificationalso includes a diploma project.All the qualifications include atleast 20 credit units of on-the-job

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learning. On-the-job learning isguided, focused and assessedtraining in accordance with theeducational objectives determinedin the curriculum. The traininginstructions are planned andimplemented co-operatively bythe educational institutions andthe employers. The educationalinstitution mustensure that awritten contractis made betweenthe institutionand theworkplace asrequired by thelaw. Theobjectives,learningassignments,duration and thetiming of eachon-the-joblearning period and theprocedures for student assessmentare determined by a joint studyplan signed by the student and bythe representatives of the school(supervising teacher) and theworkplace (job instructor).To guarantee the quality ofvocational education, skillsdemonstrations are integratedinto all vocational qualifications.The student demonstrates howwell he or she has achieved theobjectives of the vocational

studies and the skills required inworking life.Vocational education and trainingis co-financed by the governmentand the local authorities. Initialvocational education is arrangedby the municipalities, jointmunicipal boards and privateorganizations. Teaching and meals

are free for thestudents.However, thestudents do payfor theirtextbooks andother material. Atschool, thestudents have anobligation to bepresent and theyare expected tobe punctual andactive in theirstudies and

search for information.Adults already active in the labourmarket can demonstrate theirknowledge and skills incompetence-based tests andthereby gain basic vocational,further vocational or specialistvocational qualifications.Preparatory training is available invocational institutions and inapprenticeship training.Vocational institutions alsoprovide continuing training gearedto upgrade knowledge and skills inresponse to the needs of thelabour market.

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Welcome to SEDU

Overview of Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre -Sedu

The total number ofstudents at Sedu is

about 4,200, of whom1,500 are adults. Seduhas some 250 teachersand some 150 otherstaff.

Seinäjoki VocationalEducation Centreprovides studiesleading to a total of24 vocationalqualifications, in a total of 44 study programmes. Under the umbrella ofSedu, you find professional know-how for all the educational fields.Diversified adult education increases our educational supply further.

All the institutions of Sedu belong to the Senuko Youth EducationNetwork.Senuko is a cooperation network between institutions of secondaryeducation in South Ostrobothnia, comprising a total of 12 institutions,of which six are upper secondary schools and six vocational schools,respectively. The objective of Senuko is to diversify the students’ studyopportunities by allowing them to choose courses at the other schoolsin the network. The student can choose only one course or even studyfor two diplomas at the same time.

The students of Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre have theopportunity to study entrepreneurship through the Young Enterpriseactivities, to get a feeling for working life through on-the-job learningperiods, as well as to direct their studies towards an internationaloperational environment.

Together with Seinäjoki Polytechnic, Sedu forms Seinäjoki JointMunicipal Authority for Education.

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Sedu, Seinäjoki ServiceSector School

The institution allows the studentsto obtain two vocationalqualifications (e.g. clothing-business) in a flexible way.

International activities arelively and the students havethe opportunity to takecourses taught in English inthe Business Studiesmodule. Entrepreneurship ispart of the studies andevery year many studentstake part of their studies inthe Young Enterprise

programme. The school also allowsthe students to take coursestaught virtually, and cooperationin the network increases theirstudy options.

Education and training at Sedu,Seinäjoki Service Sector School

is provided in three differentlocations in Seinäjoki. In Koulu-katu, you canget a vocationalqualificationeither inBusiness andAdministrationor in BusinessInformationTechnology. InKoskenalantie,students can choose PracticalNursing studies. The duration ofthe studies is 3 years for studentshaving completed the 9-year-longcomprehensive education and 2years if the student has completedthe matriculation examination. Inaddition, the school providesvocational adult education andother training courses aimedat the needs of workinglife. Adult education isprovided in Koulukatuand Koskenalantie, aswell as in Rastaan-taival.

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facts Seinäjoki Service Sector School

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Location: SeinäjokiNumber of students: 1300Number of teaching/training staff: 100Contact information:Sedu, Seinäjoki Service Sector SchoolBusiness StudiesKoulukatu 41, 60100 SeinäjokiTel: +358 201245507, Fax: +358 201245509Social and Health CareKoskenalantie 17, 60220 SeinäjokiTel: +358 20124 5550, Fax: +358 201245555Adult EducationRastaantaival 2, 60200 SeinäjokiTel:+358 20124 4500, Fax: +358 20124 4501

Vocational Qualifications and study programmes:Vocational Qualification in Business Information Technology· Study programme in Information Technology Services and MarketingVocational Qualification in Business and Administration· Study Programme in Customer Services and Marketing· Study Programme in Business Administration· Study Programme in Information and Library Services· Study Programme in Office Services and Information ManagementVocational Qualification in Social and Health Care (Practical Nurse)· Study Programme in Emergency Care· Study Programme in Rehabilitation· Study Programme in Child and Youth Care and Education· Study Programme in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Welfare Work· Study Programme in Nursing and Care· Study Programme in Care for the Disabled· Study Programme in Care for the Elderly· Study Programme in Customer Services and Information Management

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Sedu, SeinäjokiVocational School

Seinäjoki Vocational School ofSeduoperates in four different

affiliations, all with up-to-datefacilities. The fields of studies atSeinäjoki Vocational School are:Hotel, Catering and HomeEconomics; Food Industry;Vehicles and Transportation;Beauty care; Machinery and MetalTechnology; Heating andVentilation Technology; SurfaceTreatment; Wood Industry;Electrical Engineering; Textiles andClothing; Laboratory Technology

and Construction. The duration ofthe studies is 3 years for studentshaving completed the 9-year-longcomprehensive education and 2years if the student has completed

the matriculationexamination. All thevocationalqualifications includeat least 6 months ofon-the-job learningduring the 3 years ofstudies.Adult education isimplemented mainlyin the facilities of theformer AdultEducation Centre, inRastaantaival.

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Welcome to SEDUfacts Seinäjoki vocational school

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Vocational Qualifications andstudy programmes:Vocational Qualification in Buil-ding Maintenance Technology· Study Programme in Heating,

Plumbing and VentilationEngineering (Heating, Plumbingand Ventilation Fitter)

Vocational Qualification inConstruction· Study Programme in Construction

(Builder)· Study Programme in Earthmover

Operations (Earthmover Operator)Vocational Qualification in WoodProcessing· Study Programme in Joinery

(Joiner)

Vocational Qualification inSurface Treatment Technology· Study Programme in Painting

(Painter)Vocational Qualification inLaboratory Technology· Study programme in Laboratory

Technology (LaboratoryTechnician)

Vocational Qualification inMetalwork and Machinery· Study Programme in

Manufacturing Technology(Machinist; Plater-welder)

Vocational Qualification inElectrical Engineering· Study Programme in Automation

Technology and Maintenance(Automation Assembler)

· Study Programme in Electronicsand TelecommunicationsTechnology (ElectronicsAssembler)

· Study Programme inElectrical Engineering andEnergy Technology (Electrician)

Vocational Qualification in FoodProduction· Study Programme in Food

Technology (Foods Maker)· Study Programme in Baking

(Baker-confectioner)· Study Programme in Meat

Processing (Meat ProductsProcessor)

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Vocational Qualification inClothing· Study Programme in Dressmaking

(Dressmaker)Vocational Qualification in VehicleTechnology

Vocational Qualification inCatering· Study Programme in

Catering and CustomerServices (ServiceOrganiser)

· Study Programme inInstitutional MealProduction (Cook,Institutional Catering)

Vocational Qualification in Hoteland Restaurant Services· Study Programme in Restaurant

Meal Production (RestaurantCook)

Vocational Qualification inHousehold and Consumer Services· Study Programme in Household

Services (Household ServicesEntrepreneur)

Vocational Qualification inCleaning Services· Study Programme in Cleaning

Services (Site Facilities Operator)Studies in Home Economics 20credits

· Study Programme inVehicle Body Repairs(Vehicle Body Repairer)

· Study Programme inVehicle Technology(Vehicle Mechanic)

Vocational Qualification inLogistics· Study Programme in

Transportation Services(Driver)

Vocational Qualification inHairdressing· Study Programme in

Hairdressing(Hairdresser)

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Welcome to SEDUfacts Seinäjoki vocational school

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Location: SeinäjokiNumber of students: 1500Number of teaching/trainingStaff: 113

Contact information:Sedu, Seinäjoki Vocational SchoolKeskusta BranchKirkkokatu 10PL 31360101 SeinäjokiTel: +358 20124 5000Fax: +358 20124 4600

Törnävä BranchTörnäväntie 24 PL 31360101 SeinäjokiTel: +358 20124 5000Fax: +358 20124 4888

Kotitalous BranchUpankatu 4PL 31360101 SeinäjokiTel: +358 20124 5000

Adult EducationRastaantaival 260200 SeinäjokiTel: +358 20124 4500Fax: +358 20124 4501

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Sedu, School of Crafts,Design and Culture TAIKU

The School of Crafts, Design andCulture, TAIKU, is situated in

two localities, in Ilmajoki andJurva. At TAIKU, you can study thefield of crafts and design in bothlocalities andbecome anArtisan. Afterfinishing theirstudies, Artisanscan work asentrepreneurs,self-employedpersons, inguidance andservice tasks orin small-scaleindustry. Furthermore, in Jurva, itis possible to study media andvisual arts, and, having graduated,the students can work in graphicdesign and development asemployees, members ofproduction teams or as self-employed persons.The extent of the studyprogrammes is 120 credits, whichcorresponds to three years ofstudy. The programmes allow thestudents to develop in adiversified way their manual skills,design and manufacturing skills,as well as their aesthetic, visual

and cultural know-how. Moreover,the students have excellentopportunities to build individualstudy paths through a cooperationnetwork of schools. They can

study for twoqualifications atthe same time,e.g. thevocationalqualification ofArtisan and theMatriculationExamination.The school alsoprovides excellentopportunities for

internationalization through itsnumerous foreign partners.Also adult education is part andparcel of the educational supplyof the school. Having obtained aprofessional qualification, thestudents have the opportunity tolater on deepen their studiesthrough adult qualifications or tocontinue their studies, on thebasis of general eligibility tofurther studies, to highereducation.

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facts TAIKU - School of Crafts, Design and Culture

Vocational Qualifications andstudy programmes:Vocational Qualification in Craftsand Design (Artisan)· Study Programme in Handicraft

Design and Production (woodprocessing, conservation, metalindustry)

· Study Programme in Textiles andClothing Design and Production(textiles, clothing)

· Study Programme inEnvironmental Design andConstruction (interiorconstruction, painting)

Vocational Qualification in VisualExpression (media and visual arts)· Study Programme in Visual

Expression (graphic design)Location: Ilmajoki and JurvaNumber of students: 300Number of teaching/trainingstaff: 35

Contact information:Sedu, TAIKU, IlmajokiPappilantie 6,60800 Ilmajoki - FinlandTel: +358 20124 4660Fax: +358 20124 4661

Sedu, TAIKU, JurvaKotikouluntie 4,66300 Jurva - FinlandTel: +358 20124 5900Fax: +358 20124 5901

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Sedu School ofAgriculture and Forestry,Ilmajoki, Tuomarniemi

Ecosystem worker, Forest Machineoperator). The duration of thestudies is 3 years for students

havingcompleted the9-year-longcomprehensiveeducation and2 years if thestudent hascompleted thematriculationexamination.In addition,the school hasadult

education and other trainingcourses aimed at the needs ofworking life.

Education and training at theSchool of Agriculture and

Forestry is provided in twodifferentlocations,in Ilmajokiand inÄhtäri,Tuomar-niemi. InIlmajoki,you canobtain avocationalqualificationin Agri-culture (Rural Entrepreneurship)and, respectively, in Tuomarniemi,a vocational qualification inForestry (Forest Worker, Forest

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facts School of Agriculture and Foresrtry

Vocational Qualifications and study programmes:Vocational Qualification in Agriculture· Study Programme in Agriculture (Rural Entrepreneur)Vocational Qualification in Forestry· Study Programme in Forestry (Forest Worker)· Study Programme in the Multiple Use of Forests (Forest Ecosystem Worker)Locations: Ilmajoki and ÄhtäriNumber of students: 260Number of teaching/training staff: 27

Contact information:

IlmajokiSedu, School of Agriculture and ForestryIlmajoentie 52560800 IlmajokiTel: +358 20124 5700Fax: +358 20124 5701

ÄhtäriSedu, School of Agriculture and ForestryTuomarniementie 55 63700 ÄhtäriTel: +358 20124 5800Fax: +358 20124 5801

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Sedu, Kauhajoki Schoolof Hospitality

Kauhajoki School of Hospitality,situated in the centre of

Kauhajoki, is a modern anddiversified institution. The schoolis located in the same building asSeinäjoki Polytechnic, School ofFood Management; so there areexcellent opportunities for furthereducation after the Schoolqualifications.

In Kauhajoki School ofHospitality, thestudents can choosebetween Cateringstudies (InstitutionalCook), Tourism Studies(Tourism Activities orTourism Sales andInformation Services),Practical NursingStudies (PracticalNurse) and HomeEconomics Studies(short course).

The duration of thestudies is 3 years forstudents havingcompleted the 9-year-longcomprehensive education and 2years if the student has completed

the matriculationexamination. Inaddition the schoolhas adult educationand other trainingcourses tailored forthe needs of workinglife. The school hasabout 200 studentsand about 40teachers and other employeesaltogether.The students live innice, modernstudent flats justbeside the school.Living and lunch arefree from charge forthe students.

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Welcome to SEDU

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facts Kauhajoki School of Hospitality

Vocational Qualifications andstudy programmes:Vocational Qualification in theTourism Industry· Study Programme in Tourism

Activities (Tourism ActivitiesOrganiser)

· Study Programme in Tourism Salesand Information Services (TravelCounsellor)

Vocational Qualification inCatering· Study Programme in Institutional

Meal Production (Cook,Institutional Catering)

Vocational Qualification in Socialand Health Care (Practical Nurse)· Study Programme in Child and

Youth Care and Education· Study Programme in Nursing and

Care· Study Programme in Care for the

ElderlyStudies in Home Economics 20credits

Facts:Location: KauhajokiNumber of students: 200Number of teaching/trainingstaff: 21Contact information:Sedu, Kauhajoki School ofHospitalityTopeeka 47, 61801 KauhajokiTel: +358 20124 5600Fax: +358 20124 5601

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Seinäjoki VocationalEducation Centre, AdultEducation

Adult education is providedin the different constituent

schools of Sedu and in the branchof adult education in Rastaan-taival, which used to be SeinäjokiAdult Education Centre. Now it ispart of Seinäjoki VocationalEducation Centre and,administratively, has been dividedbetween Seinäjoki VocationalSchool and Seinäjoki ServiceSector School.

Seinäjoki Vocational EducationCentre, Adult Education, providesdiversified opportunitiesfor adult learning. Oureducational supplyincludes dozens ofdifferent vocational andspecialist vocationalqualifications, whichare obtained in theform of demonstrationexaminations. Inaddition, our supplyincludes numerousshort courses, suited asboth basic and furthertraining. The students have plentyof opportunities to choose a formof education suited to their lifesituations, because most studiescan be completed in the daytime,

in the evenings, as network-basedlearning or as a combination ofthese. At the beginning of their studies,the students receive their personalcurricula, which act as mapsleading to the goals of thetraining. When making it, thestudent’s previous know-how -achieved through his or herprevious studies, in working life orhobbies - is taken into account.New knowledge is alwaysconstructed based on what the

student has learnt before, and inthe teaching, the student isalways seen as an activeconstructor of knowledge and aslearning through his or her own

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Welcome to SEDU

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facts Adult Education

experiences. Adult education isalso informed by its working lifeorientation, aimed at improvingthe students’ ability to respond toprofessional skills requirementsset by changing working life.

Contact information:Sedu, Adult EducationRastaantaival 260220 SEINÄJOKITel: 020 124 4504Fax: 020 124 4501

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Seinäjoki VocationalEducation Centre,Apprenticeship Training

Seinäjoki VocationalEducation Centre,

Apprenticeship Training, actswithin Seinäjoki Joint MunicipalAuthority for Education. Itspartner institutions are SouthOstrobothniaCollege,KuortaneSports Institu-te and AlavusSpecialVocationalSchool.

The objectiveof appren-ticeshiptraining isthat thestudentachieves goodprofessional skills and obtains avocational or a specialistvocational qualification. It alsoprovides good opportunities for

vocational further training forpermanent employees as well asfor the training of new employees.Apprenticeship training is basedon an employment (fixed-term)and on a personal curriculum.

The apprentice must findhimself the employerwilling to start traininghim. Likewise, theemployer must findhimself the student hewants to train. To do this,both can utilise theservices of the labouroffice. The duration ofapprenticeship trainingranges from 4 months to4 years. In basicvocational qualifications,the duration of thestudies ranges from 1 to

4 years, in further vocational andspecialist vocational qualificationsfrom 6 to 24 months. The studentcan earn either the entire

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Welcome to SEDU

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facts Apprenticeship Training

qualification or part of it. During the period of employment, the employerpays the student wages according to the collective labour contract,accumulated leave (also during theoretical training) as well as the otheradvantages specified in the collective labour contract of the field.

On-the–job trainingis complemented bytheoretical trainingfinanced by Sedu,ApprenticeshipTraining (the studentpurchases the studymaterial andliterature him orherself as well aspays the fee of theskills demonstrationtest.)

The diploma is obtained through a skills demonstration test defrayed bySedu, Apprenticeship Training (if the student must retake the test or partof it, he must defray the costs in question).Entrepreneurs can receive apprenticeship training in their ownenterprises. The apprenticeship contract for an entrepreneur is based on atraining contract between the organiser of the training and theentrepreneur.

Location: SeinäjokiContact information:Sedu, Apprenticeship TrainingAmmattikoulunkatu 3A-B, 60100SeinäjokiTel: +358 20124 4706Fax: +358 20124 4702

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Welcome to SEDUfacts Cultural Differences

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Adopt an open mind forcultural differences

cannot talk to the local people orexotic Finland feels strange all ofa sudden. At first, don’t stay alonebut get involved with people. Talkopenly about your feelings withyour reliable friends. If you

haven’t madefriends in your hostcountry yet, contactthe personnel ofyour faculty. Theywill surely help you.Don’t give up buttry to get on andovercome thedifficulties. Write toyour friends andfamily. If you feelhomesick, accept itand do somethingabout it. Sendphotos of your lifein Seinäjoki and

share your experiences with yourfriends and relatives at home.Your interest in Finland and youractivity in hobbies and social lifewill help you get along.

Living in a foreign country demands adaptation and

open-mindedness. Adopt an openand adaptable mind. Try to look atyour own country from the rightperspective, too. In the world,there are hundredsof other “homecountries” and yoursis not necessarilythe “only right one”.We don’t necessarilyknow everythingabout your homecountry and thecustoms of yourown culture, andyou must acceptthat.

You may suffer fromcultural shock if youfind it tiresome toencounter strange and differentthings all the time. You notice youare behaving in a strange way orfeeling nervous. You don’t haveany strength to do anything,

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Greeting

When you meet a Finnishperson for the first time,

they usually introduce themselves,shake your hand and look rightinto your eyes. In Finnish society,looking into each other’s eyesmeans honesty. However, theyoung people don’t always shakehands but greet each other bynodding and saying “hei” or “moi”.If you kiss a Finn on their cheeks,he or she may be scared. AFinnish greeting is notaccompanied by chat like “nice tosee you” or “it’s nice weather, isn’tit”, etc. The fact that we don’t talka lot is part of our social cultureand should not be regarded asimpolite. Moreover, the Finnishlanguage lacks long phrases andfixed expressions of politenesstypical of many other languages,e.g. English.

Finnish way to communicateWhen a Finn is talking, he/shedoes not like to be interrupted.The typical pattern for a Finnishconversation is that one person

first finishes what he or she issaying, and after that his/herinterlocutor carries on theconversation in a lag of twoseconds.Formal address can be applied ifyou are talking to somebody verymuch older than you, butotherwise it is seldom used. Thecommon use of first names whenaddressing someone belongs toScandinavian culture. Note that inFinnish the personal pronoun ‘hän’is used to refer to both males andfemales (= he/she).

Tips for Everyday Life

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Welcome to SEDUTips for everydaylife

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HumourFinns have a great sense ofhumour, although many ofthe jokes relate to theFinnish language, love andhate relationships betweentwo neighbouring towns and,of course, blondes.

Be punctualBoth during their spare timeand at work, the Finns arestrict about time. Arrive at anappointment rather five minutesbefore the agreed time than fiveminutes late. Observe the agreedtimes!

Visiting a Finnish homeIf a Finn invites you to his/herhome and gives you his/heraddress, that person really doeswant you to come over. The Finnsdon’t usesmall talkin the sameway asmany otherpeoples do,so if youare invited,you hadbetter gofor a visit.Even if youvisit someone for the first time,you are not expected to bringalong any present, unless youvisit your friend’s parents. The

most common small gift on suchoccasions may be a packet ofcoffee or biscuits, or a reasonablypriced bunch of flowers. During avisit, the Finns normally offer theirguests coffee or tea with somehomemade pastry. Pulla (bakedroll) is the most popular delicacyin Finland. It is made of sweeterand spicier dough than ordinaryFinnish bread.When visiting somebody, you are

supposed to takeoff your outdoorshoes once youarrive in thelobby. The Finnsdon’t walk insidewearing outdoorshoes; instead,they wear juststockings.Important familyevents, during

which people wear dark and high-healed shoes, form the onlyexception to this general rule.

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SaunaSauna is an essential part ofFinnish culture. It is absolutelyworth trying. Originally, sauna wasnot only a place to bath but also aplace where children were bornand sickpeoplecared for.It is notcustomaryfor menandwomento share asaunatogetherunlessthey arefamilymembers. Most homes have theirown saunas, even in blocks offlats. If a Finnish person invitesyou to a sauna, it means that he/she has accepted you as a friend.For the Finns, being naked in asauna is natural, but they willunderstand if you want to comethere covered with a towel or

swimming suit. In the summer, adip in a lake or a river and in thewinter, a dip in the hole of an icyriver or lake or a roll in snowbelongs to bathing habits! Youcan also use the bath whisk (vihtaor vasta) if you please. It has beenmade of tender birch twigs. Itfeels best with adequate humidityand temperature. And a cold beeris refreshing after a sauna.

Going to a bankThe main banks in Finland areOsuuspankki, Nordea, POP, Sampo

and Handels-banken. Thebanks areopen onweekdaysusually from9.30 a.m. to4.30 p.m. OnSaturdays,they areclosed. Theeasiest way oftaking care ofyour bank

business is to open a bankaccount. It does not cost anythingand at the same time you will geta cash card. You can also ask for aservice package entitling you topay your bills and to make yourgiro transfers at an on-linebanking terminal. You can changemoney in banks, which charge you

No SmokingSmoking is normally not allowedinside, and Finland has some ofthe strictest regulations againstsmoking. Therefore, alwaysremember to check if there is asign ‘Tupakointi kielletty’, whichmeans ‘No smoking’

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Welcome to SEDU

a coupleof eurosfor thetransaction.There areseveralcashdispensersin the cityarea withthe signsOtto andSolo on

them (brief translations “takemoney out” and “check account”).Instructions in the Englishlanguage are usually available.

Post officeThe main post office is located atthe railway station in Seinäjokiand it is open on weekdays from10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The mostcommon postage for aletter or a card to Europe isabout 70 cents. Post toEurope is always sent by airmail, so you won’t need any‘By Airmail’ labels. You canalso buy stamps at the paydesk of school cafeteriasand at all R-kiosks.Mailboxes are yellow andthey are emptied at about4.00 p.m. After that, allitems to be sent during thesame day must be taken to thepost office.

ShoppingYou can pay for your shoppingeither in cash or by credit card. Allthe prices include VAT. The shopsclose earlier on Saturdays andmost of them are closed onSundays. The biggest departmentstores and supermarkets are openuntil late evening on weekdays.Before Christmas and in summer,most of them are open onSundays, too. Small shops in someservice stations, such as ABC, maybe open around the clock. Kiosks,e.g. R-kiosks, are open until lateevening.

Mobile telephone and publicphonesHave you paid attention to the

fact that mobile phones keepringing around you? Finland hasper capita more mobile phones

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Tips on everydaylife

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Telephone callsIn the phonebook, you can find alist of the countries where youcan call from Finland. Thetelephone numbers and the pricesof calls can be found there, too.The companies’ rates varyaccording to the time and thedate of the call and the countryyou are telephoning to. Forexample, R-kiosks sell prepaidsubscriber connections for mobilephones, called Sonera Easy, Nopsaor DNA prepaid. Prices vary a lotdue to hard competition betweenthe operators.

Emergency phone numbers inFinlandThe general emergency number is112 (Fire department, ambulance,SOS). The number of the police is10022.

Queuing and tippingYou must stand in a line to getyour turn when withdrawing cashat a cash dispenser, buying cinematickets, or paying at a check-out.In banks, at the post office and inpharmacies you often must pickup a queuing number. Tippingdoesn’t belong to the Finnishculture. A taxi driver doesn’texpect any tip, neither does abarber or hairdresser. You don’thave to leave a tip in restaurantseither, unless you want to.

Travelling in FinlandThe nearest airports to the centreof Seinäjoki are located inRengonharju (10 km from Seinäjo-ki City Centre) and Vaasa (70 kmfrom Seinäjoki).International students come toSeinäjoki and the surroundingsmainly by train or by their owncar. Remember that Finland hasright-hand traffic with overtakingon the left. It is compulsory towear seatbelts in cars. The agelimit to get a driver’s license is 18in Finland. The headlights of carsand other motor vehicles must be

than any other country. Amongother things, the world-famousNokia cellular phones are made inFinland. A young person’s firstphone is often a mobile onebecause they are cheaper to buythan ordinary phones andnowadays many families have onlymobile phones. For a student, themobile phone is an everyday utilityitem such as the schoolbag or thecoffee maker. The mobile phone isused for communication andsending messages in the same wayas email. The Finns carry theirmobile phones with them almosteverywhere. There are some publicphones available, though. Thetelephones are operated withphone cards and seldom withcoins. You can buy phone cards atthe post office and at R-kiosks.

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Tips for everydaylife

switched on at all times. Drunkendriving is a criminal offence; so ifyou drink, you don’t drive. Whiledriving, use a mobile phone only ifit’s hands-free.

Newspapers, TV and RadioThe main Finnish newspaperHelsingin Sanomat, is readeverywhere in Finland and thelocal newspapers in SouthOstrobothnia are called Ilkka andPohjalainen. The best selections offoreign newspapers can be foundat R-kiosks and at Lehtipiste indepartment stores. The cheapestway to read newspapers andmagazines is in libraries. InFinland, there are four national TVchannels and several cable televi-sion channels. The TV programmes

are in Finnish or in the originallanguage, with Finnish subtitles.The Swedish-speaking channel FSTprovides programmes in Swedish,the other official language ofFinland. The national broadcastingcompany YLE provides news inseveral languages. In addition tonational radio channels, there aremany local radio channels. InFinland, television sets must belicensed by law. You can get theapplication form for a TV licenceat the post office.

Internet connectionsInternet connections are availablein all the SEDU schools, in publiclibraries, in some student housesand in Internet cafés in citycentres.

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Sports as a hobbyIn Finland, we have some

specialities in sports, forexample, the Nordic

Walking. It is walkingwith poles and it is a

more efficient wayto walk. Energy

consumptionincreases

whenusing

poles by an average of 20%compared to ordinary walking. Itrealises muscle tension and painin the neck and shoulder religion.So if you see somebody walkingwith poles, she/he hasn’tforgotten the skis, it is just calledNordic Walking!Finnish Baseball, called “pesäpal-lo”, is a very popular team game,especially in South Ostrobothnia.Pesäpallo shares many similaritieswith baseball. There are threebases and a home plate; eachteam has nine players; a game hasnine innings; the batter gets threestrikes; runs are scored in basicallythe same way—more or less; aninning endswhen threeplayers havebeen put out;and theequipmentincludes aprotectiveheadgear forthe batterand baserunners,fielding gloves,and bats.Perhaps thebiggestdifferences thatdistinguishpesäpallo frombaseball are the

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Welcome to SEDU

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vertical pitching, the far boundary,and a catch only “wounding” aplayer running from base to base(provided he/she reaches the basebefore the ball).If you are in Finland in wintertime,you may wonder what in theworld people are doing on the lake– sitting on a stool for severalhours. They are jigging! The jiggerdrills a hole in the ice, throughwhich he/she can fish. Variousjigging contests are organized allover Finland. The point is to findout who catches the biggest andheaviest fish.At the municipal sports office, youcan also ask about people takingan interest in your sport. Thereyou can find information aboutdifferent sports facilities and thecontacts of the local athleticclubs. (Look at the link list, Usefulweb pages)

CinemaMarilyn, in the centre of Seinäjoki,is a cinema with three stages. Youcan buy tickets one hour beforethe beginning of shows. Theprogrammes are announced in thenewspaper every Friday. You canalso see the programmes on theInternet. In Kauhava, there is acinema called Y-kino, in Jurvathere is one called Tarina and inKauhajoki, Bio Marlon,respectively. The films arepresented in the originallanguage, with Finnish subtitles.

Art exhibitionsFinnish art is world-famous for itsmodernity and for themasterpieces of the Romanticperiod. You can enjoy visual artsat Seinäjoki Art Gallery, whichorganizes changing exhibitions.There is also a museum of Finnishnature and animals. For moredetails, see the website of the cityof Seinäjoki.

ChurchesThere are several churches inSeinäjoki and surroundings:churches for EvangelicalLutherans, Pentecostalists,Jehovah Witnesses, etc. Ask formore information at your Seduschool. The Lutheran church ofSeinäjoki, ‘The Cross of Plains’,designed by Alvar Aalto, issituated in the centre of Seinäjoki.

ConcertsThe concerts of Seinäjoki Orchest-ra are most often held in Seinäjo-ki-sali, in Kampustalo, located inthe area of Marttilan Kortteeri.There is also a music institute inthe same building. If you play aninstrument, you can ask thereabout private lessons and evenabout the possibility of rehearsingwith an orchestra. Ask moreinformation at your Sedu school.

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Courses at the Civic CollegeEvery municipality has its owncivic college. Seinäjoki CivicCollege is an educational instituti-on providing free-time courses forthose whose hobby is studying. Itsoffice is situated at Vapaudentie83. For foreign students inparticular the College offers thecourse called “Suomen alkeet jakertaus/Finnish: elements andrevision”. It is suitable for thosewho are starting to learn Finnishor those who wish to brush uptheir knowledge. The course lastsfrom early September till mid-April. (For more details, consultthe prospectus of Seinäjoki CivicCollege, which comes out inAugust and is distributed to eachhome by post.)

Library servicesThe library and informationservices of Sedu are provided bythe libraries of the different Seduschools and Seinäjoki PolytechnicLibrary, located in the CampusBuilding. They offer library andinformation services to the staffand students of SeinäjokiPolytechnic and of othereducational institutions.The libraries provide literature andmagazines that support thestudies and the thesis process.Course literature is lent at thePolytechnic Library and at theschool libraries only. The loan

period for course literature is twoweeks. Any required materialunavailable in Seinäjoki can beborrowed from other libraries.Inter-library loans can be made atthe Polytechnic Library.At the Sedu schools, independentinformation research isencouraged. The staff of SeinäjokiPolytechnic Library participate inthe teaching of informationgathering skills and provide usertraining in the libraries. Nationaland international CD databasesand access to the Internet areprovided for the students. Theobjective is to teach the studentshow to use different databasesand all the library and informationservices in the region.The Polytechnic library collectionsconsist of non-fiction andresearch literature, textbooks,periodicals and electronicmaterial. The libraries in thedifferent faculties specialise in thesubjects taught in them. Thecollections of SeinäjokiPolytechnic Library can bebrowsed through using the Plaridatabase. http://plari.amkit.fi/When borrowing books, you needa Plari library card, available inany of the Seinäjoki Polytechniclibraries. You will need a form ofidentification when applying. Thecard is free, personal and you areresponsible for all the materialsborrowed on your card. When

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obtaining the card, you becomeresponsible for obeying thelibrary rules.Contact information, openinghours and other informationabout library services can befound on the Internet http://www.seamk.fi/kirjasto/englanti/etusivu.htm

Public librariesPublic libraries provide libraryand information services free ofcharge for all customers. Everytown and municipality has itsown public library. Thecollections in these librariesconsist of fiction, non-fiction,children’s books, music, moviesand electronic materials.Libraries have their own librarycards which are free and personal.They also have their owncollection databases on theInternet. Most of the publiclibraries are open six days a weekthroughout the year. For SeinäjokiCity Library, see http://www.seinajoki.fi/Kirjasto/english.htm

Restaurants, pubs, cafés anddiscosThere are various cafés, pizzeriasand restaurants in Seinäjoki aswell as in other municipalities,where you can have a good time,wine and dine. Cafés normally

stay open from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m.Pubs and restaurants stay open till2 a.m., although some restaurantsclose as early as 10 p.m. At discosand nightclubs you can have fununtil 4 a.m. Do not be surprised ifthe bouncer asks you to show himyour identification. Restaurantsserving alcoholic drinks have agelimits. The general age limit is 18years, but a restaurant can set aspecific, higher age limit on itsown initiative. If they sell beer,cider, long drink and wine, theyhave the so-called B rights. If arestaurant has the A rights, it cansell all kinds of alcoholicbeverages.

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National Holidays

NewYear is

celebratedeverywhere inFinland in acarnival spirit.On New Year’sEve peopleusually gatherin the citycentres, wherethe turn of theyear issolemnizedwith speechesand fireworks.Studentscelebrate NewYear in generalin bars anddiscos, soyou’d better be prepared for somequeuing.

EasterGood Friday, in the Holy Week, is aday off. The Holy Week ends withtwo holidays so that Monday isEaster Monday. Many peopletravel to Lapland to ski down hillon sunny slopes. There aretraditional dishes for Easter. OneFinnish specialty is mämmi. It is

brown, sweetand thickmalt pudding,which iseaten withsugar andcream. AtEaster, peoplewait for thespring andtherefore youmay seegreen grass(rye-grass)grown onsmall platesby childrenon windowsills.Here inOstrobothnia,

small Easter witches (“trulli”) arean essential part of the localEaster traditions. They go fromdoor to door wishing people goodluck with willow twigs. Rememberto reward a “trulli” with sweets. Inaddition, on Easter Saturday,bonfires are lit all over the plains.Originally, this was done in orderto drive evil spirits away. Easteralso has a strong religiousatmosphere.

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Welcome to SEDU

The First of MayThe First of May is an importantday among students. It is difficultfor you to avoid seeing thefestivities of the First of Maybecause it is celebrated in thewhole country at the same timeand with a lot of hilarity. In fact,it is the only “real” carnival inFinland. People go out wearingwhite student caps and studentsput on the overalls of their units.Moreover, noisy whistles, balloonsand baubles belong to the First of

May. A traditional non-alcoholicbeverage drunk on the First ofMay is mead (“sima”), which isserved cool. “Tippa-leipä” (a kindof fritter) is a traditional, sweetMay Day snack.

MidsummerMidsummer is celebrated around20 and 24 June, the date alwaysbeing a weekend. The Friday in theMidsummer Week is MidsummerEve and therefore a day off. AtMidsummer, especially in thenorth, the sun descends near thehorizon, but does not set. For thisreason, the nights are light asdays. Midsummer is thereforecalled the “Holiday of theNightless Night”. People celebrateMidsummer at their summercottages barbecuing and going tothe sauna. High bonfires, called’juhannuskokko’, are lit on lakes.People stay awake the whole nightfrom Friday evening till Saturdaymorning enjoying the light of thenight. They go inside only in caseof rain. Youngsters also celebrateMidsummer at the big rockfestivals.

Independence DayThe Finnish Independence Day iscelebrated on 6 December. It is anational holiday and a day off. Inthe evening, two candles are lit inFinnish homes and placed in the

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Tips for everydaylife - National Holidays

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window. People also watch TV tosee the traditional IndependenceDay Reception at the PresidentialPalace and a ball which thenational elite has been invited toattend.

ChristmasChristmas is celebrated among thefamily, as in other Christiancountries. Christmas Eve, 24December, is a day off, likeChristmas Day and Boxing Day.Christmas dishes, Christmas saunaand church and presents can bementioned as examples of typicalFinnish Christmas traditions.Traditional dishes are rice

pudding, ham,different

casseroles,salad

and a beet-based salad. OnChristmas Eve night, after sauna,Santa Claus arrives and givespresents to children (and maybeto adults as well…). On ChristmasEve, families usually take candlesto the graves of their relatives.The decorated Christmas tree is areal spruce brought from forest.Santa Claus lives on the Korva-tunturi mountain in the FinnishLapland and sets off with areindeer called Petteri to visitfamilies. On Christmas Day (25December), many families go to aChristmas service. The servicestarts as early as 7 in the morning.On Boxing Day and Twelfth Day/Epiphany, people visit theirrelatives and/or participate inoutdoor exercise.

Ascension DayAscension Day (40 days fromEaster) is a public holiday inFinland

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Welcome to SEDU

Accommodation and mealsreasonably priced studentaccommodation.At the TAIKU School of Crafts,Design and Culture, in Jurva, high-standard student housing isavailable both in the school areaand in the centre of the village. InIlmajoki, the school offersaccommodation nearby.

In Kauhajoki, the student hall ofresidence is located beside theSchool of Hospitality. Each flathas 4 double rooms, a sharedliving room, and toilet andbathroom facilities. A laundretteand a sauna are also available.

MealsThe Finnish school lunch systemhas a long tradition and is free ofcharge for students in basiceducation as well as for thosestudying in upper secondary andvocational schools. Schoolsprovide diversified and nutritiousmeals, also for those with specialdiets. Each institute has a studentcanteen with lunch and can offerlunch at subsidised student pricesalso to visiting guests andstudents. The student apartmentsare equipped with kitchens, wheremeals can be prepared.

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Facts accommodation and meals

AccomodationThe Marttilan Kortteeriorganisation offers housingservices to students in Seinäjokiand can also assist internationalstudents with their housingarrangements. The studentapartments are convenientlylocated and well equipped. Thenew students are informed of theapplication procedure inconnection with studentadmission. Notice that you haveto pay the rental fee for the entiremonth even if you stay less thanwhole month. For furtherinformation please turn to thewebsite of Marttilan Kortteeri, theStudy Offices or the MarttilanKortteeri office.www.marttilankortteeri.fi

The School of Agriculture andForestry in Ilmajoki provides itsown student accommodation inthe vicinity of the school. Theapartments consist of four doublerooms with a shared kitchen andbathroom. The facilities of theinstitution are at students’disposal. These include a studentrestaurant, launderette, sportshall, fitness centre and sauna. TheSchool of Agriculture and Forestryin Tuomarniemi Ähtäri also offers

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Health care and insurance

Each of the Sedu schools has aSchool Nurse on duty on

certain days of the week. Yourtutor will inform you of theconsulting hours and show youthe surgery. To see a physician,you must make an appointment byphone. The municipal healthcentre is on duty also in theevenings and at weekends. As anEU citizen, you are entitled to theservices provided by the healthcentre, in the same way as anyFinnish citizen. If you come froman EU/ETA country or fromSwitzerland, you should bring aEuropean Health Insurance Cardwith you. Students from theNordic countries who will stayover 6 months have to apply for

the Inter-Nordic Migration Form.Students from other countriesshould consult embassies orconsulates about this matter.

Private Doctor

There are various private clinics inSeinäjoki and in other towns andmunicipalities. It costs about 50euros to consult a private doctor.Check the coverage of yourinsurance! In the phone book, theprivate clinics are listed under thetitle ‘lääkäreitä’.

Dentist

In Finland, dental care is free for

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Welcome to SEDU

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Facts Helth care and Insurances

students under 18 and for othersit is less costly at municipal dentalclinics than at private ones. Youwill find a list of dentists in thephone book under the title‘hammaslääkäreitä’. You can alsoconsult the public health nurse atyour school and ask about dentalcare services for foreign students.

Pharmacies

Finnish pharmacies ‘Apteekki’ havean excellent range of medicinesand other medical products soldwithout prescription. Withoutprescription you can buy e.g. mildpainkillers, skin care products, flumedicines and get help with many

other minor disorders. However, toget a prescription, you mustalways make an appointment tosee a doctor!Please ask the School Nurse ofyour own school for moreinformation about health carematters.

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Permits and Formalities

Passport

Foreigners, except citizens of theNordic and the EU countries, needa valid passport. Citizens of theNordic and the EU countries needa valid ID card when arriving inFinland. Citizens of the Nordiccountries may arrive, reside, studyand work in Finland withoutlimitations. They do not needvisas, nor residence or workpermits.

Visa

Students from the EU countriesand the Nordic countries, as wellas from a number of othercountries do not need a visa toenter Finland.

Other international students mustapply for a visa at the Finnishembassy or consulate in theircountry of permanent residence. Avisa is required if the student hasto participate in an entrance examin Finland prior to being acceptedby the educational institution andif he or she is a citizen of a

country that has not signed anagreement on the abolitionof visa with Finland. Since thevisa allows only a short stay, thestudent must usually return to hisor her home country after theentrance examination in order toapply for the actual residencepermit.

Residence Permit

A residence permit is needed if thestay exceeds three months.Citizens of the Nordic countries donot need a residence permit.

A residence permit may begranted for study purposes at apost-comprehensive-schooleducational institute. Suchinstitutes are mainly universitiesand vocational colleges.

EU citizens and equivalent personsdo not need a residence permit,but they must register at the localpolice office in Finland for theirright to reside in Finland if their

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stay lasts for longer than threemonths. The student may provideproof of funding in any way he orshe chooses to. Students from theNordic countries do not need toprovide proof of funding. The rightto reside in Finland is valid untilfurther notice. Similar regulationson the right of free movementthat apply to citizens of the EUMember States also apply to thoseof Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norwayand Switzerland. Hence, thecitizens of these States areequated with EU citizens.Students from other countries canapply for their residence permitsat the Finnish diplomatic missionin their home countries. TheFinnish government does notusually fund the stay of foreignstudents in Finland. Hence, theapplicant must show that his orher income is secured either witha scholarship, a grant or otherfunds with which the student cansupport him- or herself during theacademic year. The applicant musthave a minimum of EUR 500 per

month at his or her disposal. Insome cases, the applicant canshow that the funds are availablefor transfer from his or her homecountry to Finland by means of areliable banking connection. If theeducational institution offers freetuition, accommodation andmeals, the amount required can bereduced. The funding of a studentparticipating in an exchangeprogramme between Finnish and aforeign university may bearranged through the exchangeprogramme. The residence permitis usually granted for one year ata time. An extension of the permitrequires that the student is stillregistered at the educationalinstitution, is a full-time studentand has completed the requiredcourses in the institution’s studyprogramme. If the student haspoor study performance, anextension of the residence permitmay be denied. The application foran extension of the residencepermit is submitted to the localpolice in Finland.

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Facts Permits and Formalities

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Work Permit

An EU citizen and an equivalentperson can work while studying inFinland and does not need toacquire a special work permit todo so.A student from other countriesmay work within certain limitswith a residence permit grantedfor study purposes if the work ison-the-job learning/practicaltraining included in the vocationaldiploma or if the amount of part-time work does not exceed 20hours a week. Full-timeemployment may be undertakenduring holidays, when theeducational institution does notarrange teaching as such; inpractice, this is usually duringsummer and Christmas vacations.Wages and salaries earned forpart-time work during theacademic year may, on thediscretion of the authorities,reduce the amount of money thatthe student is required to possessto be able to support him- orherself.When applying for the firstresidence permit, a promisedemployment or a signed contractof employment cannot reduce therequired amount of availablefunds.

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Welcome to SEDU

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Facts Vocabulary

VocabularyFinnish – EnglishTervetuloa WelcomeKiitos Thank youOle hyvä You’re welcomeHei/Moi/Terve HelloHyvää huomenta Good morningHyvää päivää Good afternoonHyvää iltaa Good eveningNähdään See youHauska tutustua Nice to meet youMitä kuuluu? How are you?Kiitos, hyvää I’m fine, thank youMinun nimeni on... My name is…Mikä sinun nimesi on? What is your name?En osaa puhua suomea. I can’t speak Finnish.Puhutko englantia? Do you speak English?Minä ymmärrän. I understand.Minä en ymmärrä. I don’t understand.Anteeksi I’m sorry/Excuse meKyllä/Joo YesEi No

Minä ISinä YouHän He/SheMe WeTe YouHe TheyNainen WomanMies ManTyttö GirlPoika BoyEtunimi First nameSukunimi Last name

Apua HelpApteekki PharmacyHyvä GoodPaha BadVedä PullTyönnä BushAvoinna OpenSuljettu ClosedHinta Price

Kauppa ShopLippu TicketKirjasto LibraryRautatieasema Railway stationRavintola Restaurant

Maanantai MondayTiistai TuesdayKeskiviikko WednesdayTorstai ThursdayPerjantai FridayLauantai SaturdaySunnuntai Sunday1 yksi2 kaksi3 kolme4 neljä5 viisi6 kuusi7 seitsemän8 kahdeksan9 yhdeksän10 kymmenen20 kaksikymmentä30 kolmekymmentä100 sata200 kaksisataa1000 tuhat

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Production Team

TextReija LepolaHelinä MaijalaHelli KitinojaErja HeikkiläKari KeskitaloPirkko KivinenRaija PeltokangasMaija-Kaisa Latvala

LanguageIlpo KempasPäivö Laine

Design and layoutKarri Harju

Photographs and graphicsKarri HarjuJuha KatilaPetri KoivulahtiJenni HarjuMarttilankortteeriSedu schoolsCities: Seinäjoki, Ilmajoki, Kauhajoki, Jurva, Ähtäri

Documents

Welcome to Sedu