Vocational upper secondary qualifications

A vocational upper secondary qualification consists of 180 competence points (cp), composed by vocational units (145 cp) and common units (35 cp). Vocational upper secondary education provides a broad professional basic knowledge for various tasks within the industry. In addition, students acquire more specialized skills and the professional knowledge required by the profession in at least one area.

Practical nurse

Education for practical nurses is provided through vocational training by completing a vocational upper secondary qualification in social and health care. In practical nurse training, one acquires the competence and profession that provides good employment opportunities. The competence of a practical nurse enables a flexible transition to various tasks within the industry when needed. A practical nurse works in the social, health, education, and pedagogical sectors in various tasks of care, support, education and guidance tasks. Practical nurses work close to people.

Practical nurse is a professional title that is protected by law within social and healthcare services. This protection means that only a practical nurse who has completed a vocational upper secondary qualification in social and healthcare is allowed to use the professional title. Read more about the protection of the title here (in Finnish).

Instrument technician

The qualification title for the upper secondary qualification in instrument care is instrument technician. An instrument technician who has completed the qualification can work in various workplaces that produce services and activities related to infection control, cleaning, disinfection, packaging, and sterilization.

Through optional courses competence can be expanded to include logistical services in healthcare or cover operational environments for instrument care in various social and healthcare units, research institutes, clinical service units, industry, operational environments for dental care, or animal care.

Children’s instructor, youth and community instructor, communication and sign language instructor

Vocational qualification in education and guidance consists of three areas of competence: early childhood education and family activities (qualification title: children’s instructor), youth and community guidance (qualification title: youth and community instructor), and communication and sign language guidance (qualification title communication and sign language instructor). The children’s instructors and communication and sign language instructors are qualified to work as child carers in early childhood education and care.

A children’s instructor works in early childhood education and preschool teaching, for example in daycares and open early childhood education and care. A children’s instructor can also work with school children and with families. Pedagogical work is collaborative between the municipality, parishes and non-profit organizations, with the aim of promoting the child’s balanced growth, development and learning.

Work of a youth and community instructor involves instructing, teaching, and supporting with a focus on increasing participation, equality, and civic engagement.

A communication and sign language instructor promotes the use of speech-supporting, complementary, and alternative communication methods, as well as monitors the application of linguistic rights for sign language users.

Pharmaceutical technician

The professional title for completing an upper secondary degree in pharmaceutical industry is pharmaceutical technician. This work requires good interpersonal skills, accuracy, and precision. A pharmaceutical technician can work, for example, with logistical tasks in pharmaceutical supply, office and IT tasks, prescription management, and as an assistant in pharmaceutical handling and manufacturing processes.

The qualification also provides the competence to work as an assistant in clinical research, drug manufacturing, drug marketing and communications, as well as with various storage tasks within the pharmaceutical supply.