Numerous different parties participate in the planning and implementation of education for immigrants. In addition to the Employment and Economic Development Administration and municipalities, other active actors include educational institutions and third sector actors.
The TE Office or the municipal experiment on employment will refer the immigrant to integration training provided as labour market training or advise them on how to apply for independent study. The municipality may both organise integration training and refer the immigrant to apply for integration training organised by the municipality or for independent studies organised by other actors. The Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment are responsible for the planning, procurement and monitoring of integration training organised as labour market training in their own areas in cooperation with TE Offices and municipal experiments on employment.
Integration training follows the National Core Curriculum for Integration Training issued by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
When an education provider prepares a curriculum for integration training, it must take into account the integration programme or programmes in the area of operation as well as feedback received on previous integration training. The curriculum should include measures and contents that best promote the integration of immigrants living in the location. In addition, the education provider's curriculum must take into account a number of factors mentioned in the Finnish National Agency for Education’s National core curriculum, such as the identification and recognition of prior learning, cooperation with working life and the practices of online and independent study.
Efficiency in education through cooperation
Cooperation between different parties and the exchange of information on available training suitable for immigrants will facilitate the construction of goal-oriented education solutions for immigrants. The employment of immigrants is promoted by close links between training and working life. This also requires cooperation with employers. In order to take into account the overall situation of the immigrant, it may also be necessary to cooperate with, actors such as, health and social service providers.
When cooperation is carried out and the resources of different parties are utilised efficiently, it is possible to increase the efficiency of working life and society-oriented training intended for immigrants. For example, language learning is strengthened when the student can participate in diverse activities and test the things he or she has learned during the training in practice.
Cooperation related to integration training can be carried out throughout the training process. It may also focus on certain integration training contents (for example, organising an on-the-job learning period, familiarisation visits that support the teaching of working life and social skills, or optional studies). For example, representatives of the labour administration, municipalities and educational institutions may, together with employers, design models that facilitate the entry of immigrants into Finnish working life and, at the same time, meet the requirements set for each employer’s workforce.
Read more:
National core curriculum for integration training (in Finnish)