Practical Training in the Bachelor's Degree

The practical training schedule depends on the curriculum of your degree programme.

The student must

• reflect on what type of practical training helps them to develop professionally and is suitable for the student’s own career plans,
• find a place where they complete the practical training (see instructions below), and
• be aware of how the practical training process works and adhere to it.

The purpose of the practical training is to familiarise students, under supervision, with the essential tasks related to a degree. At the same time, the students learn to analyse the development challenges of working life. The tasks should be based on each student’s individual learning objectives and the needs of the employer. The practical training tutors of the units provide further information on suitable placements.

There are various ways to find a placement. The students are usually responsible for finding a placement independently and should actively contact employers. Some placements are also announced through the practical training coordinators of Jamk.

Remember the social media channels too. For example, after creating a profile in LinkedIn, you can notify that you are looking for a practical training place.

As a social services and health care student, you can also search for a practical training place via the Jobiili service, which is a practical training placement reservation system for the social services and health care sector.

Practical training is always guided and supervised. Every trainee is appointed a practical training tutor for the practical training period – both by the school and by the employer. It is defined in a practical training agreement. Practical training guidance also refers to advance guidance on applying for a placement, and on defining the learning objectives and tasks performed during the practical training. During the practical training period, the employer provides guidance and orientation with regard to the characteristics and tasks of the field. Orientation into the work environment and work culture of the organisation is also an essential part of the practical training.

The employer, trainee and Jamk conclude a practical training agreement.

• Practical training in Finland: agreement is completed in Workseed (or in paper if your field of study has not yet transferred to Workseed).
• Practical training abroad: agreement is completed in Mobility Online.

Field-specific information can be found in Elmo-intra:

• Practical training as part of ICT studies
• Practical training and working life in social and health care

Practical training can be either paid or unpaid. The amount of a potential salary is agreed on between the student and the employer. Trainees who are paid for their work are in an employment relationship and make a work contract as well as a practical training agreement. Students can apply for student financial aid through Kela (if eligible) for the period of practical training whether doing the practical training in Finland or abroad. The salary affects the amount of the aid received from Kela. For information about Kela support please see Kela website. Students may, regardless of nationality, also apply for grant money for practical training completed abroad. Please see detailed information on practical training practices in the Internationalization through studies of the Elmo Student. You can also talk to your practical training coordinators or contact international services (on the website of Jamk).

If the trainee is paid for the work, they are also covered by the statutory accident insurance of the company/organisation. Otherwise the trainee is covered by the accident insurance of Jamk.

A feedback discussion is arranged between the student and the employer in the organisation at the end of the practical training, based on the principles of developmental discussion. In addition, the student writes a practical training report.

Note! The employer must write a reference for the practical training.

Students of health and social studies should read more about the specific instructions for their field of study in the Elmo Student.

Since the beginning of 2012, the University of Applied Sciences has, at its discretion, been able to demand that students present an extract from their criminal record when the studies entail a practical training period involving work with minors (Act on checking the criminal background of persons working with children 504/2002). The University of Applied Sciences can revoke a student’s right to study if this is necessary to protect minors in the event that the student in question has been convicted of

1) an indecent act,
2) a sexual offence,
2) a gross offence against life or health, or
4) a drug offence that can be regarded as being more severe than minor.

The classifications of the relevant offences are the same as in the Act on checking the criminal background of persons working with children.   

The student is to order the criminal record extract from the Legal Register Centre in Finland when the practical training is topical. The extract cannot be over six months old while starting the practical training. The University of Applied Sciences does not have the right to order the extract, nor can the student authorize the University to place the order. The extract concerns only criminal record in Finland or in another EU country. The criminal record extract is issued either in Finnish or Swedish and it's free of charge when the practical training is done in Finland amongst under 18 years old children or young people. The extract for practical training done outside Finland is  chargeable and it can be issued e.g. in English. The processing time at the Legal Register Centre is about seven days and the extract will remain valid only for six months. 

In some cases when a student has lived in Finland or another EU country only for a short period of time, the criminal record extract is to be ordered from the home country / the country they have recently lived in.

The student is to present the criminal record extract to Student Services' Study Affairs Coordinator two weeks prior to the beginning of the practical training.

• Social and Health Care Studies: Lutakko Campus Student Services
• Music studies: Music Campus Student Services

The extract can be sent by postal mail with return envelope and postage stamp included to the below addresses.

• Social and Health Care Studies: Jamk, Student Services, Social and Health Studies, Piippukatu 2, 40100 Jyväskylä
• Music studies: Jamk, Student Services/Tiina Kangaspunta, Pitkäkatu 18-22, 40700 Jyväskylä

When sending by e-mail:

• Social and Health Care Studies: opiskelijapalvelut(a)jamk.fi
• Music studies: tiina.kangaspunta(a)jamk.fi

You can send the email via your own Jamk email (e.g o365.jamk.fi) or if you are unable to access your own email go to https://securemail.jamk.fi

The Study Affairs Coordinator adds an entry in the academic records indicating that the extract has been presented and include the requisite identifying information (the name of the person in question and the date of the extract) and returns the extract to the student immediately. 

The extract is to be presented again if it is over six months old when starting the practical training or if the practical training lasts over six months (e.g. music students are to present the extract at the beginning of each academic year before starting the pedagogical training).

If the student refuses to provide the extract, their right to study will be revoked until the extract is presented for review. Revoking the right to study based on the extract from the criminal register is related to the need to protect the personal integrity of minors.  

If the extract contains a record of a criminal conviction, the student is to contact the Head of Degree Programme. If the extract includes a record of a criminal conviction, the Director of the School must decide on the necessary further measures. A criminal offence in a student’s record does not automatically lead to the revocation of the student’s right to study – each matter is considered on a case-by-case basis. This consideration may be influenced by factors such as the field of study, nature of the offence, time of the offence and length of the sentence.