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Canadian Chef Brings International Flavours to Vamia

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Barry Money in the kitchen

Vamia recently welcomed an international guest as Canadian chef and teacher Barry Mooney visited the school as part of a three-week tour across Finland. During his trip, Mooney is visiting several educational institutions, sharing his expertise and learning about Finnish education and culture.

Mooney, who works as a teacher in a community college in Canada, has been actively involved in both observing and teaching during his stay. At Vamia, he had the opportunity to design and lead a cooking session where students prepared a full dinner under his guidance.

Barry Money in the kitchen speaking to a student

– It’s been great so far. Yesterday I followed a teacher around, and today I’m teaching students to cook a dinner that I designed. It’s been very exciting, Mooney says.

This is Mooney’s first time in Finland. Before arriving in Vaasa, he had already visited Turku and Kokemäki, and after Vamia his journey will continue to Kajaani.

Finland and Canada: More Similar Than Different

Despite traveling far from home, Finland has felt surprisingly familiar.

– Finland is actually very similar to Canada. The weather and the landscape look the same. The main difference I see is in the buildings – Finland has much older buildings, while Canada is a younger country. But overall, it feels quite similar, he explains.

Finnish cuisine has also made an impression on him, even if there are some differences.

– The idea behind the food is the same, but the actual dishes are a bit different, he says.

One traditional Finnish dish he has already tried is mämmi – and the experience was a positive one.

– Yes, I have tried it! It was served with cream and sugar, a bit like for a child, but I did like it, he laughs.

Surprises, Culture and a Memorable Experience

During his visit, one aspect of Finland has stood out above the rest: the education system.

– That has been the biggest surprise. Here, students choose their educational path at a much younger age. In Canada, we complete 12 years of comprehensive schooling and make those choices around the age of 18.

Mooney has also experienced an essential part of Finnish culture – the sauna.

– Sauna is something you have to do in Finland. I’ve already tried it and really enjoyed it. We do have saunas in Canada too, but it’s not the same and not nearly as common.

Overall, the visit has been a rewarding experience for Mooney.

– The experience has been quite amazing. It’s been great to share my style of cooking and teach it to Finnish students.

His visit has brought an international touch to Vamia – leaving a lasting impression on both the guest and the students.

GRADUATION CEREMONY FRIDAY 29.5.2026 AT 9 AM

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The graduation ceremony to those who graduate from vocational education this Spring will be held on Friday 29.5.2026 at 9 am in the gymnasium at the Hansa campus, Ruutikellarintie 2.

The graduates will receive more detailed instructions from their responsible teachers before the ceremony.

The duration of the ceremony is approximately 2 hours, depending on the number of graduates. Family members of graduates are welcome to follow the ceremony from the back of the gymnasium and from the upper sitting area.

After the ceremony coffee and cake will be served for all in the restaurant Appetito.

Welcome!

Project SILTA helps to overcome the language barrier

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Almost impossible language requirements hinder the integration of immigrants into Finnish society. However, social cohesion is above all a question of income distribution, so supporting the employment and economic livelihood of immigrants as early as possible strengthens the well-being of society as a whole.

– What is needed is diverse development of working life, more flexible educational paths and, of course, employers who value the right attitude and skills at a stage when the language itself is still being learned. ISS is such an employer, Vamia’s special education teacher Maarit Karlsson assures.

ISS Palvelut is the country’s leading provider of workplace and facility services. In Vaasa, the company is responsible for the cleanliness and comfort of the premises of several large operators.

– Maarit is a kind of headhunter for us. She knows our needs and wishes and finds the right trainees for us. In just over a year, my team has taken on a dozen employees who were found through internships at Vamia. The recruitment threshold is lower and the success rate is very good, says Pasi Ylitalo, service representative at ISS.

Maarit acts as a liaison for employers within the framework of the ESF+ funded Silta project and provides primary support for students at the beginning of their career paths.

Sometimes even shorter training is enough to find employment. The City of Vaasa’s Employment Services commissioned Vamia to provide training for a group of 19 immigrants and ordered one part of the basic qualification in cleaning and property services. The training ensured that the students master modern tools and techniques, hygiene and environmental regulations, and occupational safety factors, even though the training period did not prepare them for the whole vocational degree. 

– The group included immigrants from Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, among other countries. They were extremely committed, enterprising, and positive people. Almost all of them have already found jobs or continued their studies, says Maarit.

Pubudu De Silva and Eranga Gunawardana arrived in Finland from Sri Lanka. The men have a lot in common. Even their year of birth. They both arrived in Finland with their families in 2024. Both of them have two children of kindergarten and elementary school age.

The reason for the move is their wives’ studies in Vaasa. Pubudu’s wife is studying energy technology at a university of applied sciences and Eranga’s wife is studying international business. However, the families did not know each other before moving to Vaasa.

– We couldn’t find work, even though we both have degrees in accounting from our home country, they say.

Through employment services, they found their way to Vamia and from there smoothly to ISS.

– We were at school three days a week and at work two days a week. We were paid for our working days from the start. Now we are in permanent employment. We have been made to feel welcome and the work is varied. I believe we will stay in Finland. Our children are absolutely convinced of this, Pubudu and Eranga assure us.

Taitaja Semifinals Underway: Vamia Hosts Two Competition Categories

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The Taitaja 2026 semifinals are taking place this week across Finland. In the semifinals, the most talented students in vocational education compete for a place in the Taitaja finals.

This year, Vamia is hosting two competition categories: 101 Vehicle Technology and 305 Health and Social Care.
The Vehicle Technology competitions take place today, while the Practical Nursing semifinals will be held tomorrow.

Vamia is represented in Vehicle Technology by Lauri Kojonen and Salla Hietanen.
In the Health and Social Care semifinals, participants from Vamia are Enni Alaluusua, Iia Häggman, and Nea Kujanpää.

In total, 30 competitors from Vamia are taking part in the semifinals.

In the photo: Asa and Meri training for the Taitaja semifinals.

kaksi opiskelijaa tekemässä ruokaa

Participants from Vamia in This Week’s Semifinals

We wish all participants the best of luck and success in the competitions!

Christmas graduation ceremony on Friday 19 December 2025 at 9 AM

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We will have our Christmas graduation ceremony for VAMIA graduates on Fri 20 December 2024 at 9 AM at Sepänkyläntie 16, in the school gymhall.

The teachers in charge will receive more detailed instructions before the ceremony. You must be present no later than 8:45 AM.

Close family members are welcome to join the ceremony. The ceremony will be followed by Christmas porridge and tarts at the school cafeteria Melinda.

The ceremony will last approximately 1 hour.

Graduation Ceremony 19.12.2025Lataa

Application to cook or waiter/waitress for citizens of EU and EEA countries

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Entry requirements

You are eligible to apply if you

· are at least 18 years old

· are a citizen of EU/EEA country

· have good English language skills

· sufficient study skills

· are motivated in becoming a professional cook or waiter/waitress and learn about Finnish and Scandinavian food culture.

Application process

The next application period will be from Friday 19th of December 2025 to Friday 9th of January 2026. The studies will start in August 2026. Here is a link to the application form when the application period is on.

All eligible applicants will be interviewed online via Teams and the student selection is made based on those interviews. All applicants will get the results via email.

Apply here

Costs and duration of studies

The study program is free of charge for citizens of EU and EEA countries. The duration of studies is approximately two years, in accordance with your Personal Competence Development Plan (PCDP). Studies are full-time and daytime studies. The courses of the Common Units (e.g. math, physics, chemistry and sustainable development) will be studied as Moodle courses. Finnish language and Swedish language courses are conducted as contact lessons.

The application system is working normally again.

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The application system is working normally again. The malfunction has been fixed, and applications appear to be functioning as expected. We will close the application round as planned on Friday, 21 November at 15:00 local time.

Application opens 17th November 2025

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APPLY (THE APPLICATION FORM IS OPEN FROM 17 TO 21 NOVEMBER)

We have compiled essential information for international applicants on the How to apply page.

PLEASE NOTE! Tuition fees are being planned for vocational education for students coming from outside the EU/EEA area. At the moment, we do not have any further information to share on this matter. We will update the information as soon as there are some news about this.

News 23 October 2025. We are planning to open the application according to our current schedule. We have not yet received information about the tuition fees.The duration of the program will be shortened from three years to two years as a result of the tuition fee reform.

Please carefully read through the information on this web page. Information about necessary attachments, requirements, application periods etc., are mentioned here.

Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology not available for international students

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New information regarding applications for English-language vocational programs in Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology (Machinist, Plater–welder).

The employment situation in the Vaasa region has changed over the past year. There are currently many unemployed job seekers in our area who are in need of training opportunities within vocational education.

The English-language Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology training is a suitable option for many of these individuals.

For this reason, we have decided that the Machinist and Plater–welder programs will be offered through Vamia’s continuous application process. This means that the application process is primarily intended for local applicants and does not mainly target international applicants from outside the EU/EEA countries.

Please note that the application for international applicants for Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology (Machinist, Plater–welder) will not open in November 2025.

According to the new plan, the application period will open for local applicants in spring 2026. The programs starts in August 2026 as planned.

Managing multinational teams in the hospitality business

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Shieldon ja Elina Liisanlehdon Prisman Ravintolamaailmassa.

Today, English is the main language spoken in many restaurants and hotels all over Finland. Many international employees are doing well and wish to develop their professional skills further. Graduates from Vamia are also pursuing additional education to strengthen their expertise in the hospitality industry.

Vamia’s Specialist Vocational Qualification in the Hotel and Catering Sector is a training programme for people already working in Finland in a hospitality sector supervisory or managerial role. The education takes 1.5 years. Individual study paths and a quicker or slower study pace are possible.

Shieldon Padla immigrated to Finland from the Philippines in 2019. He applied for a job as a cook via Barona in the Philippines, and soon found himself in Jyväskylä working for Sodexo, one of the largest food service companies globally, operating in 45 countries.

– I also got to work, for example, in Rovaniemi and Nagu (Nauvo). But then the unthinkable happened – the corona pandemic – and everything halted. I was working at ABC in Kristiinankaupunki, when I learned that a huge Prisma market would open in Vaasa 2022. It was convenient to change jobs within the S-Group so I moved to Vaasa to work at Ravintolamaailma Liisanlehto. I have now been working here since the start. I was promoted to shift manager less than two years ago, Shieldon recalls.

Shieldon Padla

In order to expand his management skills as well as explore new ideas and ways of working, Shieldon applied for the training programme. So did his colleague Elina Luoma, who works as deputy restaurant manager at Ravintolamaailma Liisanlehto. Isn’t it a disadvantage to study in English being a native Finn, Elina?

– No, not at all. I don’t think anyone in our study group has English as their native tongue. Shieldon and I are in the same situation. We are both working in a multinational environment. For the moment there are up to fifty people of ten different nationalities employed in our restaurant, Elina reveals.

Elina Luoma

Shieldon finds that the training supports his goals as a teacher and supervisor, too.

– We have a lot of trainees from Vamia here. I needed to learn the Finnish way of teamworking and building trust. I have found a more relaxed and confident way of communicating with my team now. The next step is brushing up my Finnish language skills. Definitely, Shieldon promises.

The training also offers tools for entrepreneurship.

– For the moment, I will focus on my young family and my career here. Then who knows! Maybe my wife and I can venture a business in the future together since my wife is starting a career as a pastry chef here in Finland, says Shieldon.

Elina wishes to pursue her career within the S-Group, too.

– We have a good thing going here and we feel appreciated. Our study days at Vamia, one day each month, is paid by our employer. We also try to balance hard work with fun extracurricular activities such as bowling, carting or air soft games.

Both Shieldon and Elina will soon get their degree. Shieldon will present a development plan for his workplace.

– I have some ideas on how to update our kitchen operations. I will make use of my experience from abroad, too.

Elina focuses on the economy.

– The bottom line is crucial to every company. As a manager, it’s my job to see the bigger picture and work to achieve the best result.

Application period for Specialist Vocational Qualification in the Hotel and Catering Sector is open until 30.6.2025.

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