Tampere strengthens young people's confidence in the future through working life education
The aim of work-life education is to give every child and young person equal opportunities to strengthen their work-life skills and identify their strengths.
Working life education across the entire learning path
Working life education is part of the learning pathway in Tampere, from early childhood education and care to higher education. Working life education is not a separate subject, but part of all education and teaching. It takes place in early childhood education and care centres, schools and educational institutions every day, but also in homes and workplaces. In everyday life, workplace education is about strengthening skills such as cooperation, perseverance and initiative.
The Youth Employment Programme and the Yritteliäs Tampere network have expanded their activities by bringing together working life educators from different levels of education. The aim is to link the development of working life education more closely to everyday education and teaching.
– The network of working life educators will help us to better understand what kind of learners from different levels of education are moving on, and we can develop the teaching of work-life skills in our own units based on this information, says Tiina Mätäsjärvi, Education Manager of Tredu, the representative of the Yritteliäs Tampere network.
Working life education strengthened with the support of the network
In May, the extended network of the Youth Employment Programme and the Yritteliäs Tampere network met for the second time. The meeting was attended not only by the standard team but also by educators and teachers from Tampere who want to develop work-life education as part of their own work, says Olli Sillanpää, Youth Employment Programme Coordinator at Employment and Growth Services of city of Tampere.
– Through the meetings of the extended network, we can bring the content of working life education more and more into the everyday lives of children and young people. The aim is to gradually expand the network and strengthen working life education in Tampere so that it reaches all children and young people. At the same time, we will get concrete ideas from the participants on how to implement work-life education in Tampere, says Sillanpää.
Adults’ words and everyday experiences build confidence in the future
The Youth Barometer 2025 shows that young people's belief in the future has weakened. The May meeting heard a presentation by Susanna Ågren, a researcher at the University of Tampere, on the Under Pressure project, which looks at the pressures on young people and the factors that challenge their belief in the future.
Based on this presentation, the network considered how work-life education can strengthen young people's confidence in their own opportunities and future. The discussion highlighted the importance of positive experiences of working life and the role of adults in helping young people to believe in the future.
