Studying at ESC

In the degree programmes, ESC offers free training, accommodation (in the dormitory of the school), and meals for students. The safety gears are also offered by the College. However the students need to buy a school uniform, books, and other learning materials by themselves.

Most of the training is arranged at the Emergency Services College in Kuopio. The exception to this are the ERC operators who complete a study module at the Police College of Finland in Tampere. Also such study modules as work placement and learning at work is completed on various locations in Finland.

The studies are always arranged according to a curriculum which is presented to the students at the beginning of their course. The curriculum is the base of the class timetable. The teaching and study methods varies with the training programme. A substantial part of the fire fighter and ERC operator studies are so called practice-based studies. For the fire fighter students the most important place of training is the versatile training ground. The ERC operator students study most in the ERC simulator. There the students train and practice for the demanding conditions similar to working life.

The sub-officer and fire officer studies are provided in a variety of ways: lessons, self-study, various kinds of exercises, and utilisation of information technology, project work and e.g. e-learning. On the same time are the students’ motivation and readiness to develop their own learning skills emphasised.

The students are obliged to take part in on-call maintenance work without compensation. The students should obey the College rules and any other instructions at all times when studying at the ESC.

Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish. The majority of Finns speak Finnish, and also the language of instruction at the College is Finnish. Students are allowed to use Finnish or Swedish in admission tests and during exams.