Restaurant Waiter/Waitress

The profession of waiter is international. The waiter can practice his profession on home and foreign country. The basic tasks for waiter are receiving orders, making drinks, serving the dishes and drinks to the customer. The student has to process different raw-materials, such as meat (beef, pork, reindeer, moose, etc) fish (fish, mussel, octopus, shrimp, crayfish etc) vegetables, fruits and berries, and also alcohol beverages. Tasting different kinds of foods and beverages is an essential part of the studies. Because of that the students are expected to taste all the foods.

The tuition in the Restaurant Waiter Study Programme is in Finnish and English. The admissions requirements are general upper secondary qualifications, (post-secondary level education degree, vocational upper secondary education and training level degree) sufficient command of English, and for foreign students sufficient level of previous all-round education. The size of the group is 18 students.

The studies include an international on-the-job learning period of 20 weeks, during which the students train at Finnish and if interested at European restaurants and hotels. The on-the-job learning periods train the students in the customer service, work habits and cooking methods of the country, working in accordance with the local restaurant work hours and shifts. The use of English becomes an everyday practice during the studies. The students perform two vocational skills demonstrations in the on-the-job learning placements.


Applying: In the autumn 2011
Entrance examination and language test
Studies begins: on January 2012

 

Matriculation exam/general upper secondary qualifications based
Study Programme in Restaurant Service, Restaurant Waiter

The basic vocational qualification is 120 credits, for which 40 credits are accredited for students with general upper secondary school qualifications.

Hotel and restaurant basic services, 30 credits

Hotel-, restaurant- and conference services, 20 credits

Restaurant diingroom operations, 20 credits

Restaurant operations, 10 credits

 

Taking the qualification

All study units and vocational skills demonstrations must be completed satisfactorily and according to the structure of the studies. The time defined for taking the qualification is for general upper secondary school based students, 2 years. The student has one year to complete the studies after the defined time.

 

Study costs

The study materials, the work uniforms and knives are mainly paid by the students themselves. The costs are more than 1000 €.

 

A student's fixed-residence permit

A foreign student cannot be granted a permanent residence permit. The Finnish local police grants a fixed-term residence permit to a foreign student for one year at a time at the maximum.

For more information:
Residence permit: Foreign Office (www.uvi.fi)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.formin.fi)
Helsinki Local Police (www.poliisi.fi)

 

Students coming from countries of the EU/EEA

Citizens of a country of the EU or EEA (European Economic Area) are entitled to a residence permit in Finland for the duration of their studies. They must be able to indicate that their financial status is secured during the studies. The residence permit is liable to charge.

 

Benefits during the studies

During term, the students are entitled to one free meal per day. Perho has 45 places in the student dormitory located in Haaga. Application instructions are available at the Perho Student Affairs Office.

 

Student’s financial aid

Finnish students may apply for study grant, housing allowance and state-guaranteed study loan from Kela (Social Insurance Institution of Finland). In addition, students living outside the metropolitan area can apply for student travel aid. The school has a nurse whose services are free of charge for the students. Persons coming to Finland solely for the purpose of attending a school cannot get Finnish student financial aid.

More information: The Social Insurance Institution of Finland: www.kela.fi: Foreigners

 

In the working life a Restaurant Waiter/Waitress

  • is able to work in service, sales, register and other customer service tasks in licensed restaurants
  • knows the methods of restaurant service  and is able to sell restaurant products actively
  • has good communication, sales, interaction and personal relationship skills
  • has a positive attitude and is responsible
  • has good language skills and masters the restaurant vocabulary

For more information, contact:

International Affairs Co-ordinator Ms johanna.westling(a)perho.fi or 09 5807 8640
Student Affairs Office: 09 5807 8644 or opintotoimisto(a)perho.fi

Ravintolakoulu Perho, Helsinki Culinary School, Perhonkatu 11, 00100 HELSINKI