Vocational Qualification in Business QB

Operating in a business environment

1. Common business forms, business models, operating methods and operating procedures.
2. How to resolve problem situations in the workplace and identify opportunities.
3. Information security, word processing, spreadsheet and presentation graphics applications and ways of using artificial intelligence
4. Formation of the organization’s income and expenses, factors affecting profitability and budgeting.
5. Formation of product or service price, including personnel costs and salary formation.

Customer service

1. Know the product or service you are selling, target customer groups and key factors influencing the customer experience.
2. Be proactive in customer service situations, taking into account customer’s needs, product or service knowledge and solve problem situations professionally.
3. Identify opportunities, appreciate feedback, provide positive customer experiences and work well in challenging service situations.
4. Know information security threats.

Sales work

1. Know how to contact customers, chart customer’s needs, wishes and special characteristics of target customer groups.
2. Understand competitive situation, ethical selling and ordering and delivery processes and availability
3. Know how to present alternative products or services or total solutions that suit the customer’s needs and sell solutions that suit the customer’s needs.
4. Know payment and financing options, key indicators of sales and how to close the deal.

Working in a Project

1. Understand project scope, realistic goals and metrics and plan measures and division of labour.
2. Learn how to prepare a documented project plan and agree on the schedule and resources and implement the project according to the plan.
3. Use project management tools and produce and manage project documents.
4. Learn how to monitor project progress according to plan and resolve problem situations.
5. Learn how to gather feedback and evaluate the final result.

 Marketing communications

1. Learn how to define the target group, identify opportunities for different channels and media visibility and set goals.
2. Learn how to choose the channels, plan the content, produce content, budget and implement marketing communications as a weapon of competition.
3. Understand governing regulations, the organization’s instructions and copyright issues.
4. Learn how to analyze marketing communication and measure the effectiveness of marketing communications.

Planning a business

1. Learn how to evaluate a business opportunity or business idea, choose a feasible one, check the market and the competitive situation and develop the business idea.
2. Prepare a business plan on a proposed company’s operations taking into account sustainable development, calculations of income and costs related to business activities and your plans for financing if necessary.
3. Know the importance of business for society and take into account industry legislation in planning.
4. Learn how to choose a suitable business form, present the company’s operating model to key stakeholders and prepare founding documents.

Event Arrangement

1. Consider different ways of organising an event, define target group, objectives of the event, brainstorm content and help plan for it.
2. Liaise with stakeholders, participate in planning of communication and marketing.
3. Contributes to the preparation of the event plan documentation, planning and budget.
4. Participate in implementation accordance to event plan and his/her job description.
5. Collect feedback, participates in the de-briefing,  evaluate the results based on  objectives.

• The duration of studies is about 2,5 years, depending on previous experience and previous studies.
• The  scope of the qualification is 180 Competence Points (CP), which include 145 CP of vocational studies and 35 CP common studies.
• Study is full-time in Herttoniemi, Helsinki and the school day is usually 9.00-15.00.

• Finnish language skills at level A2.1
• English language skills at level B1.2.
• Computer literacy
• Residence in Finland
• Over 18 years old
• The will to make a positive change in your life

• You will need a computer.
• You need proper health insurance for the duration of your studies (travel insurance is not enough).
• You need to have about EUR 6500 per year of study in cash in your own bank account (to cover living expenses).
• You will need to apply for a residence permit for study purposes.
  More information about residence permits for studying in Finland.
  Residence permit application