– Working in a nursery has received an undeservedly bad review, says Ragnhild Andersen. – It is very sad that the negative focus has been given so much space, but it is also a reality, adds Veronica Åsheim. The two only have a couple of months left on their kindergarten teacher training at UiT Norway’s Arctic University, before they have to go out into the workforce and contribute to plugging large gaps in the duty schedule in the Norwegian kindergartens. Ragnhild Andersen and Veronica Åsheim are in their last year as kindergarten teachers at UiT – Norway’s Arctic University. They hope more people will choose the same direction after they have finished. Photo: Anita Føleide / news They have already been brought in during their studies to help out at a time when there is a great shortage of substitute workers. Ragnhild and Veronica are looking forward to rolling up their sleeves to the fullest – despite the fact that the nurseries have major challenges. According to the Kindergarten Act, there must be at least one employee per three children when the children are under the age of three, and one employee per six children when the children are over the age of three. Due to too few adults at work, several kindergartens have had to have limited opening hours or closed departments. It has been difficult to get hold of enough substitutes. Several nursery staff have said that they are tired because of a demanding working day, and that ultimately it affects the children. The students hope the negative focus will not deter others from taking the same career path. – I understand the fear young people may have, but I think it is important to highlight how fantastically good a job it is, says Ragnhild. Applications for higher education must be submitted by 15 April. Fewer become kindergarten teachers It is not only the students on the kindergarten teacher training program who are worried about the future number of applicants. Because there has been a sharp decline in the number of applicants for the course. There were 3,042 who had a kindergarten teacher as their first choice in 2022, a full 1,093 fewer than the previous year. This is a decrease of 26 percent. – We know that some professions that have been in the wind and received positive media coverage have had a strong upswing in the number of applicants. For example, when we had the 133 series, we saw that the number of applicants for ambulance workers went up, says Marit Overrein, career counselor at karriereveilden.no. She points out that the negative trend is more difficult to see as clearly. – But young people are influenced by what they hear, whether it is in the media or from their immediate surroundings. Marit Overrein in karriereveilden.no experiences a lot of traffic these days from young people who are applying for higher education. Photo: Magdalena Fosshaug / The Directorate for Higher Education and Skills She and her colleagues are getting a lot of questions these days from young people who are going to apply for higher education, before the deadline expires on 15 April. Some of them come with skepticism about certain professions. – We meet them with curiosity and help them explore and challenge the thoughts they may have about the profession. Either they may have heard something in the media, or from their parents. Rather, we try to get them to explore their own values and characteristics towards that profession. Understands if the young have doubts As the director of Snehvit kindergarten in Alta, Hanne Hesjevik also notices that working in a kindergarten has received a negative review in recent years. – If I were young now and went to upper secondary school, I would have thought that “kindergarten, I don’t want to study in that field. After all, there is only poor pay and there are no people there. Why should I work myself up and not get paid for it?”. – And it is clear – who will come to the profession? Hanne Hesjevik has worked at Snehvit kindergarten for 23 years. Now she is a director of the private kindergarten, but is unsure whether she would have had the courage to take the same career path if she were young today. Photo: Anita Føleide / news Colleague and head of education Hanne Merethe Kristensen is afraid that there will be fewer pedagogues in the future. – I fear I won’t get these good and creative people with me. I myself will never stop and love this profession more than anything on earth. I’ve been here 28 years and don’t think I’ll ever stop. – What do you love so much about this profession? – Of course it’s the kids. I love that they come and meet me with a hug in the morning, says the educational teacher, moved. Hanne Merethe Kristensen is educational manager in a department for children between the ages of three and six in Snehvit kindergarten. She hopes more people will become her colleagues in the years to come. Photo: Anita Føleide / news The Kindergarten in Alta is experiencing, like most kindergartens – not getting applicants for advertised positions. At times, they have also struggled with having enough people at work on a daily basis. The challenges are lined up when the hands are not many enough, but the nursery manager still believes that both she and others in the profession must also bring out the benefits. – We must focus on all that is good as well. If it’s just a question of salary and lack of resources, then no one wants to spend time educating themselves within our profession. – A job with many opportunities At the University of Alta, the discussion is taking place among the final-year students of the kindergarten teacher education. Poor staffing, poor time, many and more tasks are among the topics that are discussed between them. They are fully aware of the challenges in their future profession, but at the same time they are determined that they will also talk warmly about working in a nursery, so that more people become aware of the positive aspects. The students in the final year of the kindergarten teacher training at UiT Norway’s Arctic University discuss around the table. They agree that even though there are big challenges in their future profession, they are looking forward to tackling it. Photo: Anita Føleide / news – Why do you want to enter this profession? – It is, of course, because of the children. Being able to make a difference, there are many possibilities. You can go for walks, play, smile – and then you have the good warm hug of a child who really means it. It is so honest and real, concludes Ragnhild Andersen, and adds: – I think it is a great profession.
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Major challenges in Norwegian kindergartens – afraid fewer will become kindergarten teachers – news Troms and Finnmark
