Both campuses started the day with the distribution of access passes and a shared breakfast.
In Pori, the day began in the staff break room with a morning meeting led by Director of Services and Development Anne Holopainen. The children were offered fruit and juice, and they also had the chance to ask questions they had prepared in advance.
The children were curious about things such as how much electricity SAMK consumes in a day, how many doors the campus has, and whether they would get to see robots during their visit.
After the morning meeting, the programme continued with visits to various points around the campus. The agenda included an introduction to RoboAI’s activities, the Soteekki social and health care service centre, and Tiedekylä. The day culminated in a shared moment in the Atrium lobby, where the Student Union SAMMAKKO’s mascot Lampsa led the children in the “Sutsi satsi” dance.
In Rauma, the morning meeting was led by Head of Education Hanna-Kaisa Sadwinski, after which the tour continued to Merimäki to explore the facilities, simulators and exercise hall. The group then returned to Kanali, where the programme included a maths workshop, a library visit and a drawing workshop.
To conclude, all children received a diploma as a keepsake of their participation.
Early familiarisation with working life
According to Anne Holopainen, the day is meaningful because modern work and family life are closely intertwined.
– It is important for children to see the kinds of workplaces their parents have and to gain a broader understanding of the tasks adults perform in different jobs. Here at the university of applied sciences, we also have many roles beyond teaching. And having children visit certainly adds a refreshing change to our daily routines, she says.
Developing a family-friendly workplace is part of SAMK’s personnel policy. The aim of Children’s Day at Work is to offer children the opportunity to see where their family members work and what their work entails. At the same time, workplaces get the chance to meet their employees’ children and strengthen their family-friendly practices.
More than 1,100 organisations participated in the national event. Coordination is handled by the Office of the Ombudsman for Children and the Finnish Federation for Child Welfare.
