Come work at Pilke!

Hanna Salonen, Daycare Centre Manager, watches children play in the snow from the window of her office while she reminisces about the twists and turns of her career of almost 10 years.

As early childhood education and care had been a vocation for Hanna since she was a child, her graduation as a Bachelor of Social Science in 2010 was no coincidence. Pilke Daycare Centre’s job advertisement that described, among other things, the company’s values aroused her interest, and she ended up starting her career as an early childhood teacher in Espoo.

“Already after six months, I was requested to take up the position of Deputy Manager at Daycare Centre Hiirulainen, and I started taking care of administrative matters alongside the rest of my duties. After I moved to Kerava, Pilke offered me work at Daycare Centre Käpälämäki in Vantaa where I acted as Senior Early Childhood Teacher and managed the small unit’s administration. In 2014, I was appointed as Daycare Centre Manager,” Hanna recounts.

When Hanna’s spouse found employment in Tampere, Hanna applied for a new position in the region. It was not long until she was provided with a chance to realise one of her professional dreams and participate in establishing Pilke’s music-oriented unit Nuottisilta in Tampere.

Back home to close the circle

Hanna explains how she used to joke that as soon as Pilke would expand to Lapland, she would move back home too. After the birth of Hanna’s second child, the family started to find attractive the idea of moving back to Tornio, close to their social networks. As it turned out, plans for a Pilke daycare centre in Tornio were already underway, and the dream that had started from a laugh become reality. As a result, Hanna has managed two daycare centres since 2019: the music-oriented daycare centre Huvikumpu in Tornio and the nature-oriented daycare centre Virta in Keminmaa, the latter of whose establishment Hanna got to participate in.

“I’m more than satisfied by how the circle came to a close and how my round trip in various Pilke units led me back home to Tornio. With regard to fulfilling my professional ambitions, I’m grateful for the opportunities I have been provided with as well as for the trust placed on me. Right now, I’m happy where I am. In the future, however, I’d like to increase my professional expertise through further studies,” Hanna states.

A fitting employer with matching values

Similarly to Pilke, one of Hanna’s primary values is optimism. It is the value that Hanna believes has brought her where she is now. According to Hanna, her success is a result of both her own and Pilke’s optimistic attitude.

“What I appreciate in particular is Pilke’s low organisational hierarchy that enables smooth communication with experts. It has always been easy to ask and receive help, and every employee has the opportunity to influence their work. I’m particularly thankful for being able to express myself and perform meaningful work. My strengths have been taken into account and I have been asked to participate in various development projects and work groups.”

Hanna’s typical workday starts by wishing good morning to all the children and adults at the daycare centre. She enjoys her breakfast with the daycare group, after which it is time to immerse herself in office work. By the computer, Hanna plans work shifts and replies to parents’ inquiries about daycare places. Daycare Centre Manager’s responsibilities also include cooperation with the municipality with regard to daycare places as well as the pedagogical management of the unit.

Versatile and rewarding work as Daycare Centre Manager

“As early childhood education teacher, the children were the best part of my job! In my current position, the most attractive aspect is the versatility of my duties. Even though I manage administrative tasks, I don’t consider my work monotonous – the children are always just a few steps away. I enjoy working with different kinds of people and being able to support others. It’s magnificent to be able to participate in the development of early childhood education and care.”

Hanna names her appointment as Daycare Centre Manager the highlight of her career as she had dreamed of it already during her studies. Her career has progressed faster than she could have ever imagined.

According to Hanna, her greatest challenge is the limited amount of time at her disposal: when managing two daycare centres, she has little time for participating in the units’ everyday operation.

“Every now and then I feel inadequate as I’d like to spend more time with the children and see the groups’ operation. Most of my working time is consumed by operational, human resources and customer relationship management as well as financial responsibilities,” Hanna explains.

“The most important task of the daycare centre is to provide each child with a good day – every day.”

According to Hanna, a child’s good day consists of various aspects. In addition to healthy food, safety and warm hugs, each child needs to receive pleasant learning experiences through play and other everyday activities. It is important for the daycare personnel to know how to seize the right moments and provide the children with diverse activities in accordance with their interests.

Joona Jantunen works as Jousenkaari After-school Club’s Senior Instructor. In addition, Joona works three morning shifts at the English-speaking Pilke Playschool Tapiola. The combination forms a full-time job. By education, Joona is a learning support and morning and afternoon club activity instructor. He started working at Pilke in the autumn of 2018.

Joona works at the recently renovated, beautiful Uusikumpu School building in the Espoo district of Niittykumpu where the Jousenkaari School’s substitute premises are located. However, this was not the case last year. In the previous operational period, Jousenkaari After-school Club’s activities took place in Tapiola Sports Park. The best thing about those premises were the magnificent exercise opportunities both indoors and outdoors, and the club even had weekly skating shifts. Nevertheless, as the indoor facilities were not designed for after-school activities, the transfer to Uusikumpu was a welcome one.

“When I started as Senior Instructor last autumn in the middle of the operational year, the team had not yet established everyday routines. My experience and already proven practices were helpful. Gradually the agreed operating methods started to become routine. It was apparent that the instructor team’s satisfaction increased,” says Joona.

“At Uusikumpu, cooperation with the school is really easy, and the colleagues and facilities are very pleasant. Regardless of having to move to new facilities, the operation started better than in any previous autumn. The best thing is when I come to work, and a happy child runs up to hug me”, Joona continues.

When Joona’s employment relationship at Pilke began, he noted that his new employer had taken care of the things he finds important. He had found a job he could commit to and an opportunity to focus on his own area of expertise.

Joona states he has enjoyed every aspect of working at Pilke: “Employees are looked after. We are provided with sufficient support and instructions, and our assignments are clear. Here children are truly cared about. We can for example acquire new equipment for the club-goers at our own discretion.”

In addition to his tasks as Senior Instructor, Joona started to lead three hobby clubs for the club-goers over the course of his first year at Pilke. The foam sword fencing club, that took place last spring, was surely the most special one. Joona’s other hobby clubs have focused on traditional games and scout adventures.

Combining two jobs has not caused any problems, and Joona has received positive feedback from the daycare centre like he has from the after-school club.

“Daycare is a whole another world, and the work at the centre is very different. The total number of children I work with at the daycare and the after-school club is quite high. It’s important to try to learn everyone’s names and to familiarise with every personality. Pilke provides proper induction and support for new employees. Employees are really cared about.”

If someone suddenly feels cranky in the daycare centre hallway, it is good to pause and ponder the situation together. Anu Volanen, Early Childhood Teacher, turns outbursts into successes.

“Each day’s best moment is when a child successfully learns something new,” says Volanen. For example, they may learn a new word or an everyday skill – or simply to put on their shoes themselves.

“For a child, it’s a great success. It’s wonderful to be able to share this joy with the children.”

Volanen works at daycare centre Kanin Kolo in Espoo. She guides the group of 3–5-year-olds that currently has 23 children. The management of the unit’s everyday routines is based on plans prepared by the personnel and listening to the children’s wishes. In addition to providing care and education for the children, her work involves daily cooperation with families and planning the unit’s programme.

“Part of our job is reacting to everyday situations and part is carrying out the prepared plans.”

Even though one plans the day thoroughly and tries to anticipate the day’s events, everything does not always go as planned.

“If something goes wrong, we take a break with the children. We can, for example, sit down and have a chat. If required, we discuss the situation with the whole group and try to figure out why everyone is yelling or why the hallway is congested,” Volanen explains. “A large part of my work is finding the words for everyday life for the children.”

Volanen is generous with praises for her work community:

“People clearly have a drive for development at our workplace. Everyone wants to educate themselves, and the atmosphere encourages renewal. It is one of the reasons I work here.”

For example, the personnel were enthusiastic about examining the new National Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care together. Another sign of enthusiasm is that the personnel wish to organise delightful events such as May Day celebrations with the children.

“The atmosphere is cheerful and positive. The children are regarded with genuine affection.”

It is a daycare centre where both the employees and the children enjoy coming to every morning.