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Back in La Spezia station where we started ...

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The city hall of Stockholm - inspired by the Italian Renaissance  

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The city hall of Stockholm - inspired by the Italian Renaissance  

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The Stockholm City Hall is one of Sweden’s most famous buildings, and one of the capital's most visited tourist attractions. It is famous for its grand ceremonial halls and unique pieces of art and is the venue of the Nobel Prize banquet held on 10th of December each year. It also houses offices for 200 people including the Municipal Council.

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This project was co- financed by the European Commission with the ERASMUS + project

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This is the last post from Sweden! Tomorrow morning (very very early) we are leaving.

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This is the last post from Sweden! Tomorrow morning (very very early) we are leaving.

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We’re leaving you with a magnificent view of Stockholm and something that all three of us have noted: Swedish people are incredibly friendly and helpful. Anytime we asked for directions or had to deal with anyone, they were extremely affable. Our colleagues in Timrå and Sundsvall couldn’t have been more hospitable or helpful and we have learned a lot. We’ll soon be able to fill you all in on the best practices we hope to emulate !

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The walls of the Golden Hall are covered with more than 18 million glass and gold mosaic pieces, the work of artist Einar Forseth. Using a Byzantine inspired style the mosaics depict portraits of historical figures and events in Swedish history. The hall is dominated by the ”Queen of Lake Mälaren” on the northern wall which represents Stockholm being honoured by the East and the West.

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Time to go back to Italy...via Stockholm

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Time to go back to Italy...via Stockholm

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Bye bye Timrå and Sundsvall! Thank you all so much for a most enriching experience!

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Study areas for students - there are lots of them

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Study areas for students - there are lots of them

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They are all new but they were built to respect the town architecture...

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Mid Sweden University offers a wide range of courses and programmes within Social sciences, Media, Nursing, Teacher training, Information technology, Natural sciences and Technology, as well as other subjects within the Humanities.

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While we have been here we have come across several people who have decided to change careers in their forties. This is facilitated by free education and support from the government. Also Sweden has a shortage of teachers so ... it’s never too late to take up a new career!

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This article is available to Members of The Local. Read more Membership Exclusives here.

Teachers, particularly those in certain areas such as primary education, science and maths, are among the professionals most likely to have a job in five years' time, a report on the most 'future-proof' jobs late last year from the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations (Saco) showed. Another investigation by broadcaster SVT revealed that there's a severe shortage of qualified teachers in Sweden, particularly in more rural areas.

In primary schools, an increasing number of children are expected to enroll over the next five years, while many working teachers will retire during the same period - and Sweden's government has promised to improve the ratio of teachers to students. In later years, there is high competition for teachers of history and social sciences, but teachers of natural sciences, maths, technology, and certain languages generally have more options.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean it's easy to make the move to Sweden and find work immediately. Foreign teachers will need the right qualifications and in many cases some knowledge of the language, and should familiarize themselves with the quirks of the Swedish education system before taking the leap.

What do you need to know about finding work as a teacher in Sweden? Photo: Erik Mårtensson/TT

Different types of schools

The Swedish school system is divided into preschool (' förskola'), for ages 1-6, primary school (' grundskola') for ages 6-16, and the optional high school (' gymnasieskola') for ages 16-19.

Most Swedish schools are run by local municipalities, but there's also quite a high number of independent schools, also known as 'charter schools' or ' friskolor'. Though these are run independently, they are publicly funded and must follow government guidelines on education and the curriculum. This category includes the majority of Sweden's many bilingual and international schools, although there are also a very few private, fee-paying international schools.

Swedish teachers usually specialize in one of the following areas: pre-school teaching; pre-school class and years 1-3 or 4-6; a particular subject and a focus on years 7-9 or the gymnasieskola; or vocational education.

Qualifications

Teaching is a registered profession in Sweden, which means the requirements for finding work are quite strict. You'll usually need a Bachelor's degree in teaching or education and some previous experience as a minimum.

To teach in a municipally-run school (including preschools), you will often need a Swedish teaching certificate ( lärarlegitimation), and in order to get that you must have a Bachelor's degree or diploma in teaching or education. You'll also need to prove proficiency in the Swedish language. Currently, just over 70 percent of Sweden's teachers have this certification, which gives you the right to a permanent job contract and to set grades in a school.

It's possible to find short-term work without these qualifications. In the past, it was only possible to work for a maximum of one year without the lärarlegitimation, but this limit has been extended to three years in many cases because of the shortage of teachers in Sweden, a rule change which is in place until autumn 2020.

Photo: Gorm Kallestad/NTB scanpix/TT

There are two other main exceptions to the rule. If you want to work as a mother tongue teacher - providing support to non-native-Swedish students in their own language - or as a vocational studies teacher, you don't need the certification. You will still need to show that you have sufficient knowledge of education and the subject, though.

For international teachers without the lärarlegitimation, the best option will usually be applying to work at an independent international school.

These schools will often accept teachers from abroad without the Swedish teaching certificate, but you will still need a Bachelor-level degree and teaching qualification from your home country, rather than, for example, a qualification in teaching English as a second language (such as TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA). Acceptable qualifications include the PGCE, PGDE, BEd, GDE or MaT, depending on where you qualified.

Fast track for new arrivals

In 2016, the country launched a 'fast track' option for new arrivals with a background in teaching, primarily those arriving as refugees or asylum seekers.

The one-year course is taught by universities in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Linköping, Umeå and Örebro, with some parts offered in Arabic, and aims to get experienced teachers working as soon as possible.

Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

Finding work without qualifications

If you don't have any of the qualifications listed above, there are still options for teaching outside the school system.

One option is working as a substitute teacher ( vikarie), which is often possible without Swedish language skills (if you apply to international schools), though you'll usually still need teaching experience. Two sites where you can search for these jobs are Pedagogpoolen and Skoljobb. In many municipalities you can also sign up to the Vikariebanken (substitute register) in order to be contacted when vacancies come up. However, for these jobs you are likely to need to speak Swedish.

If you have a TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA qualification, you may be able to find work teaching English as a second language. While Swedes have a well-deserved reputation as some of the world's best English-speakers, there's still a lot of demand in this area, and two of the main employers are the British Institute and Folkuniversitet.

Without these qualifications, you could offer private tutoring and help with language as a native speaker, for example by advertising online or building up a professional network.

Getting the teacher's certificate

If you're planning to work in Sweden as a teacher long-term, it's a good idea to start working towards the lärarlegitimation. There are three requirements:

- A diploma in education.

- Proficiency in Swedish. Getting the teacher's certificate requires the same level of Swedish needed to study a Swedish university course, and the National Agency for Education accepts several different qualifications.

- National requirements. The final step is to show that you've fulfilled Sweden's requirements for the levels of knowledge you need to teach, which might not be covered in your diploma or degree. These requirements vary depending on the age group and subject you hope to teach. For example, PE teachers need knowledge of swimming and life-saving, and teachers at primary school must show knowledge of reading, writing, and maths. You can demonstrate this knowledge by providing certificates of relevant studies, or proof of relevant work experience. Detailed information of these requirements can be found here.

This certificate is the key to a lot of teaching jobs. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

A full list of requirements can be found on the Skolverket website, although it is only available in Swedish. You can also contact the agency directly to find out more about the qualification, or look at the forms for applicants within the EU orEEA and those from outside it.

It costs 1,500 kronor to submit the application, which can be done by post or online. It typically takes up to six months to receive a decision.

If you don't yet meet all the requirements, there are various training courses you can take. Six universities (in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Linköping, Umeå and Örebro) offer the ULV (Foreign Teachers Professional Development), for those with a foreign degree in teaching but who don't yet meet Sweden's national requirements.

The Further Teacher Training course (Vidareutbildning av lärare or VAL) is aimed at people who have worked as a teacher in Sweden for at least two years, but don't have a degree in education at all. There's also the KPU (Supplementary Pedagogical Education) which is the best option if you have a degree in a specific subject and want to teach it in the gymnasieskola.

For each of these, you'll need to take the TISUS test in Swedish or Gymnasiet Svenska B (the high school leaving exam) to prove your language skills.

Photo: Jessica Gow/TT

How to search for jobs

Not all teaching positions are advertised online. It's a good idea to reach out to schools directly and send your CV and a speculative application. You can also connect with teaching professionals on networks such as LinkedIn to find out more about how the hiring process works at specific schools.

Some international schools, including the International English School which has schools across the country, actively recruit abroad in English-speaking countries, so it may be possible to meet representatives at a careers fair. Municipalities with a shortage of teachers, such as Skellefteå in the north, are also actively recruiting native English-speakers. Skellefteå for example has offered initial one-year contracts to successful applicants, as well as support in learning Swedish and applying for the lärarlegitimation in order to stay and work long-term.

Practicalities

If you're moving from a non-EU country, you'll need to apply for a work permit, which will likely take up to three months. If you're hoping to start work at the beginning of the autumn term, you should submit your visa application by the end of April - bear in mind that a lot of things slow down in Sweden in July, the traditional vacation month.

Many international schools offer assistance with finding accommodation for new staff, and with other administrative tasks such as setting up a personal number and bank account. They may also offer Swedish language lessons or other benefits such as free lunches or sports subsidies, so make sure to speak to them to find out exactly what's included in their employment package.

Photo: Berit Roald/NTB scanpix/TT

Other important things to discuss with potential employers are policies for sickness, overtime, and holidays, which are usually decided through a kollektivavtal or 'collective agreement' between unions and employers.

The two most common kinds of contracts are ferieanställning, where you work throughout the academic year and take holiday during the summer while the students are off, or semesteranställning, when you work throughout the year and have a holiday allowance of at least 25 days, to take when you choose. There's no nationwide regulation about what proportion of your working hours should be spent teaching, except for at the Internationella Engelska Skolan, where this is part of the collective agreement.

For further help in your job hunt and working life in Sweden, you can contact Lärarförbundet or Lärarnas Riksförbund, teachers' unions which can help you understand what conditions you're entitled to as a teacher and will support you in getting them.

READ ALSO:

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Careers: How to work as a teacher in Sweden

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Sweden has a shortage of teachers, making it an attractive option for education professionals looking to move overseas. But it's one of Sweden's regulated jobs, meaning extra hurdles and red tape for job-seekers. Here's what you need to know about finding work as a teacher in Sweden.

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A hidden house with the typical red colour obtained from copper mines ...

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A hidden house with the typical red colour obtained from copper mines ...

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With Eva in the woods - there were a lot of mosquitos !

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With Eva in the woods - there were a lot of mosquitos !

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This reserve is full of alder trees...and the word for alder tree is Al and the island is called Alnon 

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This reserve is full of alder trees...and the word for alder tree is Al and the island is called Alnon 

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On the nearby island of Alnon there is a nature reserve ...

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On the nearby island of Alnon there is a nature reserve ...

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There are comfortable eating areas for staff and students with fridges and microwaves and endless flows of coffee

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There are comfortable eating areas for staff and students with fridges and microwaves and endless flows of coffee

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Dictionaries are available in several languages ...

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Dictionaries are available in several languages ...

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Reception areas are welcoming and comfortable 

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Reception areas are welcoming and comfortable 

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... with the use of computers provided by the school

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... with the use of computers provided by the school

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In schools generally there are several places where students can study together, alone or ...

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In schools generally there are several places where students can study together, alone or ...

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University is free in Sweden and so is education generally. Students can apply for a loan with favorable interest rates or they can get a grant if they meet certain criteria.

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The timetable - common subjects for vocational programmes and upper secondary school.

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The timetable - common subjects for vocational programmes and upper secondary school.

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(It means that opportunities abound!)

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Friday after work with Kicki and colleagues 

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Friday after work with Kicki and colleagues 

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The teacher - Annika - teaching a A2 level of Swedish 

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The teacher - Annika - teaching a A2 level of Swedish 

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Kiki - teaching English level 6 - B2 - the minimum level to go to university 

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Kiki - teaching English level 6 - B2 - the minimum level to go to university 

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... the Globe theatre

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Day 10: Sundsvall adult education centre ... today we took the bus. 

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Day 10: Sundsvall adult education centre ... today we took the bus. 

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It’s not as sunny today as it has been since we got here. I was beginning to think that it never rains in Sweden!

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Inside the museum with it’s lovely library that’s open to the public

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Inside the museum with it’s lovely library that’s open to the public

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Birgitte tells us about the city and how it has changed over the years

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Birgitte tells us about the city and how it has changed over the years

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Sigrid Hjertén, was a Swedish modernist painter. Hjertén is considered a major figure in Swedish modernism. She was from sundsvall. 

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Sigrid Hjertén, was a Swedish modernist painter. Hjertén is considered a major figure in Swedish modernism. She was from sundsvall. 

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Cultural tour of Sundsvall - a fire destroyed the city which had been built with wood in 1888. It was subsequently rebuilt with stone houses and wide streets with no expense spared. 

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Cultural tour of Sundsvall - a fire destroyed the city which had been built with wood in 1888. It was subsequently rebuilt with stone houses and wide streets with no expense spared. 

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Our trek to and from school.. perhaps we’ll take the bus tomorrow...

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Our trek to and from school.. perhaps we’ll take the bus tomorrow...

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If you’re late, you can use one of these

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If you’re late, you can use one of these

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Here is a Swedish as a foreign language course with several students from Syria.

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Here is a Swedish as a foreign language course with several students from Syria.

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There are lots of portable computers in the storeroom along with skis to take students out in the winter...

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There are lots of portable computers in the storeroom along with skis to take students out in the winter...

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...sometimes for the first time ever if they have just arrived in Sweden.

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Here is the English classroom where there are round tables to foster conversation and discussion in English

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Here is the English classroom where there are round tables to foster conversation and discussion in English

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Kicki and Peter show us around the school...

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Kicki and Peter show us around the school...

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Here is the study room where students can come to study and find help in maths, Swedish, English etc because teachers make themselves available during their school hours.

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When students come to enrol they take a number and see an advisor or make an appointment to agree on a schedule ...

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When students come to enrol they take a number and see an advisor or make an appointment to agree on a schedule ...

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In Swedish school staff rooms there is always coffee and tea waiting as well as a comfortable place to sit ...

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Luckily the hospital is nearby in case we faint after our morning trek

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Day 9: Sundsvall adult education in the Navigator building 

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Day 9: Sundsvall adult education in the Navigator building 

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Mathias accompanied us on the 40 minute trek to work... appointment at 7:15...

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The students invited us to celebrate with them.

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Mål means goal as in an objective you want to reach in life 

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Mål means goal as in an objective you want to reach in life 

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The ceremony begins ...the principal gave a talk and gave us a lovely gift of a Sundsval dragon...

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The ceremony begins ...the principal gave a talk and gave us a lovely gift of a Sundsval dragon...

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... she was delighted to receive a watercolour of La Spezia too.

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At the vocational healthcare graduation ceremony ... in pole position! 

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At the vocational healthcare graduation ceremony ... in pole position! 

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We are Honorary guests...

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Students learn from physiotherapists how to move in their jobs without damaging their backs ...

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Students learn from physiotherapists how to move in their jobs without damaging their backs ...

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Equipment in the ergonomics class of the vocational health care programme. 

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Equipment in the ergonomics class of the vocational health care programme. 

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Jeanette didn’t make it to Italy when her colleagues came but she’s going to Italy on her holidays ...

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Adult school in Sundsvall ... the vocational part is in the university building 

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Adult school in Sundsvall ... the vocational part is in the university building 

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Watching Swedish news “light” version provided by the government at different levels of language - from A2 to C2 on the SVT website. Followed by a kahoo quiz on the content.

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Watching Swedish news “light” version provided by the government at different levels of language - from A2 to C2 on the SVT website. Followed by a kahoo quiz on the content.

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Day 8: this morning we are in Sundsvall at the university - the view from the window 

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Day 8: this morning we are in Sundsvall at the university - the view from the window 

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Verdict on surströmming: it smells worse than it tastes and ...

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Verdict on surströmming: it smells worse than it tastes and ...

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... if you eat it with flat bread, potatoes, onions and sour cream, and excellent company it’s quite tasty!

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As summer rolls around in Sweden, travellers might smell something peculiar wafting in the air alongside the aroma of barbequing meat. This is the time of year when Swedes crack open tins of fermented Baltic herring called surströmming (sour herring) - a stinky culinary tradition that dates back several centuries and is often likened to the smell of eggs rotting in open sewage drains. Originating from the Höga Kusten region (the High Coast) and mostly eaten in northern Sweden and Swedish Lapland, surströmming is often eaten outdoors at garden or balcony parties -- because like skunk spray, its stench will linger on for days.

The lowdown

There are many theories as to how surströmming became part of Sweden's culinary culture. The most colourful story traces its roots back to Swedish sailors in the 16 th century. The sailors were running low on salt -- which was commonly used to preserve food -- and their barrels of herring began to go bad. They sold the rotten fish to some locals at a Finnish port, but a year later, when the sailors returned, the Finns requested more rotten herring because they had enjoyed it so much. This prompted the Swedish sailors to try it themselves and produce more of the fish.

Producing

Prime surströmming is made by catching herring when they are spawning in the spring and storing them in barrels for about two months. The partially fermented herring are then transferred into tin cans to continue the fermentation process. Anywhere between six months to a year later, when the cans start to bulge due to the build-up of gases from the fermentation process, they are shipped to stores all over Sweden for sale.

Popular brands include Röda Ulven and Kallax, both of which have been producing surströmming since the 1940s, as well as Oskars, which was founded in 1954.

Surströmming can be purchased in most supermarkets around Sweden, though buying one as a souvenir can be tricky since it is banned on several major airlines due to the highly pressurized cans.

Eating

Once opened, the fermented whole herring are deboned, their swollen pink innards pulled out and their putrid flesh cut into small slivers. Once you can get past its foul odour, you will be met with a salty, fishy taste that is not quite as bad as it smells. The slivers of fish are loaded onto tunnbröd, lightly buttered crispy thin bread and then topped with yellow onions, dill, mandelpotatis (sliced boiled almond potatoes)and a fatty fermented milk similar to sour cream called gräddfil. These condiments help tone down the fish's strong taste and make it more palatable.

Cold milk is usually consumed alongside surströmming, probably because its mild taste balances the fish's strong salty taste. At parties, pilsner beers, schnapps, vodka and aquavit - a 40% distilled alcoholic beverage made from potatoes or grain -- are often served too.

A special tribute

A museum dedicated to this stinky fish -- Fiskevistet surströmmingsmuseet - is located 30km north of the town of Örnsköldsvik along Sweden's High Coast in the small fishing village of Skeppsmaln.

The museum has a permanent exhibition where visitors can learn more about the history and preparation of the fish, get a whiff of the smell from its "sniffing box", learn how herring communicate with each other, admire a display of various antique cans of the fish, and listen to some Swedish drinking songs that are often sung while consuming surströmming.

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As summer rolls around in Sweden, travellers might smell something peculiar wafting in the air alongside the aroma of barbequing meat. This is the time of year when Swedes crack open tins of fermented Baltic herring called surströmming (sour herring) - a stinky culinary tradition that dates back several centuries and is often likened to the smell of eggs rotting in open sewage drains.

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surströmming - fermented Baltic herring (sour herring) ... I wonder what it tastes like???

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surströmming - fermented Baltic herring (sour herring) ... I wonder what it tastes like???

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Differentiating the trees...and the plants...

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Skog = forest: tall = pine tree; gran = fir tree

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We had a very interesting exchange of information and we learned about Vinbladsdolmar, a typical Syrian dish - yaprak sarmadi and yalangi, vine leaves stuffed with meat and rice or vegetables and rice in a powerpoint presentation made by one of the students on Syrian food.

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English lesson...don’t forget the auxiliary verb DO or DOES

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English lesson...don’t forget the auxiliary verb DO or DOES

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Meeting with the principal for some other questions ...

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Meeting with the principal for some other questions ...

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Snack time in the staff room with tiramisu

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Snack time in the staff room with tiramisu

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On the way to school with Tiramisu that Anna Maria made with ... Andrea’s & my moral support .. to share with our Swedish colleagues 

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On the way to school with Tiramisu that Anna Maria made with ... Andrea’s & my moral support .. to share with our Swedish colleagues 

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Day 7: thanks to Andrea’s inventiveness, we managed to sleep!

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Day 7: thanks to Andrea’s inventiveness, we managed to sleep!

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A black out mask to keep out the light....

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Lena introduced us to her class - Level C ...A2. They were doing vocabulary training 

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Lena introduced us to her class - Level C ...A2. They were doing vocabulary training 

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There are 9 different nationalities from 4 continents

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Linda shows us how her teaching platform works ...

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Linda shows us how her teaching platform works ...

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This afternoon we exchanged English teaching methods with Birgitte and Linda ...they liked the course I use at the CPIA and we liked their materials ...

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This afternoon we exchanged English teaching methods with Birgitte and Linda ...they liked the course I use at the CPIA and we liked their materials ...

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Back at school : Teresa’s Swedish for immigrants class...

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Back at school : Teresa’s Swedish for immigrants class...

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From Nobel to IKEA...

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See website: https://www.sca.com/en/

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The world’s largest forest planting school which can grow 85 million plants per year!!!