The meaningfulness of work consists of many layers in Rosa Tilles’ work. The cornerstone is encountering and teaching the child as an individual and as part of a group. Building on that, next comes cooperation and educational partnerships with families. At the top is the societal significance of the work: raising the future generation. 

“I feel like I am dealing with big issues in my work when I plan and implement pedagogy that serves children and the group. In everyday life, the meaningfulness of my work comes from managing to guide children towards something new and seeing them make discoveries and become enthusiastic. This is accompanied by the social significance of the work. Children are part of our society and its future. Working towards it feels meaningful,” Tilles says.

The significance of education became clear as a substitute

Roosa Tilles had her first contact with working in early childhood education as early as her gap year after upper secondary school. She worked as a substitute teacher in ECEC centres, and the profession felt like her own.

“At the same time, I realised that I don't have enough competence for this job. It felt crazy to be able to work as an assistant for children who need help the most without any education in the field.”  

Tilles wanted to learn. She applied to university and got in. In her didactic studies, Tilles learned how to teach pre-school children music, mathematical thinking and natural sciences, among other things. Alongside, she had theoretical studies on the growth and development of children. 

“In the practical training included in the studies, theory met practice. Even with a Master’s degree, I feel that there are constantly new things in my work that I would like to learn and understand better. Fortunately, my employer offers continuing professional development, and I have also considered further studies.” 

The solutions to the teacher shortage are in the hands of municipal decision-makers

There is also a major problem in the industry in regard to trained personnel: they are scarce. Early childhood education teachers are in fourth place on the labour force barometer list of skills shortages. 

Rosa Tilles is familiar with the problem. The day-to-day life in early childhood education is overshadowed by constant concern about where to find qualified professionals for ECEC centres if someone falls ill or changes workplace.

“Already the absence of one qualified employee can create a spiral. First, no eligible applicants are found for the position of early childhood education teacher. Then a childcarer (ECEC) who is unqualified for the job may be selected to perform the teacher’s duties. However, even for the position of the childcarer (ECEC), there may not be a suitable substitute. In the end, there may be three employees in the group, none of whom have training for their duties.”

In its municipal election programme, OAJ notes that municipal decision-makers have a great responsibility for ensuring the quality of early childhood education. 

For example, they can attract qualified applicants by investing in salary and other benefits, as well as high-quality working conditions and employer policies that value employees. Municipal decision-makers are also responsible for ensuring that the premises are safe and that group sizes are observed.

“The main thing is that the decision-makers understand the importance of high-quality early childhood education for the child’s growth. Our mission is not only to enable parents to work, but also to provide expert work that supports children’s growth, development and learning. Early childhood education is an important part of the education path,” Tilles says.

She says it is pointless to talk about the appreciation of early childhood education if work has to be done under a constant threat of financial cuts. 

“If there is appreciation, it should be shown as resources and having the peace to do our core work for children’s learning and development.” 

“We can never go wrong if we invest in children and education. It will always pay for itself many times over,” says Tilles.

Up from the pay gap 

According to Roosa Tilles, one big sign of appreciation was when OAJ achieved its long-term goal and early childhood education teachers were transferred under the municipal collective agreement for the education sector. 

The collective agreement will expire at the end of April, so in the spring OAJ will renegotiate the salaries and other terms of employment of early childhood education teachers and ECEC centre directors.

“In connection with the export model legislation, there was a lot of talk about tying the salary development in female-dominated industries to export industries. If the increases are the same, we will never climb out of the pay gap. Therefore, it is important that OAJ continues to negotiate independently and strives to secure the salary development and the attractiveness of the profession,” Tilles says.

Investing in children pays for itself many times over

He believes that increasing the attractiveness of the sector is necessary in order to solve the teacher shortage. In addition, it must be ensured that professionals do not switch fields. 

For a long time, one problem in early childhood education was that graduating with a master's degree did not increase the salary at all. This was recently corrected in the salary system reform, in which an eligibility bonus was agreed. 

“The next major reform that will increase the retention force of the profession could be the development of experience bonuses,” Tilles says.

She goes back to the multi-layered nature and value of her work.

“We can never go wrong if we invest in children and education. It will always pay for itself many times over.”