Denmark - a country of educational opportunity
One of the aims of the Danish education system is to inspire and provide opportunities for lifelong learning for all residents in Denmark.
Together with the government, both sides of industry have made a commitment to continuously develop new educational opportunities for working people.
Denmark offers a number of training programmes not found elsewhere in the EU.
As mentioned earlier, you can have your educational qualifications and work experience assessed by the government authority CIRIUS. If you have difficulty documenting your skills and knowledge, you may also have them assessed by vocational training institutions and most adult education organisations.
Danish – a work essential
You must be able to communicate in Danish if you want to work in the public sector, where close contact with users and other members of the public is a key part of the job. Speaking and understanding the language will also make it much easier to get in touch with Danes and settle in your new country.
Employers who recruit people from abroad normally plan a course of Danish lessons as part of the job introduction programme. Courses are held in a wide variety of ways.
You are entitled to Danish lessons
If you come to Denmark on your own initiative, various options for learning Danish will also be available to you. Under Danish legislation, foreign employees who have arrived and live legally in Denmark are entitled to an offer of Danish lessons from their local authority of residence at the latest one month after contacting the authority, or at the latest one month after the issue of their civil registration number.
As a foreigner coming to Denmark to work, in addition to the basic vocational training programmes, you have a range of options for upgrading your skills.
The two options that will probably be most relevant are described below.
Adult vocational training
Adult vocational training courses (AMU) consist of short courses that lead to a formal qualification and are targeted at skilled and unskilled employees alike. The courses include practical and theoretical instruction and can be planned as either full- or part-time programmes.
Most AMU courses are free, but a small fee is charged for some, for example those in the educational and social and health care sectors.
Adult education
Ordinary adult education is a supplement to the standard education system and intended for working adults. The courses range from a few hours a week over a short period to part-time programmes over a longer period of time.
If you are looking for a job in Denmark in these areas
- care of the elderly, sick and disabled
- children and young people
- catering and cleaning services
- technical and maintenance services