Alicia Owusu makes videos for OSAO’s TikTok channel and says that her studies at OSAO have increased her self-confidence.
19 years old Alicia Owusu is studying vocational qualification in business in English at OSAO.
Alicia will graduate from OSAO in May of this year. After graduation, Alicia plans to go to general upper secondary school for adults, after which she dreams of starting medical studies.
Originally from Ghana, Alicia only learned Finnish when she was 10 years old. Acquiring the new language was quick, she says.
“I didn’t speak a word of Finnish when we moved here. I had to start all over again – new friends, people and language – everything was new. It was a really exciting time. I had a nice teacher, so the Finnish language started to flow quite quickly,” she says.
When Alicia made her joint application choices in the ninth grade, she didn’t know which direction she would go.
“It was a hectic and stressful time”, she recalls now.
“I was really scared. I had no idea what I wanted to study. I was really lost. Fortunately, I had really nice teachers who reminded me that it’s okay if you don’t know what you want to do. My teacher suggested that what if I study a Vocational qualification in business in English. I decided that I will now go on this path and then think about what I want to do in the future during my studies.”
Good team spirit and support available
Business studies in English turned out to be a pleasant choice for Alicia. In her opinion, the best thing about her studies has been the good team spirit, classmates and teachers.
“Everyone gets along well with each other. It’s nice to go to school when there are nice people there. People provide tremendous motivation,” Alicia reflects.
In vocational training, you study in real workplaces during periods of workplace education and training. Alicia says that at the beginning, jumping into working life was exciting.
“I was quite clumsy when I was young and I was worried about how I would manage. However, everything has gone well and I have become more confident. I think it is an advantage to gain experience in working life at a young age. When you’re young, you learn faster and the accumulation of experience starts well in advance,” says Alicia.
Studies developed social skills
Cheerful and outgoing, Alicia says that studying at OSAO has developed her social skills.
“I was quite shy when I was younger, although I was talkative and outgoing with my friends. I have become much braver and dare much more. The experiences of working life have especially helped here.”
Alicia can currently also be found in OSAO’s joint application campaign ads and on social media. She has shot videos of her studies and everyday life for OSAO’s TikTok and Instagram accounts.
“Making videos is really fun, even if talking to the camera seems a little funny,” she laughs.
Alicia has a clear message for young people applying for a joint application: You are not alone, and remember to ask for help.
“If you need help, you can turn to friends, parents, guides or teachers. You can find the perfect path for you and it’s not the end of the world if you don’t choose the right one right away. Trust yourself.”
Written by Laura Lääveri-Uimonen, translated from Finnish by Heli Raappana
