Social and Healthcare Assistant

Lolland Municipality has a growing number of elderly citizens, and at them same time we have a number of employees who are retiring. The situation requires new initiatives, and therefore Lolland Municipality has developed two career paths for internationals who wish to start a life and create livelihood on Lolland and who want to take on meaningful work in the Elderly and Healthcare Sector.

1. If you are already a skilled elderly and healthcare professional and want to relocate to Lolland you may apply to join a group of international newcomers and a programme with Danish language course, relocation support and extensive onboarding to the workplace and local area.

2. If you are interested in people and health and want to head for a Danish vocational education and training within the field of elderly and healthcare, then the programme 'Vejen til SOSU' will offer you a steppingstone once you have relocated to Lolland and finished a basic Danish language course.

Read more about the two options on the following page.

Two elderly playing a game at a nursing home

How do we care for elderly citizens in Denmark?

The Danish healthcare system is based on the principle of equal free access of all citizens, as most Danish healthcare services are financed by general taxes.

Denmark has a citizen centred approach to care and rehabilitation for elderly citizens. The focus is on helping citizens maintain – or regain – self-reliance, and on allocating the necessary human and technological resources needed to make this possible.

By working with targeted efforts, elderly citizens can maintain their independence and stay in their own homes for as long as possible. Care centres have also been supplemented with efforts to help improve the quality of life for residents. The efforts are increasingly supported by assisted-living technologies and other innovative solutions that bring several benefits for both citizens and caregivers.

The work takes place both in care centres and in private homes. It works on the principle of 'helping people to help themselves', because being as self-reliant as possible improves people's quality of life. A concrete example of this could be that the social and healthcare assistant provides training for citizens who have just been discharged from the hospital to manage bathing and personal care on their own.

You strive to give people content in their everyday life by knowing their life stories and talking to them about their memories. Thus, inclusiveness towards the citizen's way of living and creating a homely environment is important.

Do you want to work in the Elderly and Health Sector in a welfare state where mutual trust between citizens, employees and managers is paramount? Where you are asked for advice and for your contribution to solutions to professional challenges. Where the work-life balance is among the best in the world and where all employees receive free continuing education.

We offer meaningful job and beautiful surroundings to settle in

Lolland Municipality is looking for several skilled professionals for the Elderly and Healthcare Sector. We invite applicants with basic theoretical insight into and practical experience in elderly care and geriatrics. The content of education programmes varies greatly across European countries, and therefore we do not demand a specific educational background. In fact, several types of education may be relevant to us. The most important thing is that you have knowledge about anatomy, hygiene, infection prevention, nutrition, and health promotion. In addition, you must have practical experience in providing personal help and good relational skills.

Lolland is a lovely place to live and work; a scenic island in the southern part of Denmark, with plenty of cultural offerings and with rich club life in sports, among other things. With only an hour and a half drive to Copenhagen, you can easily visit the capital whenever you want, while at the same time enjoy the much lower housing costs in Lolland. Our municipality is developing rapidly, not least because of the construction of the Fehmarn belt link to Germany, along with a growing international community in Lolland Municipality.

Language course and onboarding

Before you arrive in Denmark, you must acquire basic Danish language skills via an online language course. After moving to Denmark, you will complete an intensive Danish course during the first four months of your stay. You will also participate in several social and professional activities to get acquainted with Lolland and your workplace. Lolland Municipality will ensure an available initial apartment for you to rent and offers advice on finding permanent housing. Strong communication skills are needed to work in the elderly and healthcare sector and therefore employment in Lolland Municipality requires that you participate actively in the language course and demonstrate linguistic progression.

EU mobility of jobseekers and assessment of qualifications

To apply for job in Lolland Municipality you need valid residence and work permit. EU citizens are secured free mobility as jobseekers, so if you are EU citizen you can get EU residence permit as a worker.

However, educational programmes vary across Europe. To mprove your qualifications, you may apply The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science for an assessment of non-Danish qualifications for use in Denmark.

Specialized tasks and responsibilities in the Danish elderly and healthcare requires authorization from the Danish Patient Safety Authorities. If you have an educational background that equals to the Danish “social- og sundhedsassistent”.

(See the EU database of regulated professions)

Apply for Danish authorization on Danish Patient Safety Authority's webpage

Application process

We regularly invite new applications for jobs in the Elderly and Healthcare Sector. To apply you must upload your CV and a motivated application written in English in Lolland Municipality's recruitment portal.

New application rounds will be announced on this page along with links to the current job posting and to the application form.

Do you like helping others? Are you interested in people and health? Would you like to boost your Danish language skills, to become financially self-supporting and to start a career on Lolland? Then read on here!

Lolland Municipality is looking for new colleagues who want to pursue a healthcare education and to take on a meaningful job in the eldercare.

The training program “Vejen til SOSU” is meant to prepare you - as a newcomer to Lolland - to get an education and a job in the municipal Elderly & Health sector. We offer salary during your training as well as good colleagues.

What is “Vejen til SOSU”?

“Vejen til SOSU” means the path to social and healthcare. By following this program, you will improve your Danish skills and acquire basic eldercare competences and knowledge about healthcare.

As participant you are employed by Lolland Municipality for the full duration of the program, which is approximately 7 months. Some weeks you will take on training and unskilled labor in a municipal healthcare team and other weeks you will attend classes at the SOSU Nykøbing Falster college as part of your employment.

The program gives you a good foundation for subsequently completing an education as “social- og sundhedsassistent” (SSA - a social and health care assistant, approx. 3½ year, with possibility to obtain authorization as healthcare professional) or “social- og sundhedshjælper” (SSH – a social and healthcare helper, approx. 1½ year). In this way, the “Vejen til SOSU” program paves a way for a career in the municipality starting with a trainee position during your formal education.

In the long term, your workplace as a SSA or SSH will be people's own homes, whether you work in a care center or drive to private houses and apartments. You will be part of a team and meet people with different care needs. We work from the principle of 'helping people to help themselves', because being as self-reliant as possible improves people's quality of life. You must be able to thrive on meeting new people, work independently and have varying tasks.

What does it require?

To be employed for the “Vejen til SOSU” training program you must

have an interest in working with people.
speak, read and understand Danish and have completed language school with “Prøve i Dansk 2” or “Prøve i Dansk 3”.
have a math level equivalent to Grade 9 in Denmark.
have a valid residence permit.
present a criminal record.

It will be an advantage if you have learning skills from prior education. It will also be a clear advantage to have cycling skills and a driving license for ordinary cars, but it is not an absolute requirement.

Salary and employment conditions:

You will receive a salary during the entire training program period. The salary is approx. 21,900 DKK per month (approx. 14,400 DKK after tax). If you are assigned shifts in your team on weekends, evenings or public holidays, you will earn extra allowances. On average there will be 37 hours of work per week.

According to Lolland Municipality's smoking policy, smoking during working hours is not allowed.

Before the program ends your leader and study advisors in the municipality and at the college will discuss the possibilities for formal education with you. If you all agree, a new trainee position may follow immediately after your “Vejen til SOSU” employment.

When can I start?

To join “Vejen til SOSU” you will need to have completed your language school (Read about the language school) and to apply for a fixed-term position at the municipality. We open for new applications for the program approximately twice a year.

Information about new application rounds will be published on the college's website (in Danish)

The next “Vejen til SOSU” starts in August 2024.

Do you have questions?

If you have questions about employment and working in the Elderly & Health sector of Lolland Municipality, please contact team leader Karin Hansen at +45 23 24 01 80. If you want to know more about the teaching at the SOSU Nykøbing Falster college, contact course consultant Sabrina Pansa on +45 20 13 41 96. You can also contact Lolland Municipality´s newcomer guide, Martina Frang Mostad on Tel. +45 23 99 59 36.

If you're interested in hearing more, meet your teachers and other applicants you can sign up for one of the information meetings held by the SOSU college. You'll find the current dates on the college's website.

How do I apply?

Whenever we are open for applications you will find link to our application platform, Emply, at the college’s “Vejen til SOSU” webpage: https://www.sosunyk.dk/kurser/vejen-til-sosu/

In your application, write why you would like to participate in the course, what qualifications you have and describe your work experience. For example, you can write about what you have worked with, how long you have lived in Denmark and when you have completed or expect to complete language school.

In the application platform you are required to fill a short online formular and to submit your application and relevant documents. You send your application online by clicking on “Apply” button in the formular.

After you have applied you will be contacted and probably be invited for an interview to talk about your motivation, qualifications and possibilities for employment.

We invite all qualified persons regardless of age, gender, ethnic background, religion, etc. to apply.

Vacancies

Employees for the Elderly and Healthcare Sector in Denmark - Lolland.dk (emply.com)