Tampere vocational instructor fired over sexualised conduct

A vocational instructor at Tampere Region Vocational College TredU has been dismissed over repeated inappropriate and sexualised conduct toward female students and a colleague, Yle reported.

The instructor, who had held a permanent position since 2021, also worked as a substitute hourly teacher in the college’s aviation programme between 2021 and 2023. The details are set out in decisions by the City of Tampere. The dismissal was decided by vocational education director Kirsi Viskari.

According to the employer, the instructor squeezed two female students’ cheeks, touched a student’s head and hair, placed his foot on a student’s leg and held a student by the waist. He also put his hand in a student’s back pocket and touched her buttocks. The employer said he made vulgar comments to two students and criticised another student’s appearance.

The instructor also reportedly stood too close to female colleagues, patted one on the shoulder and sought hugs. One colleague described comments about her appearance, hugging, a request to kiss and touching around the pelvis on separate occasions.

The employer concluded that the conduct was serious enough to justify dismissal without a prior warning. The instructor was given an opportunity to respond, but the hearing raised no new information that affected the decision. He was dismissed on October 24, with his two-month notice period ending on December 24.