Apprenticeship – a practical route to employment

In recent years, as a working life coordinator, I have seen firsthand how challenging finding employment can be—especially when it has been a while since your last job or education. Many people say they want to get back to work quickly, but at the same time they need support in updating their skills or finding a new direction. It is precisely in these situations that apprenticeships have often emerged as a practical and flexible option – a way to get back to work and develop one's skills at the same time. I have seen how apprenticeship training can offer a concrete opportunity to take the next step, whether the background is long work experience, the need to change fields for various reasons, or a period of unemployment. 

First, it is a good idea to consider your own skills: are they up to date, or do you need to update them or change direction completely? Sometimes, an obstacle to employment may be a previously unfinished or completely missing relevant degree. The world of work is changing, and updating is necessary if your previously acquired skills no longer lead to employment or if, for example, your health prevents you from working in your previous profession. When assessing the need to update your skills, you can also make use of the professionals at the Employment Services – personal coaches and career guidance services. 

Gradia Vocational College offers training for around 100 different qualifications – basic qualifications, vocational qualifications, and specialist vocational qualifications. You can also study specific subjects, i.e., individual parts of a qualification, or a few parts of a qualification, i.e., a partial qualification. If you want to study under an apprenticeship agreement, you first need to find a suitable workplace, after which your studies will be planned individually, taking into account your skills needs and your employer's training needs.  

What does an apprenticeship mean?

An apprenticeship is a practical form of training based on an employment relationship, in which learning takes place mainly through practical work tasks and is supplemented by studies organized by an educational institution. There are typically 1–4 training days per month on average, and the rest of the time is spent acquiring skills at the workplace or in other learning environments, such as online studies. You can start planning your studies once you have found a workplace where you can acquire the skills required to complete your studies and where they are willing to train you through an apprenticeship.

Previous skills and work experience are taken into account when planning your studies, and a personal skills development plan (HOKS) is drawn up for each student.

General requirements for apprenticeships:

• At least 25 hours per week employment contract for the entire duration of the apprenticeship
• Salary in accordance with the collective agreement for the sector
• Qualified workplace supervisor
• Work tasks that support the learning objectives

Where can I find an apprenticeship?

There are no ready-made lists of open apprenticeship positions – positions are sought in the same way as other jobs. The difference is that the job must be suitable for the desired studies and the employer must have a need to train you. Apprenticeship training does not involve many days of classroom training, so the apprenticeship position can also be located in the outlying areas of Central Finland. If your employer is not familiar with apprenticeships, more information can be found on the Gradia website (site in Finnish only).

It is worth asking employers directly about apprenticeship opportunities: these positions are not often advertised publicly. You can explore potential employment sectors by monitoring job vacancies and labor market indicators, for example. Utilize your network, update your resume, and consider publishing your job search profile on LinkedIn, for example. You can also enter apprenticeship training as a continuation of labor force training, and you can sometimes find an apprenticeship position during your independent studies if you are studying vocational subjects while receiving unemployment benefits as agreed. In this case, it may be possible to complete your studies through apprenticeship training. 

You've found a job – what next?

Once you have found a suitable job, you and/or your future employer can contact Gradia's working life coordinators. If you do not know which degree your studies relate to, list the job tasks and consider what skills you still lack. Together, we can determine whether you need a full degree, a partial degree, or a single degree component. If the apprenticeship criteria are met, you will fill out an apprenticeship application and an apprenticeship meeting will be arranged. Please note that some fields of study have an entrance or aptitude test, and the applicant's language skills will be assessed if necessary. 

The start of apprenticeship training is flexible and often happens quickly, especially when an apprenticeship agreement is signed for a new job. In some cases, if certain criteria related to the individual customer's unemployment situation and professional development needs are met, the employer may be eligible for a wage subsidy for apprenticeship training – ask your personal coach at Employment Services for more details. 

At best, your employment will continue after completing your apprenticeship! You will receive an official certificate for your completed studies, which can be a decisive step towards further employment. It is always worth looking into the apprenticeship option!