Foreign degree students often face a hard time integrating into Finnish society after graduation. Many projects have sprung up around Finland to help the transition to working life.

NON-FINNISH degree students in Finnish colleges rarely remain here after their studies. With fresh college degrees in hand, foreign graduates often see the doors to the Finnish job market slam shut in their face, most commonly for language reasons. Breaking into the native social circles is no less difficult, especially in smaller communities. It’s no wonder a great many foreign students never even finish their degree, but skip the country halfway through.

“That is the feeling I get when discussing with our contacts in universities around Finland,” says Päivi Jyry from VALOA, a nationwide project aiming to improve the integration of foreign students. As part of VALOA, a research project will be launched next spring to map out the placement of foreign students after graduation.

“Another research venture will study the future employment market in order to discover the sectors and clusters that would best provide employment for Finnish-educated foreign workforce,” Jyry explains. With the University of Helsinki as the core institution, VALOA is a high-level research and development project working to provide tools and services for schools and employers.

Aside from the nationwide flagship project, various bids to buttress foreign degree students’ integration to Finnish society and the job market are underway all over Finland. At Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, project manager Jenny Renell runs a programme aiming to root foreign students to the Kainuu region.

“These students are highly skilled, professional workforce who have been educated here. It is important that we don’t allow them to be driven out, but instead try to integrate them into society and benefit from their contributions,” says Renell.

Beyond language skills

Language has been pointed out time and again as being the single most important obstacle between foreigners and work. A non-Finnish-speaking person is often simply seen as outright unemployable and employers harbour many a prejudice against foreign job seekers. One solution is to offer intensified Finnish courses to foreign degree students, but Renell hopes companies would also adjust their attitudes.

”Instead of simply overlooking applicants who don’t speak fluent Finnish, it might serve employers to develop their own language skills,” Renell says. ”Hiring a non-Finnish graduate brings not only the same professional skills and know-how as hiring a Finn, but also added cultural and linguistic competence that is invaluable for companies, especially ones that are planning to branch out abroad.”

The Kajaani project offers foreign degree students training in job-seeking skills and the Finnish language, and students can also take extra Finnish classes at a local multicultural centre. Finnish language training has been increased starting from semester one. In addition to giving education and advice and establishing vital contacts, part of the project’s work is dedicated to softer factors: social gatherings and leisure activities to make the foreign students feel at home in Kainuu and increase study motivation.

“Obviously social networks are vital for integration. I don’t think anyone would stay here just to sit alone at home and work every day,” Jyry asserts. “There are many different kinds of programmes in Finnish universities and colleges for improving the social integration of foreign students. We are trying to find models that have been most successful and publicise them.”

For employers the Kainuu project offers support and opportunities to hire foreign students as trainees. Hopefully as the result of the interaction companies could see the multicultural, international and multilingual capital provided by a foreign employee, and the trainee would receive valuable work experience and a chance to work on her practical Finnish language skills. Unfortunately the recession is making work on this front more difficult. With layoffs and cutbacks going on, many companies are unable to even take on an unpaid intern.

The VALOA project is currently working on a higher level to open communication channels to employers. Organisations such as the Federation of Finnish Enterprises and the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) have shown interest in co-operation, says Jyry, but at the moment VALOA is concentrating more on developing tools and networks. The actual practical implementation and marketing phase is set to begin in 2011.

Matti koskinen - HT
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