The most pressing question students have during their studies, is whether they will get a job after graduation or not. There are quite a few things that can affect your chances of finding job opportunities and landing a job. Such things are field of study, accumulated experience, connections and so forth. It all depends on the individual and their assets.
In this blog post, we will go through some statistics about employment in Finland. You will also find out what study fields have the best chances of finding a job after graduation. Additionally, we go through salary trends in selected fields.
Employment in Finland
On a general level, employment in Finland is good. The most recent unemployment rate in Finland is 7,5%, while the overall employment rate is 71,6%. Compared to other countries in Europe, Finland is located somewhere in the middle when it comes to unemployment rates.
This is good news for international students, as it is an indicator that employment in Finland is quite high. It increases the chances of finding job opportunities and landing a job after graduation – or even before that.
Employed students in Finland
In Finland, it is quite common for students to have part-time jobs alongside their studies. It is also possible to get employed for a longer time and have a proper contract. All of this is achievable even while you are still a student. Employment during studies is a high indicator of having a job straight after school. In the case that it does not happen, having worked during your studies accumulates your working experience. It consecutively improves your chances of getting a job after graduation.
The number of students that are employed during their studies varies depending on the field in question.
In 2018, 37% of students were employed in the fields of engineering, manufacturing and construction. In the health and welfare sector, 59% of the students were employed. Employment was also high among ICT students, as 47% of the students in the field were employed in 2018. Business, administration and law students also enjoyed a high employment rate. It was collectively 52% in 2018. Last fields to be mentioned – natural sciences, mathematics and statistics – had a relatively high employment rate of 41% as well.
Overall, the combined employment of students is quite high. In 2018, 56% of university students and 59% of UAS students had an employment contract while studying. As previously mentioned, a job during studies can increase the chances of landing a permanent job after graduation tremendously.
Student employment after graduation
In the previous chapter we went through numbers regarding the employment of students during studies. Now, we will take a look at some numbers about student employment after graduation.
The employment of fresh graduates is measured a year after graduation. By the end of 2018, almost 90% of students who had a university degree were employed.
In the chart below, you can see the numbers of several different fields. They highlight the employment situation of students in 2018.
Fields in need of new employees
In Finland, there are several fields and occupations that are facing a shortage of labor in the upcoming years. Some of these fields are great news for students hoping to come to Finland. Edunation has a degree selection with applicable study degrees to find job opportunities in the following fields.
If you are looking to come to Finland for nursing studies, you are in luck. Nurses are one of the most sought after in the occupations that are in need of new employees. ICT experts are also needed for occupations such as software developers and application programmers. You can check out one of our ICT degrees here.
Contact center salespeople are also sought after due to increasing demand in the labor force. This is good news for students who wish to have a part-time job and make some money alongside their studies.
Salaries
There are no definite salaries that can be established. They depend heavily on the employer, responsibilities, experience and whether the work placement is in the capital region or not. However, there are guidelines for what the salaries should be for freshly graduated students in certain fields.
For engineers, the minimum recommended salary is 3000 €/month. This includes little work experience and work placement outside of the capital region. In the capital region, the salary would rise by a 100€. With moderate or plenty of work experience, the starting salary is around 3300-3400€/month.
When it comes to nurses, the salary can vary depending on which sector they are working for. Nurses working for the government tend to enjoy a higher salary of around 3400€/month. Nurses working in the municipal or private sector earn around 3000€/month.
For business students (for example graduates from International Business degrees), the recommended salaries also depend on the amount of experience they have accumulated. For students with minor experience, the recommended salary is 2700€/month. With moderate or plenty of experience, the salaries go up to 3100€/month and 3400€/month respectively.
Business graduates in finance, on the other hand, have an average salary of around 3800€/month in the financial sector. In the insurance industry, the salary is around 3600€/month.
To find out tips about finding a job in Finland after graduation, read one of our other blog posts here!
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