Best practices – Finland: Project Haavi and project tutkinto tekemällä

Project Haavi - by Edupoli, Finland The aim of Project Haavi is to help young unemployed job seekers to find jobs and places to study. Due to growing demand Project Haavi has expanded it’s job-seeking to the fields of trade, logistics, facility services, real estate maintenance and also health and social care support tasks. It is currently enlarging its employer network and operates as a link between employers and job seekers. Target population Under 30-year-old unemployed job seekers. The project serves young adults attached to Employment and Economic Development offices mainly in Helsinki region. Actions Project Haavi arranges different kinds of trainings that enable the employment of young people called “customers”. Individual customers receive personal guidance from their coaches. The content of the coaching is tailored for the unique personal needs of the customer: employement skills (preparing CVs, applications, job interviews, …), computer skills, career counselling, evedyday life control, metacognitive skills (instrumental enrichment), … Implementation calendar

Project Haavi - by Edupoli, Finland Organizations involved Haavi is part of Edupoli which is a municipal business enterprise, owned by the intermunicipal federation for education in East Uusimaa. The partner in cooperation is the Employment and Economic Development Office Uusimaa (southern Finland, mainly in Helsinki region). Funding Organizations The European Social Fund and the City of Helsinki Since august 2010, Project Haavi has had approximately 450 beneficiaries. Over 80% of the project’s beneficiaries have succeeded to find a job or a place to study. Link to the commerce sector: Most of the beneficiaries have found a job in commerce sector. The working field is wide, e.g. they can work as sellers in a clothing store or grocery, cash employee or their job can be filling the shelves in a supermarket. Usually their job is part time and often also time-limited. Still it is a good possibility for young people to acquire experience and contacts to perhaps access a permanent job afterwards. Transferability of the proposed approach Yes, but depends on funding.

Project “Tutkinto tekemällä” (degree by working) Project Objectives To achieve a degree (business college degree), by combining a customer service and sales training program at the business college and working with a partner in the agreed manner. To promote flexible employment of young people after their studies, as well as to prevent social exclusion To anticipate and to secure the companies need for labor supply, both quantitative and qualitative For young people to get high quality and possibly paid, job training places, for jobs that continue after their studies To train committed and skilled personnel to the basic tasks of the company To increase the attractiveness of the sector as a diverse workplace of the future, and to improve appeal to education in the field To address the growing need to combine work and study To create possibilities for functionally talented to implement their own learning strategy

Project “Tutkinto tekemällä” (degree by working ) Actions S-group of HOK-Elanto agreed to a model of "fifty-fifty" - a model in which half of the studies included in the degree are acquired at work, half at the school. The-job learning period is paid with agreed additional staff benefits Employment is guaranteed once the degree is completed The employer's representative selects the most suitable applicants for training (group interview) First they start on a summer job at HOK Elanto shops. The final selection is done based on good performance after the summerwork. From the second year on the students work three days in shop and study 2 days at school. They are guaranteed employment after the study for at least a year. As long as the study results are adequate. A personal learning plan is made for every student, indicating which skills are to be learned at school and which at the workplace Teachers at the school are responsible for personal and group guidance. The teachers make visits to the workplace to ensure that the work-based learning is according to the learning plan. At the workplace there is a committed and competent supervisor who oversees the workplace learning. The acquired skills are proved in skills demonstrations, which are evaluated on a tripartite basis

Project “Tutkinto tekemällä” (degree by working ) Organizations involved HOK-Elanto is part of the S-Group, and as the largest regional co-operative, it is owned by almost customer-owners. The HOK-Elanto co-operative has an annual turnover of almost 1,9 billion euro, and it employs more than people. HOK-Elanto operates in the Greater Helsinki area with 300 stores, and holds market leadership in retail grocery trade. Moreover, HOK-Elanto is one of the largest restaurant operators in the Nordic countries. Mercuria is a business scholl based in Finland Funding Organizations HOK-Elanto Implementation calendar A 2 years course already started. Open to other companies.

Project “Tutkinto tekemällä” (degree by working ) Achieved results Beneficiaries profile: From 150 students interested in a business degree, about 50% were interested in a work/study combination and 25% specifically in the retail sector. All students who have entered the full program are still in their first fixed-time contract with HOK- Elanto. The company gets well educated and motivated employees, the empolyees get partially funded studies and better than usual chance of continuous employment. Cost linked with the actions All wages are paid by the company without public funding Transferability of the proposed approach Yes, but depends on funding. Barrieers for implementation This approach is accessible only for relatively large companies where there is flexibilty at workplace level. A downside is, that a student who does not get chosen for the project after summer trial period may have to wait for a new opportunity to apply for a study place.

Project “Tutkinto tekemällä” (degree by working )