Finland government internship program reports slow initial hiring

The Finnish government's initiative to provide 500 temporary work or internship positions within the state administration has seen slow initial progress. As of late August, only 29 young people had been hired across 16 state agencies.

The program, part of Prime Minister Orpo's employment measures, allocated four million euros to create three-month positions for individuals aged 18 to 25 seeking their first seasonal jobs or internships. While the program missed the window to facilitate summer employment, the Ministry of Finance stated that recruitment is expected to accelerate following the summer season.

Finance Ministry official Janne Öberg indicated that the goal is to fill all positions by the end of 2026, with a significant increase in hires expected during September. The government plans to review the program at year-end to determine if any agencies failed to meet recruitment targets, at which point positions may be redistributed.