In November, there were nearly 6,400 unemployed practical nurses in Finland. Photo: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva
- Next Article SDP calls on Finland to recognise Palestinian state before UN summit
Finland has produced thousands of trained care assistants in recent years, meeting government targets ahead of schedule. But the job market has failed to absorb the new workforce.
The previous government set a target of 2,500 new care assistants by 2025. According to the Ministry of Education and Culture, around 2,300 graduated in 2023 alone.
Care assistants support tasks such as washing, dressing, and eating but do not administer medication or work alone on shifts.
They complete a one-year programme based on modules from practical nursing qualifications.
Education providers report a sharp increase in enrolments. In Central Finland, the Gradia vocational school has trained about 150 care assistants over two years. The annual intake has exceeded 100 students.
Minna Sillanpää, a director at Gradia, said many were drawn to the training by personal career goals or expectations of secure employment.
“The care sector is traditionally popular during economic downturns,” she said.
Despite the rise in graduate numbers, job prospects have worsened. Many practical nurses and care assistants are now completing their studies without guaranteed employment.
Sillanpää said securing work placements has become more difficult, especially for students in apprenticeship programmes.
“When workplaces face challenges, they can’t always take on apprentices,” she said.
Roughly one-third of care assistant students at Gradia speak a first language other than Finnish. Many are adult learners or career changers. Some are over 60 and seeking new opportunities after redundancy or early retirement.
Across the sector, demand for jobs now exceeds availability. Laura Lindeberg, director of social services at the Health and Social Services Employers’ Association (Hali ry), called the current employment situation unusual.
“There are now large numbers of trained practical nurses and care assistants looking for work,” she said.
At the end of April, Finland recorded 7,556 unemployed practical nurses. A year earlier, the figure stood at 5,038. Combined data for care and health service workers showed 16,517 jobseekers, up from 12,303 the previous year.
The National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) reported a reduction of about 500 full-time positions in round-the-clock elderly care and long-term institutional care during 2023.
The government lowered the minimum staffing ratio for 24-hour care services at the start of 2024. Facilities now require six workers per ten residents, down from 6.5.
Lindeberg said this policy change and cost-saving measures by regional wellbeing services contribute to the current employment situation.
Employers receive frequent inquiries about internships, summer jobs, and apprenticeships, she said.
Despite current conditions, both Lindeberg and Sillanpää expect demand to rise in the coming years. An ageing population and increasing care needs will drive recruitment, especially for practical nurses.
“There’s a need to build confidence among students and workers,” Sillanpää said.
HT
- Next Article SDP calls on Finland to recognise Palestinian state before UN summit
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
