Eures. Annual Report

Transcription

1 Eures Annual Report

2 Contents The European Employment Services Eures: What is Eures... 2 Leader: Skilled labour from abroad... 3 Labour market review... 4 Eures events... 5 Katarzyna Kawka-Kopeć: Changing times... 6 Building bridges... 8 Partnerships in North Karelia... 9 Skilled labour wanted in Helsinki Future prospects advises jobseekers wishing to work in Europe advises employers wishing to hire employees from Europe An employment services network of nearly 800 Eures advisers operates in the European Economic Area Finland has 27 advisers placed in the key employment offices For further information visit and In 2007 The Finnish Eures advisers were contacted by more than 100,000 jobseekers and employers Thanks to the Eures recruitment events, over 500 Finns found a job from abroad Eures participated in over 1,000 events in Finland and elsewhere in Europe 2 The DVD Your Skills Wanted in Finland targets European jobseekers interested in working abroad. The brochure EURES työntekijä Euroopasta provides Finnish employers with clear guidelines for recruiting from the EU/EEA member states.

3 Leader Skilled labour from abroad! In 2007, a third of Finnish employers found recruiting new employees problematic, stating labour shortage as the most common reason for recruitment problems. Shortage of skilled labour caused difficulties particularly in transport, business and public services. The growing number of recruitment problems was also reflected in the work of the Eures network. More employers than ever before contacted us during the past year. Hundreds of employers sought labour from abroad for their vacant positions, and many travelled overseas with the Eures advisers to market their companies and interview applicants. We have also worked more closely with employer and business organisations, both at the national and regional level. Out goal is to reach out to the SMEs suffering from recruitment problems and to lower their threshold of hiring skilled employees from the EU/EEA member states. We also support foreign employees in Finland to help them adjust to the Finnish working conditions. Following the slowdown in economy, recruitment problems may temporarily abate next year. However, the number of people about to retire over the next decade continues to exceed the number of people entering the labour market by a considerable amount. In order to prevent recruitment problems from limiting business activities and growth, the public sector has decided to strengthen its position in the international recruitment market. This decision is evident from the Government Programme, which declares promoting work-based immigration as one of its objectives. Project Manager Katja Helander The information concerning recruitment problems has been extracted from a report by Mika Tuomaala, Työvoiman hankinta toimipaikoissa 2007 (Recruitment in business establishments), TEM-analyyseja, online publication. 3

4 Labour market review In 2007, the Finnish economy strengthened and employment improved. While defining the remit of the new administration for employment and the economy, set up at the beginning of 2008, availability of skilled labour was identified as one of the top priorities. Eures plays a significant role in achieving this target. The number of unemployed jobseekers decreased considerably in 2007, and the unemployment rate dropped from 7.7 percent to 6.9 percent. The increase in demand for labour was reflected in the higher number of vacancies advertised by the employment services. Labour mobility will continue to increase. The volume of immigrant labour arriving in Finland continues to increase: in 2007, nearly 17,000 people moved to Finland, a 22% rise from the previous year. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed immigrants has dropped. The number of businesses experiencing recruitment problems continued to increase, with 13 percent of the recruiting companies not being able to find either any new staff or having some unfilled positions. The single most common reason for this was labour shortage, cited by 29 percent of the recruiting companies. Labour shortage was particularly acute in the health service, metal industry and transport. The volume of immigrant labour remained low at 3 percent of the labour force. Foreign employees were working in several sectors but mainly in agriculture and forestry (11 percent) and industry (6 percent). The largest groups of foreign employees were recruited from Estonia (34 percent) and Russia (25 percent). The Ministry of the Interior has been responsible for Finland s migration administration as of 1 January However, the coordination of the Eures network, which provides support for work-based immigration, will remain within the scope of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy. Employment offices will continue to provide assistance to employers interest in recruiting from abroad and employees going to work overseas. 4 Labour mobility will continue to increase. However, immigrants still constitute only 3 percent of the Finnish labour force.

5 Eures events in SPRING 1.4. Opening of the Eures year Skandinavien Tag, Germany nd International Job Fair, Ostrava Helsinki-Tallinn Cross Border Partnership Meeting, Tallinn Job Days 2008 Employment Fair, Prague: The fair attracted thousands of visitors interested in working abroad. The highly educated jobseekers with good language skills considered Finland as a good destination to work abroad. SUMMER Labour administration discussions to develop the employer partnership within the Eures network, Tuusula High-level strategy group meeting, Nürnberg Job Fair, Katowice AUTUMN European Job Days, a series of events from recruitment fairs and seminars to information events around Europe. Finnish employers and Eures advisers visited fairs in Romania, Estonia, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Portugal rd International Job Fair, Lublin st International Job Fair, Rzeszów Health care recruitment event, Stockholm International Job Fair, Warsaw European Job Fair, Oviedo Finnish-Danish Days, Warsaw Campus/European Job Days, Turku: Turku employment office in partnership with the local institutions of higher education organised a popular fair attracting close to 60 companies from Finland and abroad. During the day, nearly 3,000 visitors came to hear about opportunities to work in Finland and abroad. WINTER PESTI 2008 labour market event, Oulu Next Step Fair, Lahti Learning and Working Fair, Joensuu To Europe or Further Afield Fair, Helsinki Recruitment fair, Tampere Skilled People Meet Fair, Jyväskylä Recruitment fair, Cyprus th International Emigration Fair, Utrecht Nordic-Baltic seminar for the European mobility networks (Eures, Europass, Euroguidance), Riga Recruitment fair, Poznan: A fair and an interview visit to Poland organised for businesses from Southern Ostrobothnia. The vacancies on offer attracted jobseekers during the day. The Eures advisers participating in the event told the visitors about the living and working conditions in Finland, while the employers interviewed applicants through a Polish interpreter Closing of the Eures year Different events and meetings form a key part of the Eures operations. However, the most important Eures work takes place at the grassroots level, where employers and jobseekers meet each other across European borders. 5

6 Eures adviser Katarzyna Kawka-Kopeć, Warsaw: Times are changing Eures services are in demand! 6 In recent years, wealth has increased in Poland and the unemployment rate has dropped considerably. Previously the number of people wishing to find work abroad has been high, and consequently the Eures services have been popular. Despite improving economy, many jobseekers continue to look for work elsewhere and visit the Eures advisers and recruitment fairs. Finnish employers also keep looking for skilled labour from Poland.

7 Personal advice is given to encourage those seeking work abroad. Information helps to adjust to the new conditions. Ready to serve! Eures advisers work closely together. Katarzyna Kawka-Kopeć began her job as the Eures adviser in Warsaw in 2005 in the middle of the crazy years. Poland had joined the European Union with a relatively low standard of living and a massive unemployment rate of 18 percent. Eures advisers were kept busy with many jobseekers wishing to work abroad. Skilled people from several sectors found they way as far as to Finland, despite language problems. The situation has somewhat changed since those days, says Katarzyna. Wages are higher now, for example a skilled welder will take home euros per month. The unemployment rate has nearly halved from the wild figures we saw a few years ago. And the job description of Eures advisers has diversified, as now we actually find employment for immigrant jobseekers in Poland! Nevertheless, the workforce will remain mobile There will always be people who want to work abroad, Katarzyna continues. Young people in particular have never been this mobile. They are attracted by the opportunities to learn about new people and cultures. Employees coming from Poland to Finland include skilled metal workers, whose contribution has saved many businesses from severe problems. The competition to attract skilled labour continues to intensify, particularly in the western countries with ageing populations. Eures advisor Katarzyna Kawka-Kopeć appreciates the Finnish punctuality. Productive job-matching The Future in Metal projects run with the Finnish authorities, with funding from the ESF and Eures, were a great success. Employers interviewed applicants and found suitable employees for their businesses, says Katarzyna. We organise an international recruitment fair in Warsaw every year. In 2007, we focused on the Finnish and Danish employment market. The embassies of the two countries hosted the event, and representatives from businesses and organisations talked about the conditions and jobs in their country. These events have proven a great way to match employers and applicants. Nothing to complain! Language was, and still is, a big problem because not everybody here speaks even English. Interpreters have been a great help with the interviews, says Katarzyna. I have been to Finland a few times and met Polish people working there. They seem to have adjusted well, to the extent that many have brought their families over. They learn the language efficiently through everyday tasks but, of course, the language course provision is crucial. In fact, I was surprised by how little they complained about the conditions in Finland. They have clearly adjusted well because we Polish people like to moan! And their employers seemed quite pleased, too. I m happy to manage the Nordic recruitment because I m a big fan of your nature and design, Katarzyna confesses. I particularly appreciate the Finnish punctuality: you are always on time! 7

8 Development Director of Coastal Ostrobothnia Entrepreneurs Tuula Töyli: It s good to build bridges! Success is created by many stakeholders and a common will. All employers are not familiar with the Eures network, although its services could save them from substantial difficulties. The Coastal Ostrobothnia Entrepreneurs decided to disseminate information about Eures and generate contacts in the Vaasa region. 8 Ostrobothnia has for a long time been suffering from a shortage of skilled labour. The organisation thought that serious action was needed in the Vaasa region. Having listened to the wishes of their members, the Coastal Ostrobothnia Entrepreneurs begun working closely with the Eures advisers. Businesses enjoy good economic prospects here, says Development Director Tuula Töyli. It s the shortage of labour which creates problems. A couple of years ago we started to build bridges between the business owners and the Eures network and have seen some great results. Now the entrepreneurs know about the free services and are encouraged to advertise their vacancies through Eures in order to attract workers from abroad. Our organisation in the Vaasa region is not very large, so we agile and flexible, says Töyli. We have accompanied business owners on their visits to Polish fairs to interview and select applicants. Our next trip will be to Budapest. Our cooperation with the Eures network is going well. We share the same goal: to find skilled employees. However, since this is a national problem, financial support towards the travel costs would be greatly appreciated. Currently the entrepreneurs have to pay every cent for the recruitment visits by themselves. Mapromec is a veteran of recruitment trips Diesel engine part manufacturer Mapromec has not been able to take on all orders due to a severe lack of skilled labour. The most in-demand professional include engineers and CNC machinists. Caj-Erik Karp and Tuula Töyli use the Eures services to attract key professionals to Ostrobothnia. The current outlook is bright, says CEO Caj-Erik Karp, whose company employs 140 people. Mapromec products are exported to several countries, and with the current energy situation they are in increasing demand. Next year s production is nearly sold. We are lucky to have professionals from other countries, such as Poland. I have visited three fairs to select suitable applicants. By interviewing the applicants ourselves, it is easy to find out their skills and suitability. Currently we have ten Polish professionals, and we couldn t be more happy with them. They have adjusted well to Finland, thanks to the Eures advisors and the employment office staff, one of whom even speaks Polish.

9 Recruiter s checklist Contact your nearest Eures advisor. Together you will map your employment needs. Advertise your vacancies through the labour administration website at Jobs will be automatically advertised on the Eures Job Mobility Portal at Some 10,000 people visit the site every day. We can advise you on marketing your jobs directly in some EU/EEA member states. You can join us on visits to recruitment fairs to market your business and interview applicants. We guide you through the recruitment process. We will tell you about the permits required from foreign employees and advise you on arranging the practicalities, such as taxation and social security. Invest in integrating the new employer. Encourage the new employee to engage in the workplace leisure activities and provide assistance in finding Finnish language courses and other activities, while respecting the employee s wishes. The happier your employees are with their job and the living conditions, the more likely you are to retain them. Cooperation is an asset in North Karelia For the time being, we haven t met problems in finding employees, but as many employees are about to retire, we will need new people in the near future, and there is a labour shortage in this region, says Eures advisor Taru Asikainen from the employment office of the Joensuu region. Employers are clearly more interested in finding employees from aboard now. Businesses in the metal and ICT industries and transport have already begun to advertise jobs through Eures. Gradually employers are finding out that Eures is a convenient method of finding new skilled labour. Eures services are marketed directly with the help of company visits and events. Locally we need efficient partnerships between the different stakeholders in order to succeed in international recruitment, says Taru. We have marketed the services and channels provided by Eures together with the Chamber of Commerce, business organisations and regional development companies. Our contacts are working well and we are planning new things together. 9

10 10 PlannING OFFICER Olga Silfver: More skilled labour wanted in Helsinki There are more immigrants in Helsinki than anywhere else in the country. In 17 years, one in four residents in the Finnish capital will speak some other language than Finnish or Swedish as their mother tongue. In 2025, one in four school children will have an immigrant background. Efficient measures will be necessary to integrate newcomers to life in Finland. Many do come but we need ever more immigrant labour, says Planning officer Olga Silfver from the Helsinki City Council Immigration Department. Even if we recruited all unemployed immigrants, their numbers wouldn t be nearly enough to meet the increasing labour shortage. Eures is a great forum Finding and attracting the right professionals is a big challenge in many industries. The Eures network works efficiently. This European partnership enables us to find highly-educated professionals, who are increasingly in demand, says Olga Silfver. We need cooperation between the authorities and the municipalities in the Metropolitan region in order to find skilled people and to retain them! Support for newcomers Helsinki has made great efforts to integrate immigrants. Olga Silfver has personal experience of the kind of situation immigrants face on arrival to Finland because she came from Ukraine with her father when he found employment here. Olga took a master s degree in sociology at Helsinki University, with a special focus on researching the integration of well-educated Russian-speaking immigrants. Learning the language is the most important first step for all newcomers since it is required in nearly all jobs, she says. To support the learning process we are creating a shared database, which will help us map demand for Finnish teaching and organise enough language courses. It is also extremely important to provide assistance for people to maintain their mother tongue throughout the school system. However, since integration often requires a personal service, Helsinki would like to expand that part of the service provision, says Silfver. The Council has already decided to increase investment in the immigrant employment services, and we are discussing a letter of intent with the Government. Many other ways to provide support for immigrants are planned. Internal training for the Council staff to enable them to understand immigrants and serve them accordingly is also crucial. When the newcomers, their culture and needs begin to feel more familiar, many problems disappear. Encouraging start-ups and offering advice Yritys-Helsinki is an advisory organisation set up to provide support for anybody thinking about starting or running a business. The organisation has many immigrant customers. For many immigrants, self-employment feels like a natural way of earning a living. Many have special skills, which are required in the service sector and other industries. The organisation provides advice for these new Finns via several channels, also in partnership with the Eures and ESF personnel. The social services advice centre in the east of Helsinki has a low threshold for anybody who needs advice. Other examples of successful services include the Cultural Centre Caisa, Infobank, the Family House Sahrami and the library reading clubs. Even if we recruited all unemployed immigrants, their numbers wouldn t be nearly enough to meet the increasing labour shortage, says Olga Silfver.

11 Future prospects The challenge of finding skilled labour will intensify year by year in Finland. From 2010, the number of people entering the labour market will be exceeded by those leaving the market by 11,000 12,000. The significance of Eures as a provider of guidance and assistance will grow, particularly in meeting the labour shortage of the SMEs. Knowledgeable Eures advisors will continue to be in demand to help employers. In additional to providing personal advice, they will plan solutions to meet the individual employer s requirements, such as posting jobs in the European Job Mobility Portal and arranging interview visits abroad. In many key regions, the Eures network in partnership with the European Social Fund (ESF) can provide an expanding range of services to the employers. For example, integration of foreign employees can begin in their own country with the help of language classes and induction. This training can be later supplemented in Finland according to the individual needs. 11

12 Eures Advisers in Finland Helsinki/Kluuvi employment office Tuula Kinnunen Aila Mackel Lella Mobiglia-Wikström Espoo employment office Katriina Dag Turku employment office Tuula Matikainen Employer services Tomi Puranen Employment office of the Åland Islands Suzanne Sjölund Employment office of the Pori region Leena Nyman Anne Helin Tampere employment office Tuula Suihko Kati Ahonen Päijät-Häme employment office Aija Sievänen Employment office of the Kouvola region Helena Sommarberg Mikkeli employment office Pirkko Nyström Vaasa employment office Kristina Rönnblom Employment office of the Seinäjoki region Elina Koivulahti Jyväskylä employment office Mari Turunen Employment office of the Hämeenlinna region Hannele Soirila Kuopio employment office Leena Pellikka Vesa Liesivuori Savonlinna employment office Anna Kokkonen Employment office of the Joensuu region Taru Asikainen Employment office of Western Kainuu Hannele Ojalehto Employment office of the Oulu region Tina Sundqvist Outi Parhankangas Meri-Lappi employment office, Tornio Pertti Tikkala Rovaniemi employment office Irma Tervo Cross Border Tornedalen, Haaparanta A project to promote workforce mobility between Sweden and northern Finland. Coordinator Lars Kero lars.kero@arbetsformedlingen.se firstname.lastname@mol.fi For call rates, visit Vaasa Seinäjoki Rovaniemi Haaparanta, Tornio Oulu Kajaani Kuopio Joensuu Jyväskylä Pori Tampere Savonlinna Mikkeli Hämeenlinna Kouvola Lahti Turku Maarianhamina Helsinki Espoo Layout: Porkka & Kuutsa Oy, Copy: Liisa Lithovius / KEDM, Photography: Nanni Akkola, Kari Likonen / Studio Kari, Aarre Rinne / plugi.fi, Ministry of Employment and the Economy, Press: Libris Oy 2008 The publication has been funded by the European Commission. The Commission does not answer for the content of the publication.