Apprenticeship

In vocational education and training, students can study at the workplace either through an apprenticeship or a training contract. An apprenticeship is learning in an employment relationship, where the student is paid. Note: students on a training contract are not employed and do not receive a salary. 

An apprenticeship is based on a written fixed-term contract between the student and the employer – or a written fixed-term contract between the student and the employer in the case of a public service employment relationship. 

Students are expected to work an average of 25 hours per week. 

You can apply for an apprenticeship if you are working, unemployed, looking for work, switching professions or studying at a vocational institution. Apprenticeships are also available to persons subject to compulsory schooling, the minimum age for participation being 15. An entrepreneur can study via apprenticeship in his or her own company.

If you are already studying in Tredu and wish to make a switch to apprenticeship, discuss the matter with your teacher.

A qualification obtained through an apprenticeship gives the person the same eligibility for further studies as a vocational college or upper secondary school, and the same competence and skills as a vocational college.

Apprenticeships can be used to study any vocational upper secondary qualification, further vocational qualification or specialist vocational qualification. You can choose to complete the full degree, study one or few qualification units, or focus on a certain competence area.

• You can find out more about different vocational qualifications on the Studyinfo-website  
• In the Tredu education search page, you can find apprenticeships for which to apply directly. If you cannot find a suitable option, please contact the apprenticeship specialist in Tredu who is responsible of the vocational field you’re interested in. 

Note! Tredu has an extended licence to organize apprenticeships, which means that you can study qualifications that are not normally part our course selection with apprenticeship.

The apprenticeship contract is based on the student’s personal competence development plan (PCDP, “HOKS” in Finnish), which is drawn up jointly by the student, the employer and Tredu. PCDP records the studies, education schedule and the main tasks that the student will perform in the workplace to acquire the necessary skills. The PCDP will take into account the student’s prior learning, which may shorten the learning period.

You can sign an apprenticeship contract for your current job or for a new job.

You should have a job ready before the apprenticeship starts. The apprentice will independently look for a job in the field that is suitable for the studies.

You can find an apprenticeship, for example, through a summer job, labour market training, previous employers, a training contract, a hobby, a family business or by contacting companies directly.

Helpful Sites for Job Searching

Job vacancies organized by the local TE Services can be found on the Job Market Finland -website. You can also search for an apprenticeship using Tredu’s Tiitus job market. 

Be sure to remind your potential employer that they can apply for a pay subsidy for the duration of the apprenticeship when they hire an unemployed person. Please enquire about your own eligibility for pay subsidies from the TE Services or local government pilot. 

Read more about the pay subsidy in English. 

The work environment must have these in place, so that the apprentice’s personal competence development plan (PCDP) can be implemented:

1) sufficient production and service activities 

2) the necessary tools and equipment 

3) qualified staff with professional skills, training and work experience. 

The apprentice’s employer appoints a qualified workplace instructor for him or her. Tredu offers free training for workplace instructors. Find out more about it here (in Finnish). 

The apprentice’s salary is usually determined by the applicable collective agreement (TES). 

Key Benefits for the Employer 

• Apprenticeships are free of charge for the employer. 
• The employer can receive financial compensation for the student’s education and guidance in the workplace.

In Addition 

An employer can receive pay subsidies when hiring an unemployed jobseeker on an apprenticeship. Find out more about the topic here (in Finnish) or here (in English). 

An employer can use an apprenticeship to develop the skills of existing staff. Apprenticeships can also be used to recruit new employee(s). 

Tredu’s apprenticeship specialists can help with planning a tailored apprenticeship training for your company. Don’t hesitate to contact us! 

You can also hire our students for a summer or seasonal job on an apprenticeship. The timing and duration of the apprenticeship is planned according to the wishes of the student and the employer. 

Please note! 

• An apprenticeship is a fixed-term contract and may include a probationary period when the apprenticeship is arranged to a new employee. 
• If the apprenticeship is arranged to a worker with an employment contract of indefinite duration, the apprenticeship does not affect the terms and conditions of his/her employment. 

In general, apprenticeships are free of charge for the student. Vocational upper secondary qualifications are always free of charge. 

Further vocational qualifications and specialist vocational qualifications may be subject to a student fee. You can find out on Tredu’s website whether the course in question involves a fee. In addition, you will always be informed of any student fee before the apprenticeship contract is signed. 

Statutory Social Benefits for Students 

If the employer does not pay salary for the days when the apprentice is studying within Tredu premises, they can apply for: 

• a daily allowance of €15 per day of study, and 
• a family allowance of €17 per day of study, if the student has children under 18 years of age. 

Students on an apprenticeship are entitled to travel and accommodation allowances when the conditions are met. 

You can study vocational upper secondary qualifications, further vocational qualifications and specialist vocational qualifications, or parts of them, as an entrepreneur. As a rule, education on campus is free of charge. 

Requirements 

• The entrepreneur’s business must have sufficient production and service activities and the necessary tools for learning. 
• The student must work at least 25 hours per week in his/her own company in order to acquire the necessary skills, and focus on tasks that align with the objectives of the training. 

Who Is the Workplace Instructor? 

In the case of entrepreneur’s apprenticeship, the workplace instructor is a mentor chosen by the student. 

The mentor must have sufficient knowledge and skills to guide the apprentice. You can choose a mentor from Mentor Bank (in Finnish). Professionals found on the platform are already trained for the job. 

The education provider will pay the mentor a training allowance for their work.

Social Benefits 

Like other apprentices, an entrepreneur can claim social benefits for studies in the learning environment of an educational institution if the conditions are met.