The Lapland Education Center: a best practice model to empower the regional and foreign workforce

The Lapland Education Center (REDU) is the largest vocational education provider in Lapland and is part of the Rovaniemi Municipal Federation of Education. REDU offers a wide selection of training programs to 5,000 students across six locations.

Context

REDU is implementing a project to permanently attract foreign seasonal workers while supporting their social integration by providing degrees and training courses in English to equip employees with the necessary skills to succeed in the local tourism and restaurant industries. The initiative was created in response to labour shortages in Lapland, which were further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As illustrated by last year’s figures, approximately 12,000 international workers were estimated to be employed in Lapland during the winter season of 2023-24, highlighting the demand for skilled labour in the region. REDU’s personnel consist of approximately 560 experts working in different positions.

 

Implementation

In collaboration with Lapland’s tourism employers, REDU developed a training model tailored to meet the specific needs of the regional workforce. In addition to vocational training, this model prioritised EDI content by offering courses in Finnish language, cultural knowledge, and workplace skills to support the effective integration of foreign workers into Lapland.

To pilot this initiative, international participants were recruited through personnel service companies. Initially, an assessment was conducted to map the training and skill needs of foreign employees, focusing on Finnish language and cultural qualifications. The training packages were then piloted within tourism and restaurant establishments. Based on feedback from students and employers, a final model was created from this pilot study to support participants’ academic progress and inclusion into Finland’s workforce.

 

Enabling Factors

The main factor enabling of this inclusive training program was the collaboration between REDU and tourism establishments. This partnership ensured the integration of foreign  workers into the labour market by providing an understanding of Finnish culture and workplace norms. An additional key factor was that vocational education in Finland is offered free of charge to participants.

 

Barriers

The project faced some challenges, particularly at the beginning, especially with the difficulties of the organisation in developing the pilot training model when it was difficult to secure employees. Employers reported that international recruitment is expensive. For this reason, the establishments avoided allocating training days during the peak season. Instead, employers preferred to provide training for employees themselves. Another identified barrier was the high cost of accommodation and transportation to the education centre. These expenses made it difficult to provide face-to-face training for employees before the season.

 

Impact on the Organisation

The initial data from the pilot indicated positive outcomes. By integrating assistance support and vocational training, participants are equipped to remain employed in the tourism sector in Lapland. The goal is to reduce the need for employers to hire new staff each year.

 

Quotes

‘In the training, we discussed how to treat employees at work. For example, treatment should not vary according to nationality or gender.’

‘The Living in Lapland training was participated by Filipino students living in Rovaniemi, where they studied the Finnish language and got to know the local culture and services. They also received library cards and got to know the immigrant services.’

 

Lessons Learned

To ensure a smooth integration of foreign employees, it is essential to share knowledge about their rights, resources and responsibilities in Finland.

 

Future Plans

The updated training model will be implemented. To increase the number of participants, REDU is exploring the option of offering the training via remote connection to overcome the past accommodation and transportation barriers.

 

Links with UN Sustainable Development Goals