A Next Step info session

Are you a new upper secondary school graduate or recently qualified and wondering what’s next?

A Next Step info session will be organised for spring matriculants and newly qualified professionals, offering young people valuable tips as they transition from studies toward working life. “It’s important to be there right at 14:00, when career coaches will explain how to start the job search process and how it progresses after graduation. Young people will also hear about different study opportunities and what it’s like to be a young entrepreneur,” says Satu Saarela from BusinessOulu, the coordinator responsible for the event arrangements.

A representative from Kela will also be present to explain, among other things, how to apply for unemployment benefits and what obligations jobseekers have.

Register as a jobseeker in Työmarkkinatori

Jobseeker registration is done through the Työmarkkinatori.fi e-Services. Use the link below to register.  It’s important to activate your job search no later than the next working day after graduation, as benefits are not paid retroactively. You can also register in advance,” advises Anna Järvenpää, team supervisor at BusinessOulu.

When registering, you will be asked for your official graduation date — the day you received your diploma. “For those completing a double qualification, both qualifications must be completed, and for IB graduates, the graduation date is later than for those completing the traditional matriculation examination.”

Any interruption of studies or withdrawal from an educational institution must also be reported in the Asiointi service.

Apply for unemployment benefits from Kela

You can apply for unemployment benefits two weeks after registering as a jobseeker. Be prepared to wait for the first payment. “Kela sets a waiting period for those registering as jobseekers for the first time. No unemployment benefit is paid for this period. For under-25s without a vocational qualification, it may take up to five months before benefits begin,” Järvenpää explains.

If a jobseeker does not receive unemployment benefits, they can apply for basic social assistance.

Studies show that today’s young people

Interested in entrepreneurship?

Are highly interested in entrepreneurship, and for many it can be a potential option after graduation. BusinessOulu provides support for entrepreneurship right from the early stages.

At the event, participants will hear from Veera Mahlakaarto, 28, who became a creative industry entrepreneur five years ago. “I encourage all young people to pursue a working life that reflects their own interests and strengths — which may include entrepreneurship in its various forms.”

Mahlakaarto also works as a startup specialist at BusinessOulu.