We are the first company to recruit young jobseekers in difficult situations through the Youth into work cooperation program launched by the Vamos Deaconess Institute and the Varma occupational pension company.
"We have hired the first young people who came to us through theprogram at Transval. Providing work for young people in difficult situations is an extremely important task. A job can, in the best case, change the whole direction of a young person's life."
"A job has brought hope"
Minna (interviewee's name has been changed at her request) is one of the workers recruited to Transval through the Cooperationprogram . Four days a week, for five hours at a time, she shelves groceries in a store in the capital region.
- I am grateful for the opportunity. The job has given me hope, and the thought that I wouldn't get a job has gone. It feels like my life has risen from hopelessness," says Minna.
Minna's life was full of success in both school and competitive sports before she became seriously ill in high school. First her friends disappeared, and after recovery her grip on the school world slipped. Her own family lacked the resources and ability to support her through life's difficult moments.
- I had nothing to hold on to and no one really held on to me. My life situation was very difficult for several years and I ended up just being. I got used to the fact that I couldn't get any work.
Minna applied for a job with the idea that "let's go and see". Now, at 21, she has a glimmer of hope and happiness that life will roll back into success after all.
- I am so relieved and excited at the same time. I've made new friends and learned new things. The sense of community that colleagues bring feels good and makes the days feel meaningful. Maybe I can progress from my current job to other jobs," says Minna.
A genuine desire to work
Our recruitment professional Juha Honkavirta interviews just under a thousand job seekers every year.
- I have also had the opportunity to interview all the jobseekers who have come to us through the Youth to Workprogram . They have been really bright, motivated young people. They have shown a genuine desire to get a job.
We offer young people hired through theprogram jobs such as shelving in stores and receiving and shelving goods in warehouses, or even picking up e-commerce orders. The tasks and pay are the same as for other doing similar work. At the workplace, the young person will be supported by a logistics professional who will provide guidance and training if necessary. In addition, through Vamos, the young person will have a personal coach to support them in their transition to working life. The length of the working day and the workload will be considered together with the trainer to suit each young person.
The aim is to find a pathway to work for young people
Statistics show that the position of young people on the labour market has been declining. In February this year, the number of unemployed jobseekers aged under 25 at the employment and economic development offices was 39 000. This was 9 000 more than in February 2020. The interest rate pandemic, which has lasted for more than a year, has not helped young people's transition to work.
- Vamos offers support to young people aged 16-29 in 13 locations across Finland. Youth into work is a step towards our dream of sustainable employment for young people. Companies play a major role in thisprogram , many young people are in their first job, so support not only from their own coach, but also from the work community and immediate family is really important to create a positive experience. The cooperation with Transval has been really smooth. It's great to see how positive and supportive Juha and the other Transval employees are towards Vamos young people and how they genuinely try to find a job that suits everyone," says Tuire Lappalainen, Vamos Relations Manager at the Deaconess Institute.
Employing and retaining young people in working life is a major social challenge that requires concrete action from companies.
- Everyone deserves the opportunity to have a meaningful job and a supportive working environment. A job can be a chance for a young person to lead a happy and balanced life. In addition to the Vamos project, we have around 100 summer jobs opening up for which you can apply directly via our website. We are now encouraging logistics companies in Finland to take part. You don't have to offer hundreds of jobs, just one is meaningful.
More information for media representatives:
For more information on Vamos and how to apply for theprogram , please contact:
https://www.hdl.fi/vamos/
tuire.lappalainen@hdl.fi
Transval vacancies:
