Government agencies offer a wide range of internship opportunities each year for students from various fields. Interns get the chance to work on meaningful tasks that support their studies and professional development. Internship positions are available for students in fields such as law, business, economics, engineering, communications, and administrative sciences. In addition, opportunities are increasingly available in IT, cybersecurity, and sustainable development, reflecting the needs of today’s working life.

The length of internship periods varies depending on the role and organizational needs, and the longest internships in the state can last up to six months. It is often possible to complete a thesis project for a government agency, subject to separate agreement with the respective organization.

Internship opportunities are available throughout the year, although most internships take place during the summer season. The busiest recruitment period is at the beginning of the year. Most state internship opportunities can be found on the Valtiolle.fi website, where positions can be filtered by selecting the job level “Intern.”

Government agencies may also advertise internship positions through university and university of applied sciences career portals. In addition, ministries such as the Ministry for Foreign Affairs offer dozens of internship opportunities annually for students from different fields.

The Finnish government employs professionals from a wide range of educational backgrounds. Employment opportunities are available regardless of educational level. Those at the beginning of their careers should familiarize themselves with the state administration as a whole and with its various organizations. The Valtiolle.fi website contains presentations of government agencies, and additional information can be found on the agencies’ own websites.

Be sure to also explore State as an Employer page, which contains information for applicants about working for the government. There you can find, among other things, information on what kinds of positions different educational backgrounds have led to within the state administration and what kinds of roles different government organizations offer.

Recent graduates should also remember that internship opportunities are available for newly graduated applicants as well. It is worth exploring international internships and the requirements of different programs. Internship experience improves opportunities for obtaining permanent employment.

The government also offers international positions, and you can read more about them on International Assignments page.

The first thing you should do is create a job alert!

A job alert automatically notifies you of new job postings that match your search criteria. You can narrow your search using as many criteria as you like, for example by field, location, and type of position.

When reading job postings, it is important to pay attention to eligibility requirements. For example, if a position requires a higher university degree, this is a mandatory requirement. A person cannot be appointed to the position if this requirement is not met. Many job postings do not include eligibility requirements, in which case the details listed in the posting are expectations for applicants. When preparing your application, it is good to remember that applicants are always evaluated in relation to the requirements and expectations stated in the job ad. Therefore, it is advisable to describe your qualifications carefully in relation to them.

Once you have registered an account in the Valtiolle.fi service and submitted your first application, you can use the same information in future applications. Reserve enough time for preparing your first application, as completing it requires entering a considerable amount of information, such as education and work experience. The information is collected in this format to ensure applicants can be compared as fairly as possible. Remember to submit your application on time. After the application period has ended, the service will no longer allow applications to be submitted. Applications submitted to the government are public documents. Information about the publicity of applications is provided in the applicant portal before submitting the application.

Good luck with your job search!

What kind of employer is the state? What kinds of tasks and development opportunities does working for the state offer? Why is public administration an important part of a functioning Finland?

The Work for the Best of Finland training provides an overview of public administration and state jobs. It is designed especially for university students but also supports others interested in state roles. The training is openly and freely available (in Finnish) to anyone through the state’s digital learning platform eOppiva.fi.

State employers actively participate in various recruitment events and fairs. Sometimes an individual agency is present, and sometimes a joint team represents the state. At these events, students and jobseekers can meet agency representatives, receive up-to-date information about open positions and internship opportunities, and network with professionals in the field.

State agencies are strongly involved in events such as the Contact Forum recruitment fair, held annually at Messukeskus in Helsinki.
This event is Finland’s largest recruitment and career fair for university students, where employers present their job and internship opportunities.

Follow us on social media and come meet our experts at the Valtiolle.fi stand at recruitment fairs – let’s talk about what it’s like to work for the state!