Work placement

Work Placement in a nutshell

You can do a work placement as part of your degree during your studies in Finland, abroad or in your own company. If you have earlier work experience or other skills that meet the objectives of your traineeship, you can apply for recognition of skills acquired elsewhere in the past or during your studies through the recognition of previously acquired skills.

In HAMK, the extent of work placement varies depending on the program, ranging from 30 to 105 credits, equivalent to 5 to 17.5 months. If the work placement consists of part-time work, 1 month of internship equals 150 working hours.

Please note that work placement practices vary across different programs. For more information, please contact the staff of your program.

Objectives

The objectives of the work placement are to:

• Achieve the key competence objectives for professional practice as outlined in the curriculum.
• Gain insights into the working life from the perspective of our professional field.
• Acquire skills in continuous self-improvement and professional development, as well as entrepreneurship.
• Secure employment upon completion of your studies, either in Finland or in international roles.

When drafting your personal study plan (PSP), you set the objectives for your work placement so that your studies, work placement, and thesis collectively support your professional growth.

Assessment

The work placement is assessed on a pass/fail basis. The credits are recorded for the semester in which they are completed.

Work placement types

Work placement in employment

Ideally, the work placement should always take place within an employment relationship. In this case, you have an employment contract with the employer and receive a salary for the work placement, as well as being covered by the employer’s insurance.

If for some reason you cannot enter into an employment relationship with your work placement provider, the work placement required for your studies will take place within a training relationship. In this case, you will make a training agreement with your work placement provider and HAMK. During the training relationship, you are covered by HAMK’s insurance.

You can also complete your required work placement as an entrepreneur. In this case, you are covered by the insurance provided for entrepreneurs.

Before your training

If your work placement takes place within an employment relationship, you should draft an employment contract with the employer. There is no separate work placement agreement for work placements conducted within an employment relationship or as an entrepreneur.

If you are not in an employment relationship with your work placement provider, your work placement will be conducted within a training relationship. In this case, you will enter into a training agreement with both HAMK and the work placement provider. The training agreement is made in writing before the start of the work placement. You can find the agreement template and instructions in the “Guidelines and agreements” section.

A work placement plan is not mandatory. Please check the work placement practices for your program well in advance.

Work placement checklist

Work placement is a smooth process, and the following checklist can help you remember the stages:

1. Familiarize yourself with the work placement practices of your program and discuss with your study counselor if necessary to support your goals for the work placement.
2. Obtain a work placement according to the given instructions.
3. Plan your own objectives for the work placement in line with the objectives of your degree.
4. Make an employment contract or work placement agreement before the start of the work placement.
5. Carry out the work placement according to the guidelines of your program.
6. Inform your work placement supervisor of any changes that occur during the work placement.
7. Prepare a work placement report immediately after the work placement, following the guidelines of your program.
8. Submit the documents related to the work placement to HAMK’s work placement supervisor for approval and registration in the study register.
9. For international work placements, also submit the work placement report and certificate to HAMK’s work placement supervisor.

Guideline and agreements

Here you will find HAMK’s work placement guideline, as well as a template for your work placement plan

Work Placement Agreement

Please note that the work placement agreement is used only if you are not in an employment relationship with your work placement provider. If you have an employment contract, you do not need a separate work placement agreement.

Save the template of the work placement agreement for yourself and fill in the details. Make the signature request using AtomiSign and select “Sequential” as the signature order.

The signature order is as follows:

1. The first signatory is the work placement supervisor
2. The second signatory is the student himself
3. The third signatory is the representative of the workplace

When all the specified persons have signed the agreement, please download the signed agreement from AtomiSign and deliver it to the HAMK workplace supervisor.

You can find the Instructions from Verifying Electronic Documents -site.

Where can I find a work placement?

As a student, you are responsible for finding your own work placement. If needed, you can find places for example, through the Tiitus service and the channels and recruitment events of your own program. Consider where you genuinely want to do your work placement and actively reach out to companies that interest you!

Other places where you can search for work placements:(mostly in Finnish):

http://www.mytech.fi/
www.jobiili.fi
www.oikotie.fi/tyopaikat
www.valtiolle.fi
http://www.te-palvelut.fi/te/fi/
http://www.uranus.fi/tyopaikat/
www.monster.fi

If you wish for the guidance, please see the Career Support for international student -site and contact our staff.

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