Finnish-Canadian Trainee Exchange

The Finnish-Canadian Trainee Exchange Program offers Finnish and Canadian students a wonderful opportunity for an international internship. For employers, the program offers a unique chance to hire a highly educated and enthusiastic professional inexpensively and conveniently.

The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and the Centre for International Mobility (CIMO) in Finland collaborate in the management of the program. AUCC is a non-governmental, non-profit group that serves as the voice of Canada's universities at home and abroad. Operating under the Finnish Ministry of Education, CIMO promotes international exchanges in higher education and training.

Operative since the beginning of 2003, the Finnish-Canadian Trainee Exchange offers students and recent graduates an opportunity to work in Finland and Canada—in another country of the "Modern North"—in tasks that correspond to their education. An internship usually lasts from 3 to 18 months and aims to support the trainees' studies and existing skills. The program has attracted a great number of applicants, all of whom have a background in higher education. As a result, the group that has passed the pre-screening has been highly qualified.

Today, every successful company and organization should hire an international trainee; it is clear that the employer benefits. Hiring a young trainee gives both the intern and the employer fresh points of view and a chance to learn from one another. Through internship exchange a company or an organization can build or maintain international relations that are ever more important in a globalizing world. Hiring an intern is easy. The workplace needs to offer the young professional challenging tasks and training; AUCC and CIMO take care of all practical arrangements for the employer.

In Finland, Canadians have worked for the Forest Research Institute, Helsinki University of Technology, Statistics Finland and the Snow Show cultural project. AUCC's challenge in Canada has been to acquire interested employers.

AUCC now wants to make the Finnish community in Canada aware of the benefits in hiring a talented and motivated young adult. Trainee exchange is based on common interests and acquiring internship placements for Finnish youths in Canada is essential for the future of the program. The Finnish-Canadian Trainee Exchange Program is collaboration and cultural exchange at its best. Finland and Canada have a lot in common, yet they have lot to give each other.

By Maija Pirinen

Related links

• Finnish-Canadian Trainee Exchange
• AUCC
• CIMO
• Youth ...on the move!

December 03

• Around the world
on two wheels
• A maple leaf in the presidential palace
• A view of manufactured landscapes

• Goodwill Ambassador Jari Kurri
• Visitor from Canada: Owen Rose
• Membership survey
• Canada Day 2003 
• Chairman's update
• Canbits and Finnbits
• Caisa International Fair