Summer jobs that matter

Aleksi, Eveliina and Hugo find their summer employment at the City Planning Department meaningful and down to earth.

“It’s interesting to plan real projects and to think together with the experts of the Town Planning Unit about solutions that really matter to the everyday life of Espoo residents in the future,” say Hugo, who is studying to be an architect, and Eveliina, who is studying to be a landscape architect.

“At the Traffic Planning Unit, I’ve been assigned just the right amount of responsibility in a few different entities. Among other things, I’m mapping out what kind of environment in Espoo’s different city centres supports and promotes walking as a mode of transport instead of driving for example,” says Aleksi, who is studying traffic and city planning.

While the students can enjoy the benefits of an independent style of working, they receive advice and help from more experienced colleagues when needed, so things do not get too stressful.

“It’s interesting to compare notes and to hear about the wide range of things that landscape architects are working on at the Town Planning Unit,” says Eveliina, who is mapping the characteristics of a good block courtyard as part of her summer job duties.

“Collaboration across team and even administrative boundaries is rewarding. We are planning the land use of a new school and day-care centre in the Vanttila area in cooperation with experts from the Education and Cultural Services,” says Hugo.

The work has met the expectations and orientation started already at the interview phase.

“Already in the interview, a preliminary description was given on the nature of projects the selected summer employee would participate in. During the first working days, more information was provided and guidance given on the use of the systems and HR issues,” says Eveliina.

“The style of working is flexible. During COVID-19, telecommuting has gone well and the team members have become familiar through the use of Teams,” say Aleksi and Hugo.

The City of Espoo employs approximately 780 summer employees this year. For example, the city hired 65 young people to assist in early childhood education. Emma Bucaya, an upper secondary school student, worked at the Kartanonpuisto day-care centre in June.  

“The days have flown by playing and doings arts and crafts with children. I’ve also helped with serving meals and providing other forms of care. I enjoy learning new things. It has been nice to see the nature of work in early childhood education. Although the children’s daily rhythm remains roughly the same, no working day with the little ones is the same,” says Emma.

Both the adults and children of the day-care centre welcomed the new pair of hands. “It’s fun to engage in the children’s activities and to see what kind of crafts, drawings and games they come up with.”

Benefits of summer weather included enjoying daily outdoor recreation with the children to the fullest.

Emma encourages young people to apply for summer jobs. “A summer job gives insight to working life and work experience. Nobody expects that a young person knows how to do everything. Just be yourself, you can learn by doing and asking questions.”

The City of Espoo employed the most young people in various tasks in property and green area maintenance (150 summer employees), assisting tasks in home and long-term care and disability services (100 summer employees), assisting tasks in early childhood education (65 summer employees) and sports and youth services, such as outdoor recreation area caretakers and lifeguards (126 summer employees).

The average summer job duration was one moth.

In addition, the City of Espoo distributed a total of 1,000 “kesäseteli” employment vouchers. The city pays 300 euros to an employer who hires a young person living in Espoo to work with the employment voucher between 1 May and 30 September.

Espoo is a partner of the Responsible Summer Jobs campaign(external link, opens in a new window).