Espoo launches a pilot project for international recruitment of nursing professionals
At the beginning of September, 25 nursing professionals from the Philippines will start working and attending further education within the City of Espoo’s Welfare and Health Sector. They will work at Espoo Hospital, in long-term care units for the elderly and in disability services.
More than 10 per cent of the Welfare and Health Sector’s employees will retire in the coming years. At the same time, the number of applicants interested in open nursing positions has decreased and fewer people wish to pursue studies in nursing. The aim of the pilot project is to examine if international nursing professionals could be one of the solutions to relieve the labour shortage.
Work and training start in early September
The nurses arrived in Espoo at the end of August and beginning of September and will start working in early September. The individuals arriving from the Philippines have a degree in nursing. At first, they will work as care assistants. They will also continue studying the Finnish language and complete either a practical nurse’s qualification through an apprenticeship at Omnia or upgrade their nurse’s qualification at a university of applied sciences.
“I am very pleased that we are able to recruit skilled employees from abroad in this difficult staffing situation. This pilot project is important and the first step for cooperation,” says Minna Hoffström, Acting Deputy Mayor for Welfare and Health. “The need for staff will continue to increase and it is an asset that, in the future, we will be able to take measures like these to address the labour situation. Our teams are prepared to welcome their new colleagues and familiarise them with their work. We are eagerly waiting for them to join us.”
Close cooperation with Seure and Silkkitie
The recruitment of nurses in the Philippines was carried out by Silkkitie Oy, a subcontractor selected through Seure Oy’s tendering process. Silkkitie has handled issues related to work and residence permits and concluded employment contracts on behalf of the employer in the Philippines. The company has also been in charge of the nurses’ 5-month training period in their home country and will take care of their integration into Finland. The City of Espoo is responsible for the employer’s obligations, workplace induction and competency training.
“During the autumn, we will closely monitor how the Philippine nurses adjust to and cope with their work. We will also collect feedback from the nurses, clients and teams,” Hoffström says.