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Published: 17 March 2016

Number of employed students decreased

According to Statistics Finland's Education Statistics, employment among students decreased by close on two percentage points in 2014 from the previous year. Slightly more than one-half of students were employed during their studies. Since 2004, the share has been highest in 2008 when nearly six out of ten students were employed during their studies.

Shares of employed students aged at least 18 of all students in 2008–2014

Working was most common in connection with university and polytechnic studies. Fifty-six per cent of university students had an employment contract while studying and 54 per cent of polytechnic students. Close on one-half of students attending upper secondary vocational education were employed during their studies. In 2014, the share of employed students in polytechnic education decreased most, by good two percentage points from the year before.

Women worked while studying more frequently than men: 54 per cent of women and 46 per cent of men had an employment contract while studying. The proportion of employed women in upper secondary general education and in polytechnic education was ten percentage points higher than that of men. Thirty per cent of women in upper secondary general education were working alongside studies and 59 per cent of women in polytechnic education. Nearly fifty-two per cent of women in upper secondary level vocational education worked, which was seven percentage points more than for men.

Employment during studies grew clearly the older the students were. While 22 per cent of students aged 18 were working, the share of employed students aged at least 25 was nearly triple. Of 21-year-old students, 40 per cent and of 24-year-old students, 50 per cent had an employment contract. Among students aged 25 or over, 63 per cent were employed during their studies.

Employment of students during studies varied by field of education. Sixty per cent of students in the fields of social sciences, and business and administration, 59 per cent of students in the fields of health, welfare and sports, and 53 per cent of students in the fields of humanities and education had a valid employment contract at the end of 2014.

Employment during studies was more common than the average for the whole country in the regions of Uusimaa, Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Kanta-Häme and Varsinais-Suomi, and in Åland.

More information related to the progress of studies is available from statistics describing Progress of studies and Discontinuation of education .

Source: Education. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Vesa Hämäläinen 029 551 2594, koulutustilastot@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Employment of students aged at least 18 years in 2014 and the share of employed students of all students in 2005-2014 (17.3.2016)
• Appendix table 2. Employment of students aged at least 18 by level of education and gender in 2014 (17.3.2016)
• Appendix table 3. Students and employed students aged at least 18 years by level of education and age in 2014 (17.3.2016)

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Updated 17.3.2016