Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship is learning in an employment relationship, where the student will gain work experience, receive a salary and acquire vocational qualifications.  

An apprenticeship is based on a written fixed-term contract between the student and the employer. 

Students are expected to work a minimum average of 25 hours per week. 

Proficiency in the Finnish language is required for most of our courses. For more information about the language requirements, please visit the applicant’s pages
For applicants

To start an apprenticeship, you must have a job. Before applying for an apprenticeship, please contact Tredu’s apprenticeship specialist on your chosen field of study.

All those aged 15 and over can study through an apprenticeship.

If you are already studying in Tredu and wish to make a switch to apprenticeship, discuss the matter with your teacher.

Apprenticeships can be used to study any vocational upper secondary qualification, further vocational qualification or specialist vocational qualification. You can choose to complete the full degree, study one or few qualification units, or focus on a certain competence area.

• You can find out more about different vocational qualifications on the Studyinfo-website  
• On Tredu ´s education search page, page you can also find apprenticeship options. Before filling in the application, please contact first the apprenticeship specialist responsible of the vocational field you’re interested in.

You should have a job ready before the apprenticeship starts. You can sign an apprenticeship contract for your current job or for a new job.

The apprentice will independently look for a job in the chosen field of study.

You can find an apprenticeship, for example, through a summer job, labour market training, previous employers, a training contract, a hobby, a family business or by contacting companies directly.

Helpful Sites for Job Searching

Job vacancies organized by the local employment services can be found on the Job Market Finland -website. You can also search for an apprenticeship using Tredu’s Tiitus job market. 

Be sure to remind your potential employer that they can apply for a pay subsidy for the duration of the apprenticeship when they hire an unemployed person. Please enquire about your own eligibility for pay subsidies from the local employment services.

Read more about the pay subsidy in English

The requirements for the workplace are:

1) sufficient production and service activities 

2) the necessary tools and equipment 

3) qualified staff with professional skills, training and work experience. 

The employer chooses a workplace trainer to guide the student in the apprenticeship training. The apprentice’s salary is usually determined by the applicable collective agreement (TES). 

Key Benefits for the Employer 

• Apprenticeship training is free of charge for the employer. 
• The employer can receive financial compensation for the student’s education and guidance in the workplace.

In Addition 

An employer can receive pay subsidies when hiring an unemployed job seeker on an apprenticeship.

An employer can use an apprenticeship to develop the skills of existing staff. Apprenticeships can also be used to recruit new employee(s). 

Tredu’s apprenticeship specialists can help with planning a tailored apprenticeship training for your company. Don’t hesitate to contact us! 

You can also hire our students for a summer or seasonal job on an apprenticeship. The timing and duration of the apprenticeship is planned according to the wishes of the student and the employer. 

Please note! 

• An apprenticeship is a fixed-term contract and may include a probationary period when the apprenticeship is arranged to a new employee. 
• If the apprenticeship is arranged to a worker with an employment contract of indefinite duration, the apprenticeship does not affect the terms and conditions of his/her employment. 

In general, apprenticeships are free of charge for the student. Vocational upper secondary qualifications are always free of charge. 

Further vocational qualifications and specialist vocational qualifications may be subject to a student fee. You can find out on Tredu’s website whether the course in question involves a fee. In addition, you will always be informed of any student fee before the apprenticeship contract is signed. 

Statutory Social Benefits for Students 

If the employer does not pay salary for the days when the apprentice is studying within Tredu premises, they can apply for: 

• a daily allowance of €15 per day of study, and 
• a family allowance of €17 per day of study, if the student has children under 18 years of age. 

Students on an apprenticeship are entitled to travel and accommodation allowances when the conditions are met. 

You can study vocational upper secondary qualifications, further vocational qualifications and specialist vocational qualifications, or parts of them, as an entrepreneur. As a rule, education on campus is free of charge. 

Requirements 

• The entrepreneur’s business must have sufficient production and service activities and the necessary tools for learning. 
• The student must work at least 25 hours per week in his/her own company in order to acquire the necessary skills, and focus on tasks that align with the objectives of the training. 

Who Is the Workplace Instructor? 

In the case of entrepreneur’s apprenticeship, the workplace instructor is a mentor chosen by the student. 

The mentor must have sufficient knowledge and skills to guide the apprentice. You can choose a mentor from Mentor Bank (in Finnish). Professionals found on the platform are already trained for the job. 

The education provider will pay the mentor a training allowance for their work.

Social Benefits 

Like other apprentices, an entrepreneur can claim social benefits for studies in the learning environment of an educational institution if the conditions are met.