KORKIT – Language training for highly educated immigrants and promotion of career orientation in Southern Ostrobothnia

The project focuses on 1) highly educated immigrants in Southern Ostrobothnia, i.e. those with a university degree obtained either in Finland or abroad and who are unemployed, or have a job that does not match their qualifications and skills, or consider changing professions, or face the risk of unemployment or are otherwise in a vulnerable position in the labor market, or are currently outside the labor market, and 2) to final year international students approaching graduation but lacking sufficient skills in Finnish which will prevent them to be employed in accordance to their education.

The group's main problems in the labor market have been identified as including poor Finnish language skills,
insufficient recognition of foreign degrees, and not finding additional and postgraduate study paths for highly educated immigrants. The project addresses these problems and improves the labor market position of the target group by providing Finnish language training that meets the needs of higher education and helping to get their previous studies and previous degrees recognized in Finland and to find further and complementary study paths for highly educated immigrants.

The project creates a model suitable for the needs of highly educated immigrants in Southern Ostrobothnia, which helps to organize Finnish language training corresponding to the needs of employment for higher education, helps to identify their skills and give national recognition to their grades, and helps to find additional and postgraduate study paths for them. Such a language training and guidance model is currently lacking in Southern Ostrobothnia.

The funding decision was made by Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment in Central Finland.

Migration Institute of Finland