Developing the Capacities for Immigration Customised for Labour Needs
Funded by Euregio Karelia Neighbourhood Programme 2001-2006

Objective of the project

The goal of the project was to increase the capacity of the business and public sectors, actors in the regional and local administrative bodies, and the training industry to receive, train, recruit and provide guidance to immigrants arriving for work. The attempt was to develop new cross-border working and training methods and models and to prevent the marginalisation of immigrants and their exclusion from employment and education.

Main activities

• Assessing the labour needs in Pielinen Karelia within commuting range for the next 2-, 5- and 10-year periods for approximately 40 companies and the public services of municipalities • Establishment of two pilot training entities for labour requirements: a training pilot in the social and healthcare industry as well as a business oriented training pilot • Arrangement of six study trips to the Republic of Kareli for representatives from the healthcare services, vacation and rural sectors, educational and social services, and businesses • Arrangement of a meeting for Ingrian return migrants • Participation and consulting in the planning and implementation of projects associated with work-related immigration.

Achievements

Pielinen Karelia was selected as the operational area of the project. The project assessed the labour needs in Pielinen Karelia within commuting range for the next 2-, 5- and 10-year periods for approximately 40 companies and the public services of municipalities. A report summary of the assessment work was created and published and was available for download from the project website at www.open.pkky.fi. The planning work was completed in cooperation with the North-Karelia Adult Education Centre, representatives from organisations in the municipalities in Pielinen Karelia in the social and healthcare industries, and labour administrative bodies. Upon conclusion of the project, the pilot training to be implemented in accordance with labour policies anticipated funding decisions from the labour administration and further planning at the educational institutions, public services, and companies where training was arranged. The goal of the study trips was to increase the readiness of companies and public administration officials within commuting range of Pielinen Karelia to receive Russian immigrants for orientation in their work environments, recruit them for jobs, direct them in their individual training and working life situations, and to act as working life and cultural ambassadors within their organisations and working communities. A total of 22 persons participated in these visits. The project participated and provided consulting in the planning and implementation of projects associated with work-related immigration. Examples of other projects, which this one supported, are macro-project associated with the East Finland programme, East Finland as a Pilot Active Immigration Policy Region project, and the planned training project for Finnish-Ingrian return migrants (which was later implemented). The information and experiences obtained during the project were circulated to other similar project and supplier actors throughout the implementation period.