Across Europe, cities are looking for practical ways to help young people enter working life at a time when entry-level jobs are becoming scarcer and competition is increasing. Summer Job Voucher (Kesätyöseteli) is one such instrument available almost in every city in Finland: a subsidy that supports young people in accessing their first work experience while lowering recruitment barriers for employers.
In Tampere, the voucher program launched as a pilot in 2022, and has grown steadily since. In recent summer, around 750 young people and more than 400 employers have participated. Its design offers useful insights into how cities can activate local labour markets in inclusive and cost-effective ways.
A program run with entrepreneurial logic
The Tampere Summer Job Voucher program is coordinated by @Petri Räsänen, whose background as an entrepreneur shapes how the scheme is run. As Räsänen explains:
“Even though it is a free service, I approach it like a business. I market it. I ‘sell’ it…so that young people and businesses know about it”
This ongoing outreach is central to the program’s expansion. Räsänen and his colleagues visit schools, youth events and employer networks to ensure that both young people and companies understand how the voucher works and how it can be used.
How the voucher works
The voucher provides €320 to an employer who hires a young person living in Tampere for at least two weeks, with a minimum wage of €400 (or more if collective agreements require it). The payment is made only after the employment period has been completed.
The application process is intentionally simple. Young people must already have an employer when they apply, and the employer submits a second application after the work has been done. Importantly, the voucher does not replace wages. Employers still cover some share of the cost, which keeps them invested in the process.
Why employers use it
For many small businesses and sole entrepreneurs, the voucher can make a meaningful difference. A few hundred euros may determine whether a young person can be hired at all.
Beyond cost sharing, the program also supports longer-term workforce development. As Räsänen notes:
“If they find a 15-year-old who is really good, they can ‘headhunt’ them …in young age already.”
The voucher thus functions both as a hiring incentive and as a tool for early talent identification.
What young people gain
For many young people, the program provides their first real job, but its impact goes further than employment alone. The voucher pushes young people to become active job seekers, and the program coordinator provides some guidance on this during the school visits.
He encourages young people to look beyond the most obvious options:
“Supermarkets and coffee shops are popular, but there are so many other companies. It can be a law firm, a private healthcare company, sports organizations, construction – there are many places young people don’t think about.”
Young people are advised to go face to face, introduce themselves, explain their motivation and show the voucher as a concrete offer to the employer. This broadens their understanding of the labour market and helps them see opportunities in sectors they might otherwise overlook.
In addition to finding their first job, young people gain valuable work experience that builds confidence and strengthens essential skills. They learn responsibility, teamwork and time management, and get a clearer understanding of different industries. Some also discover new interests or career paths they hadn’t considered before, increasing their readiness for future studies and working life.
Part of a wider ecosystem
The Summer Job Voucher is embedded in city’s broader youth employability ecosystem, guided by City of Tampere’s Youth Employment Program 2024–2026. Many of the ecosystem partners are local branches of nationwide (or even international) youth and employment initiatives. They include, among others:
- Kesäduuni, the city’s summer jobs campaign offering support with finding summer jobs, CV workshops, job-search events and job interview training (in VR glasses!)
- Ohjaamo – One-Stop Guidance Center where young people can get help in matters related to work, education and everyday life.
- Summer Entrepreneurship vouchers, supporting young people who want to test small business ideas during the summer
- OP bank seasonal job voucher
- 4H Finland, a network of associations offering year-round entrepreneurship and work-life skills training
- Junior Achievement Finland – inspires and prepares young people to succeed in the global economy.
Who the program is for
Each year, an estimated 6,000–8,000 young people (15-17-year-old) in Tampere are eligible for the voucher. With around 700–750 vouchers used, the program reaches roughly 10% of this group.
The voucher is designed to support those who would otherwise struggle to access summer jobs, while recognising that many young people find work without public support.
A social innovation with lasting effects
By combining a simple subsidy with active employer engagement and youth initiative, the city has created a practical gateway into working life that supports longer-term employability.
The program’s ambition is to have more young people gaining work experience and more employers offering it. Feedback from stakeholders has been very positive, suggesting that the program represents a good practice that could be considered for adaptation in other contexts.
More information is available at: https://www.tampere.fi/en/work-and-entrepreneurship/summer-job/summer-job-voucher