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Published: 14 March 2019

Share of employed students grew

According to Statistics Finland's Education Statistics, employment among students increased by 2.5 percentage points in 2017 from the previous year. Over one-half of students were employed during their studies. Working was most common in connection with university and university of applied sciences studies.

Shares of employed students aged at least 18 of all students in 2009–2017

Fifty-six per cent of university students and 58 per cent of university of applied sciences students had an employment contract while studying. Fifty-three per cent of students attending vocational education were employed during their studies.

Women worked while studying more frequently than men: 56 per cent of women and 50 per cent of men had an employment contract while studying. The proportion of employed women in upper secondary general education and in university of applied sciences education was around ten percentage points higher than that of men. Thirty-six per cent of women in upper secondary general education were working alongside studies and 59 per cent of women studying for a university of applied sciences degree. Fifty-five per cent of women in vocational education worked, which was five percentage points more than for men.

There were differences in employment during studies among students of different ages. While 29 per cent of students aged 18 were working, and correspondingly, 40 per cent of students aged 21 and 52 per cent of students aged 24 had an employment contract. Among students aged 25 or over, 64 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, journalism and information, 59 per cent of students in the fields of health and welfare, and 48 per cent of students in the fields of arts and humanities had a valid employment contract at the end of 2017.

Employment during studies was more common than the average for the whole country in the regions of Uusimaa, Ostrobothnia and Southeast Finland and in Åland.

More information on the employment of students can be found from the Tables in databases. 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 2017 and the share of employed students of all students in 2005-2017 (14.3.2019)
• Appendix table 2. Employment of students aged at least 18 by level of education and gender in 2017 (14.3.2019)
• Appendix table 3. Students and employed students aged at least 18 years by level of education and age in 2017 (14.3.2019)

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Updated 14.3.2019