Work Trial
Persons returning to the job market or just beginning their working career benefit from work trials. Thanks to a work trial, they may get their foot in the door at a prospective employing company. It’s advised you try to find a workplace yourself. Nevertheless, TE Offices will also provide you with information about employers interested in arranging work trials.
A work trial gives you a perfect opportunity to show your skills and motivation to a potential employer. When trying out different tasks, you may also cooperate with your work-trial employer and the TE Office to clarify what other kinds of support you need in order to find a job.
What happens afterwards?
Your own assessment of the work trial is a crucial part of your future plans, carried out together with the employment office. Your employer will also give feedback on the work trial and recommend how you should proceed.
You have several options for support after a completed work trial. You may find employment with the help of pay subsidy, further education or work training.
Income and Compensation of Costs
Persons taking part in work trial receive same benefits as the unemployed. Your unemployment benefit may be increased when you agree on a work trial as a part of your employment plan or a similar plan. The institution paying your unemployment benefit (your own unemployment fund or Kela) will make the decision of paying an increase.
Your expenses caused by the work trial may also be reimbursed. The compensation is paid for the days you take part in the activities. If the institution paying your unemployment benefit does not reimburse you expenses, the TE Office may pay you a discretionary expense allowance.
Do the following
Contact your local TE Office when you wish to participate in a work trial in order to clarify your interests or aptitude for a specific task or profession.
To whom and on what terms
A work trial will give you an opportunity to get acquainted with the working life, try different tasks and professions and to get help in finding out which lines of work suite you best. One objective of work trials is also to clarify your professional plans. Work trial can also be used to support you when you are returning to the labour market after a long absence. You may take part in a work trial for example when:
- You don’t have any kind of occupational training.
- It is necessary you change professions due to health issues or structural changes in the job market.
- You have been absent from the labour force for a long time, for example due to long-time unemployment or family leave.
- You’re considering self-employment and wish to clarify your interests and suitability for entrepreneurship.
In a work trial, you will work with tasks previously unfamiliar to you. Only in cases where you have been absent from the labour force for a long time, work trial may be arranged in a profession or tasks you already have previous knowledge of. In these cases, the purpose of the work trial is to support the person’s return to work. For example, it is not possible to arrange work trials to employ newly examined persons within their own branch of profession, that is, to help them gain work experience.