Cooperation Between EURES Advisers from Finland and Slovakia Strengthens in North Savo

EURES Advisers from Kuopio and the North Savo employment region welcomed their Slovakian colleagues for a visit to Kuopio. The visit aimed to deepen the connection and cooperation between the two countries. The North Savo EURES Advisers, along with their colleagues, focused particularly on the labor needs of berry farms, and plans were made to address next summer’s labor demand through continued collaboration.

The central focus of the visit included the berry farms of North Savo: Junnikkala farm in Kortejoki, Kalliola farm in Suonenjoki, as well as the new facilities of FinVector in Savilahti. On Thursday, the group also visited the ELY Centre (The Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment) in Kallanranta.

During the visit, discussions were held on concrete forms of cooperation aimed at alleviating the labor shortage faced by North Savo berry farms next year and supporting the employment of Slovakian berry pickers on these farms in the upcoming summer. Strengthening the collaboration benefits both parties: Finnish berry farms gain much-needed labor, and Slovakian pickers are provided with new employment opportunities in North Savo. One challenge identified was the lack of work on farms during the winter – however, farm owners expressed their willingness to rehire familiar workers, thus building continuity.

The visit also offered an opportunity to introduce the Slovakian EURES Advisers to the local economy and services in the North Savo region. In addition to the farms, the visit included a stop at the ELY Centre, where discussions focused on regional employment services and development projects, and a tour of FinVector’s new facilities on Sädekuja in Savilahti, where the team was introduced to FinVector’s highly international staff.

The Slovakian guests described the visit as rewarding and beneficial and expressed a strong desire to continue active cooperation with North Savo employers and colleagues. Strengthening this collaboration marks a step toward more efficient labor mobility within Europe and further enhances the attractiveness of the region.

EURES Advisers Serve Employers

EURES Advisers assist employers in filling job vacancies when no suitable Finnish candidates are available. Across Europe, there are many job seekers who would be happy to work in Finland. With the help of an expert, an employer can find just the right candidate and receive support throughout various stages of the recruitment process—from drafting job advertisements to guiding the employee in settling in. Finnish job seekers can also get support from EURES Advisers in finding employment in another European country.

In the picture from the left: Samuli Miettinen and Väinö Vähäsarja (North Savo ELY Centre), Ján Gerát and Ferdinand Bolibruch (EURES Slovakia), Henni Kuikka and Taina Jutila (EURES Finland / North Savo)