Service

Applying for an international learning at work period

Service category

Employment, Career and International Opportunities

Target audience

Students

For many students, an international work-based learning period is one of the most memorable experiences of their studies. Omnia students have the opportunity to gain work experience abroad in countries such as Spain, Germany, France, Italy, the Baltic countries, and Japan.

On this page:

Students selected for the international period are generally 18 years or older and in the final stages of their studies. The duration of the periods varies from 2 weeks (group mobility) to 3 months. Before filling out the application form, discuss with your designated teacher. The application form can be completed during the application period in Wilma under the section “Applications and Decisions.”

Application periods for international work-based learning placements

Spring 2027 placements: 5.8.-30.9.2026

Autumn 2027 placements: January-February 2027. Exact dates will be announced later.

Destination countries and contact persons

Below you will find the contact persons for each field and the destination countries listed by campus. Before applying for an international internship, familiarize yourself with the destination countries available for your field.

Kirkkokatu 16, Espoon keskus

Leadership and Supervisory Work

Countries: 

  • Spain
  • Germany
  • Switzerland

Contact person in the department: Pirkko Taipale
International Specialist: Sirje Hassinen

Business

Countries:

  • Netherlands: Curaçao, Scalda
  • Spain: Barcelona, Benalmádena, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Mallorca, Málaga, Valencia
  • Malta
  • France: Paris, Niort
  • Germany: Bad Neustadt, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Wiesbaden

Contact person in the department: Päivi Ukkonen

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Media and Visual Expression

Countries:

  • Estonia: Tartu
  • Spain: Barcelona, Bilbao, Fuengirola
  • Italy: Trento
  • Japan
  • Iceland: Ísafjörður

Contact person in the department: Cristian Hallivuori

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Arts and Crafts (Metalwork)

Country: 

  • Germany: Berlin

Contact person in the department: Ilkka Laakso

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Textile and Fashion

Countries:

  • Estonia: Tartu
  • Spain: Fuengirola, Bilbao
  • Germany: Lübeck

Contact person in the department: Outi Tuohino

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Cleaning and Property Services

Country: 

  • Germany

Contact person in the department: Burhan Uddin

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Horticulture

Countries:

  • Croatia: Trsteno
  • Germany: Berlin, Bamberg
  • Estonia
  • Japan

Contact person in the department: Mika Rohunen

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Wood Industry

Countries:

  • Germany: Bamberg
  • France: Lyon
  • Spain: Madrid, Bilbao
  • Japan

Contact person in the department: Mona Olander

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Construction

Country: 

  • Germany: Bamberg

Contact person in the department: Markku Narinen

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Lakelankatu 1, Espoon keskus

Food Industry

Countries: Germany: Bamberg, France

Contact person in the department: Oona Haapakorpi

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Laboratory Technology

Countries: Spain: Barcelona, Netherlands: Scalda

Contact person in the department: Petra Gynther

International Specialist: Elina Kollanus

Tourism

Countries: 

  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Estonia

Contact person in the department: Leena Uusimäki

International Specialist: Sirje Hassinen

Restaurant and Catering Services

Countries:

  • Spain: Bilbao, Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Las Palmas), Costa del Sol
  • France: Lyon
  • Italy: Lake Como

Contact person in the department: Toivo Heikkilä

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Lehtimäentie 1, Espoon keskus

Hairdressing

Countries: 

  • Iceland: Ísafjörður / Reykjavik
  • Spain: Bilbao
  • Germany: multiple locations

Contact person in the department: Auli Maunuvaara

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Beauty Care

Countries: 

  • Spain: Mallorca
  • Bilbao
  • Germany: multiple locations

Contact person in the department: Niina Haartti

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Business

Countries:

  • Netherlands: Curaçao, Scalda
  • Spain: Barcelona, Benalmádena, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Mallorca, Málaga, Valencia
  • Malta
  • France: Paris, Niort
  • Germany: Bad Neustadt, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Wiesbaden

Contact person in the department: Päivi Ukkonen

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Social and Health Care

Countries: 

  • Germany
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Austria
  • Estonia
  • Japan

Contact persons in the department: Ulla-Maija Arminen, Liisa Kyyrönen-Vähätiitto

International Specialist: Sirje Hassinen

Cleaning and Property Services

Country: 

  • Germany

Contact person in the department: Burhan Uddin

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Martinsillantie 10, Suomenoja

Automotive Technology

Countries:

  • Estonia: Tallinn, Tartu
  • Latvia: Ventspils
  • Lithuania: Kaunas
  • France: Niort
  • Germany: multiple locations
  • Turkey: Kocaeli

Contact person in the department: Anna Nuuja

International Specialist: Elina Kollanus

Motorsport Pathway

Countries: 

  • Italy
  • France

Contact person in the department: Anna Nuuja

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Purotie 6, Kirkkonummi

Business

Countries:

  • Netherlands: Curaçao, Scalda
  • Spain: Barcelona, Benalmádena, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Mallorca, Málaga, Valencia
  • Malta
  • France: Paris, Niort
  • Germany: Bad Neustadt, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Wiesbaden

Contact person in the department: Matti Eklund

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Social and Health Care

Countries: 

  • Germany 
  • Slovenia 
  • Spain 
  • Austria 
  • Estonia 
  • Japan

Contact person in the department: Matti Eklund

International Specialist: Sirje Hassinen

Electrical and Automation Technology

Countries: 

  • Spain: Benalmádena 
  • Bilbao 
  • Fuerteventura 
  • Mallorca

Contact person in the department: Matti Eklund

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Information and Communication Technology

Countries: 

  • Spain: Barcelona 
  • Benalmádena 
  • Malta 
  • France: Niort

Contact person in the department: Matti Eklund

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Construction

Country: 

  • Germany: Bamberg

Contact person in the department: Matti Eklund

International Specialist: Riia Lamminpää

Boatbuilding

Countries: 

  • Spain: Mallorca 
  • Germany: Lübeck 
  • Estonia: Kuressaare

Contact person in the department: Matti Eklund

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Upseerinkatu 11, Leppävaara

Mechanical and Production Engineering

Countries:

  • Spain: Bilbao
  • Germany: Bad Neustadt, Bamberg, Frankfurt, Lübeck, Munich, Offenbach, Wiesbaden

Contact person in the department: Juha Rautamies

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Business

Countries:

  • Netherlands: Curaçao, Scalda
  • Spain: Barcelona, Benalmádena, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Mallorca, Málaga, Valencia
  • Malta
  • France: Paris, Niort
  • Germany: Bad Neustadt, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Wiesbaden

Contact person in the department: Hanna-Leena Hietanen

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Electrical and Automation Technology

Countries:

  • Spain: Benalmádena, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Mallorca

Contact person in the department: Sami Timonen

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Building Services Engineering

Countries:

  • Spain: Benalmádena, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Mallorca
  • Croatia: Šibenik
  • Germany: Bad Neustadt

Contact person in the department: Roope Honkala

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Information and Communication Technology

Countries:

  • Spain: Barcelona, Benalmádena
  • Malta: Valletta
  • France: Niort

Contact person in the department: Heidi Ahonen

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Technical Design

Countries:

  • Croatia: Šibenik
  • Malta: Valletta

Contact person in the department: Marjo Jenni

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Security Services

Countries:

  • Malta: Valletta
  • Estonia

Contact person in the department: Juho Laakso

International Specialist: Heli Hämäläinen

Applying for an international work-based learning period

Application process

Submit the following application documents in Wilma by the end of the application period:

Application Process Steps

  1. Fill out the application for international work-based learningYou’ll find the form in Wilma under the Applications section. Indicate your preferred time period for the international placement and your desired destination country. Attach a freely written motivation letter and a CV saved in PDF format. These documents can still be updated before the actual international period begins.
  2. If you are underage, your guardian must approve your application in Wilma before your teacher can process it. Only one guardian’s approval is required.
  3. Write a motivation letterAttach a letter written in English or in the language of the destination country to your Wilma application. You can use the sample letter found under the section “Templates and Instructions for Application Documents” as a basis.
  4. Prepare an English-language CVAttach an Europass CV written in English Europass CV (europa.eu)(opens in a new window, goes to a different website). to your Wilma application.

Interview and Preparation

Students selected for international exchange will be invited to a personal interview and mandatory international orientation sessions, where you’ll receive guidance on practical matters.

Need help with the application process?

If you need assistance preparing your application documents, contact the international coordinator for your field of study.

Document templates and instructions for application process

You can use these document templates to help you in the application process.

The links lead to the media bank service at mediapankki.omnia.fi.

Making a Europassa profile and creating a CV

Application letter

Selection Criteria for International Work-Based Learning Periods

To be eligible for an international work-based learning placement, the following criteria must be met:

  • You are in the final stages of your studies and progressing according to your personal competence development plan (HOKS).
  • You are at least 18 years old at the start of the international period. Exceptions may be made for justified reasons in teacher-led group exchanges and for students in sports academy.
  • You have completed at least one work-based learning period in Finland or have relevant work experience in your field before going abroad.
  • You have received approval from your teacher and the head of department. If you are underage, approval from a guardian is also required.
  • You are capable of representing Omnia and Finland.
  • You are in good health.
  • You have sufficient language skills in English or the language of the destination country.

Preparing for the learning at work period abroad

Every student, who participates in a Learning at work period abroad, must participate in an info (by international experts). The students, who do not have former studies before starting their studies at Omnia after the comprehensive school, have to partican kielen alkeita itsenäisesti tai Omnian tarjoamalla kurssilla.

Preparation procedure

After receiving confirmation of the actualization of your international period from your international expert, act in the following way:

  • Make an appointment with your Omnia nurse. The nurse will verify the appointment directly to Wilma, where the entry will pass to your details and allow a future grant agreement to be drawn up.
  • Make an appointment with your international expert to make a grant agreement. The contract will be made electronically in Wilma, but it is a good to settle a meeting for it so that you can go through the details of the contract together.

Please, keep in mind that after you have signed the grant agreement, you can cancel the earning at work period abroad only with Force Majeure reasons (like death of a near relative or in case of an acute illness). In case you cancel or interrupt your mobility because of non-Force Majeure reason, you will be obliged to refund all costs of your period to Omnia.

  • Make sure you get an English language training agreement from your teacher responsible for learning at work period. She/He does it in Wilma and prints and signs it before the start of your learning at work period abroad. It is your responsibility to have it signed at the host company during the period. It is possible to create a training agreement after the international expert has made you a grant agreement in Wilma.
  • In case you are entitled to a free lunch at Omnia, you will also be entitled to a food allowance for your international period during your whole stay abroad (including Saturdays and Sundays and the travelling days). Discuss this with your responsible teacher or the teacher responsible for your learning at work period abroad.
  • In case you will carry out a Skills demonstration abroad, fill a plan for it with your vocational teacher.

Safety information

Before the learning at work period, fill in the Student’s safety information form and forward a copy to your international expert.

International services for vocational students – Student’s safety information pdf Puuttuvapulu

This document contains important information about you, your destination and about your next of kin who is your ICE contact person during your period abroad.

Kv-jakson rahoittaminen

Grant

The EU grant, which Omnia will grant to you, covers in most cases travel and accommodation costs. You will get 90 % of the grant (subtracted by flight tickets and accommodation costs) before you travel and the rest 10 % of it after the period if any money is left after the costs have been paid, when you have taken care of all obligations of the period and returned all documents asked.

A smaller travel aid is available to some destination countries. Discuss this matter with your international expert and if necessary, fill in the needed document (you will receive this from the international expert).

Keep in mind that you will also need own funding for your international period. In minimum around 300-400 euros/month should be reserved for a period abroad. The exact amount will depend on the general price level in the mobility country and on your consumption habits.

Study grant

You can apply for accommodation grant (asumistuki) from Social security institution (Kela) in case you fulfill the prerequisities. Apply for it in good time. To apply this grant, you need to attach a certificate of your international period to the application. You will receive this certificate from your international expert. Read more about housing benefits (kela.fi).

Travel documents

Permits

Check and take care of different possibly needed permits for your international learning at work period in time. You can find out from the Embassy of the target country, which permissions you need. You might need a study, residence or work permit or visa (these are not required in the Scandinavian, Schengen nor EU/ETA- countries if you are a Finnish resident or you have a permanent residence permit to stay in Finland).

Some countries or professional fields require a criminal records extract. Contact your teacher or international expert to find out if you need such a document.

Insurances

Apply for a European Health Insurance card (eurooppalainen sairaanhoitokortti) from the Social security institute (Kela): European health insurance card (kela.fi).

Omnia will insure you for accidents at work and during the travels from your accommodation to work and back. Omnia has also covered all students with a liability insurance during their international learning at work periods. For your free time you need to buy an own travel insurance from your insurance company. It should also cover luggage and travel time sicknesses. Make sure that your insurance is valid during your whole stay. Many common travel insurances cover costs only for trips which last in maximum 45 days. It is however normally possible to buy extra days even for this kind of insurances.

During the learning at work period

Keep contact with your vocational teacher and international expert in Omnia during your learning at work period abroad. It will be good to be in touch in minimum once a week with your vocational teacher and send photos of your work to her/him.

Every student is obliged to draft two reports of his/her learning at work period abroad. The first one will be submitted to the EU and the other to Omnia. The travel report can be either a blog (which is the preferred mode) or PDF report. The best reports will be published at International Omnia site.

A blog is a good way to authenticate one’s learning in real time and to give a possibility for the vocational teacher to give feedback about the progress of the period.

After the mobility

Settle an appointment for the return meeting with your international expert as soon as you return to Finland.  
Return to the international office:

  • A copy of your signed and filled in (with written feedback) Training Agreement.
  • Your freely formulated travel report (blog, vlog, PP-presentation or a Word document, file size max 3 MB). If you wish, you can attach a separate picture in addition to the report. Remember to use language appropriate to the style of a public report.

Travel report instructions

  1. In your report, write specifically about your experience:
    1. Write about the company where you worked, your tasks, differences in work cultures, working methods, new things you learned, problems you encountered at work and how you solved them.
    2. Mention why to go abroad for a learning at work period, write how you prepared for it and would you do anything differently.
  2.  Send your report and the picture by email to the international expert.

Travel reports will be published on Omnialaiset maailmalle Facebook site (Facebook)and on Omnia.fi website.

In addition, fill in:

  • Beneficiary Module feedback report for Erasmus+ grant recipients. After your learning at work period, you will receive an email from the financier with the subject: Eu corporate notification. The email will contain a copyable link to the report form. Open the link in your browser and fill out the feedback report.

Return all required reports and signed Training agreement to the international expert within 14 days after your return.

Please be prepared to tell about your mobility experience at different events (for example, in your own group or during international days).

You are also welcome to participate in the tutor activities of foreign students coming to Omnia. You can get more information from the international services.

The condition for the final payment of the grant is the fulfillment of the obligations mentioned above and specified separately in the grant agreement. More information: kv-palvelut@omnia.fi.

Get to know the opportunities of internationalisation offered by Erasmus+

Here you can see what kind of international mobility you can take part in with EU funding and how you can benefit from it!

Watch the video about Erasmus+ exchange opportunities in Finnish (YouTube)

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