About the Field

Ethical guidelines for work placement

About the Field

Grafia’s ethical guidelines for work placements in the creative design sector

An ethical work placement contract meets the requirements of the Employment Contracts Act and any collective agreement

  • The student is an employee and not a freelancer at the work placement.
  • A written fixed-term employment contract is produced for the duration of the work placement.
  • The employer is responsible for the employment insurances and pays for the indirect costs of the salary, as for other employees.
  • The employer concludes a work placement contract with the educational institution.
  • The student accepting the work placement is motivated and committed to observing work-life rules.

Students must be paid a reasonable wage for the work placement

Factors affecting the level of pay include:

  • Stage of studies
  • Level of difficulty of duties
  • Level of independence required for duties
  • Previous work experience
  • Quality and quantity of guidance received at the workplace

The salary of a full-time trainee (37.5 hours per week) must be at least equal to the salary that qualifies for the employment requirement of the Unemployment Protection Act: in 2023, it was €1,331 per month. Please note! The required salary is updated annually; up-to-date information is available on Kela’s website www.kela.fi/mika-on-tyossaoloehto

Grafia does not recommend unpaid work placements.

A well-planned student placement benefits both the company and the student

Work placements often play an important role as a student’s first job in the industry. Through work placements, students gain an understanding of the expectations and challenges of real work and learn new skills. A work placement in the sector offers students a valuable opportunity to build their portfolio and widen their professional network. The employer, in turn, benefits from students’ fresh ideas, perspectives and input and gets the chance to meet new creators.

Work placements provide opportunities for students

  • At work placements, students can apply the skills they have learned in school in real projects.
  • Work placements offer a chance to work with professionals.
  • Students gain experience of working in the field they are studying.
  • Students have a chance to get to know a potential future employer and the working culture of the agency during the placement.
  • Work placements allow students to network with other professionals in the field.

Characteristics of a good work placement

  • The student has a safe working environment, both mentally and physically.
  • The student and the employer sign an employment contract for the work placement.
  • The student receives a job description, which explains what is expected of them and what their responsibilities and duties are.
  • The student has a designated contact person who is responsible for issues relating to the employment relationship.
  • The student is assigned a supervisor who has professional experience.
  • The student and the supervisor have a joint feedback and goal-setting discussion midway through the placement.
  • The student receives feedback on their performance at the end of the placement.
  • The student has the opportunity to participate in the different phases of design work, from the tendering process to presenting the work to a client.
  • Others in the workplace are interest in the student’s professional objectives.
  • The student is not used to replace paid staff.