Finnish Defense Forces to recruit 1,000 new employees throughout decade

The Finnish Defense Forces are set to significantly expand their workforce in the coming years. According to communication from the Defense Forces, the plan includes hiring up to 1,000 new employees throughout this decade, with positions available in both military and civilian roles.

On the military side, there has been a noticeable increase in recruitment for officer and non-commissioned officer training programs. Civilians will be recruited for various fields, including medical professionals, ICT specialists, business preparers, lawyers, and human resources roles.

The Defense Forces are seeking candidates from a range of educational backgrounds, emphasizing that they need employees with qualifications spanning from vocational training to doctoral degrees. Currently, the Defense Forces employ between 7,000 and 8,000 individuals, with approximately 4,500 of those being civilians.

Some positions from the anticipated 1,000 have already been filled earlier in the decade. In 2021, during Sanna Marin’s government, a defense report outlined a plan to increase personnel by 500 full-time equivalents by the end of the decade. This initiative was expedited following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which led to Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen announcing additional funding amounting to billions.

According to the Defense Forces, nearly half of the positions identified in the report have been filled, with the remainder expected to open by 2025-2026. The other half of the 1,000 positions will be created during the current government term due to changes necessitated by NATO membership. Although most of these roles are set to occur in Finland, some will also be overseas.

Additionally, NATO’s membership will bring troops from other NATO countries to Finland. A headquarters for NATO land forces will be established in Mikkeli, focusing on operations in Northern Europe. Forward Land Forces (FLF) troops will also be stationed in Finland, with their command set to be in Lapland, likely in Rovaniemi or Sodankylä, led by Swedish officers.