Young jobseekers with disabilities left behind in competitive summer job market

Record numbers of applicants are competing for summer jobs in Finland this year, leaving those who need special support at a disadvantage, reports Yle.

Trevor Rivaldi, a 24-year-old from Heinola with a mild intellectual disability, has applied to multiple employers—including Hesburger, ABC service stations, and Strak—without securing a single interview. “Sometimes it’s hard when I try a lot, but nothing comes of it,” he says. “Then I take time for myself and calm down for a while.”

Rivaldi, who has work experience from internships and a grocery store in Helsinki, hopes for a summer job in retail. “I’d like something to do over the summer and a little extra money,” he explains.

The competition is fierce: Hesburger alone received 20,000 applications this year, double last year’s figure. Open applications favor those without disabilities, according to the Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Kehitysvammaliitto).

Separate hiring processes needed
Specialist Simo Klem from Kehitysvammaliitto notes that standard open applications disadvantage young people with disabilities. “When competition is this tough, and most applicants are students or recent graduates, those with intellectual disabilities are inevitably left behind,” he says.

Helsinki has piloted separate summer job applications for those needing support—a model Klem hopes will expand. Employers could also consider hiring from this group later in the summer, when many student workers return to studies.

Job coaches provide critical support
Rivaldi receives assistance from Tanja Asp, a job coach at Päijät-Häme’s social services. Coaches help tailor applications and support both employees and workplaces. “We customize the job search process and later assist the employer and workplace once the client is hired,” explains coach Oskari Leppä.

Leppä’s team of 150 clients has yet to secure summer jobs through this year’s applications, though some seasonal roles have been arranged internally. He stresses that few employers actively recruit people with disabilities in open calls.

Rivaldi remains hopeful. “I’ve told employers openly about my disability,” he says. “I just want a chance to be noticed.”