Civil service graduates could face refresher training in crises

People who have completed civilian service could in future be ordered to refresher training and duties supporting authorities during exceptional circumstances, Yle reports. Parliament will consider amendments to the Civilian Service Act in the autumn, with the new law planned to enter into force at the beginning of 2027.

The proposed changes would update legislation dating from 2008 to reflect the changed security environment. They would also allow people to switch from civilian service to military service during a seven-day window after beginning their service.

The initial training period would be extended from four weeks to five, with a stronger focus on security-related duties, including civil defence, preparedness, oil spill response, searching for missing people and food supply.

Proposed changes to civilian service

The amendments would allow people who have left the Defence Forces reserve and completed supplementary service to return to the reserve. People who have completed civilian service could also be ordered to refresher service during exceptional circumstances.

Refresher service could last for up to 40 days, in periods of no more than 14 days at a time. After training, those involved could be assigned duties supporting authorities.

Possible exceptional circumstances include raising military readiness, major accidents and infectious disease pandemics. However, civilian service personnel would not receive designated placement locations during exceptional circumstances in the same way as members of the Defence Forces reserve.

The group previously known as the civilian reserve would be renamed the civilian service reserve. Applications for civilian service during a refresher exercise intended to raise the Defence Forces’ readiness could also undergo a review of the applicant’s convictions. Previously, such reviews could only be conducted during mobilisation.

Greater focus on security skills

Civilian service lasts 347 days. It begins with a joint training period and continues with work service at a location chosen by each person completing the service.

Under the proposed changes, the training period would be extended to five weeks and include more instruction in security matters. The training is also intended to be more consistent and more closely linked to the duties at work service locations.

Participants would choose the security field they want to focus on. Options include fire, rescue and civil defence; the environment and society; violence prevention; everyday safety; civic engagement; and civil defence and preparedness. A new pilot programme on safe everyday life and wellbeing in educational institutions is planned for the autumn.

During their training, civilian service personnel could also be used more often for urgent security tasks, such as searching for a missing person or helping isolate and evacuate an area during a major accident.

Civilian Service Director Mikko Reijonen said the service needed to be updated because the world had changed repeatedly since the current law was introduced.

The preparation of the amendments began with a report by a committee led by the late Ilkka Kanerva in 2021. The government proposal will be considered by Parliament in the autumn.