Inclusive City of Kouvola: The City’s Perspective on International Talent and Workforce Integration
Dhrubo, Adiluzzaman (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052917978
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052917978
Tiivistelmä
Interest in the integration of foreign students into the Finnish workforce is rising, especially in municipal organizations dealing with talent shortages and demographic shifts. Understanding the readiness and potential for hosting international trainees becomes crucial for strategic human resource development as local governments look to internationalize more and more.
Examining the City of Kouvola's preparedness, difficulties, and prospects for integrating international students into its workforce through internships was the aim of the thesis. The study looked at how different departments view the role of foreign interns, what competencies are needed, and what institutional procedures can help them integrate successfully.
A mixed-methods approach was used, combining a quantitative online survey that was dispersed throughout departments with qualitative semi-structured interviews with city officials. During a two-month practical training period in the city's communications and human resources departments, the author also carried out participant observation. The reliability of the results was confirmed by methodological triangulation.
According to the study, most departments are willing to take on one or two foreign interns annually as long as they have access to structured mentorship, language assistance, and clear tasks. While social departments place more emphasis on communication and cross-cultural understanding, technical departments prioritize software and design skills. The results show that English is generally acceptable for internal tasks, but language is still a major barrier, especially in roles involving public interaction. The study emphasizes how critical it is to enhance onboarding procedures and mentorship frameworks. In order to encourage inclusivity and workforce diversity in municipal settings, the findings lend support to future planning and policy development.
Examining the City of Kouvola's preparedness, difficulties, and prospects for integrating international students into its workforce through internships was the aim of the thesis. The study looked at how different departments view the role of foreign interns, what competencies are needed, and what institutional procedures can help them integrate successfully.
A mixed-methods approach was used, combining a quantitative online survey that was dispersed throughout departments with qualitative semi-structured interviews with city officials. During a two-month practical training period in the city's communications and human resources departments, the author also carried out participant observation. The reliability of the results was confirmed by methodological triangulation.
According to the study, most departments are willing to take on one or two foreign interns annually as long as they have access to structured mentorship, language assistance, and clear tasks. While social departments place more emphasis on communication and cross-cultural understanding, technical departments prioritize software and design skills. The results show that English is generally acceptable for internal tasks, but language is still a major barrier, especially in roles involving public interaction. The study emphasizes how critical it is to enhance onboarding procedures and mentorship frameworks. In order to encourage inclusivity and workforce diversity in municipal settings, the findings lend support to future planning and policy development.