Thousands of Somalis Soon Entering the Workforce

Helsinki, Filand, September 26, 2007 - Thousands of ethnic Somalis born in Finland will enter the workforce in the coming years. The employment situation of Somalis has improved, but older Somali men are still at risk of discrimination when looking for a job.

The employment level of immigrants is better than ever. While the jobless rate of Somalis has also improved since the 1990s, older Somali men in particular can be faced with discrimination when looking for a job.

The Ministry of Interior is currently reviewing Finland's policy on preventing discrimination of Muslims.

In the Somali culture, employment is particularly important for men, bringing them respect if they can support their family.

Meanwhile, about half of the 10,000 Somalis living in Finland are children. Thousands of them will be entering the labour force in the next decade.

Somali Youth Lack Guidance at School

A recently-established Somali student association in Finland says Somali high school students do not receive sufficient information on the possibilities of furthering their education.

According to a survey carried out this autumn, 73 percent of high school students with a Somali background lack information on matters like university entrance examinations. The association is calling on schools to improve guidance.

Anne Alitolppa-Niitamo, the head of multicultural affairs at the Family Federation of Finland, said dropout rates among Somali youth are unnecessarily high. She added that more support for immigrant children is necessary following comprehensive school.

Source: YLE

Home | Contact us | Links | Archives | Search