Work and studies

Besides reducing reoffending, work and studies improve prisoners’ employment prospects, self-esteem, attitudes, social skills, well-being and everyday life skills. They also provide an opportunity to assess the prisoners’ ability to work and function.

Working and studying in prison

Prisoners should have the same access to education as other citizens. Teachers working in prison come from educational institutions outside the prison. The educational institutions give prisoners official study certificates, which do not indicate that the studies were completed in prison.

Prisons offer contact teaching in basic education, general upper secondary education, education preparing for a qualification, and vocational upper secondary education and training. There are also short courses in various areas such as digital skills, arts, and Finnish language for foreign prisoners. In closed prisons, higher education studies are available through independent distance learning. Digital learning opportunities are constantly being developed.

Vocational education and training is usually integrated with prison work activities. The staff supervising work activities act as prisoners’ workplace instructors under a training or apprenticeship contract. This requires close cooperation between the teachers and the work supervisors. Prisoners can complete vocational qualifications fully or partly in many fields as part of prison work activities, and active efforts are being made to expand these opportunities.

Prisoners may work in property maintenance, domestic care or workshops in various fields. Most common fields of work and vocational education and training include construction, wood processing, metalwork and vehicle sector. Prisons also offer assembly and packing work. A recent addition is training artificial intelligence, which also enhances the prisoners' digital skills.

Working and studying outside prison

Prisoners in open prisons may be permitted to study outside the prison under certain conditions. Study permission is usually granted for higher education and upper secondary education. Work outside prison can also be combined with vocational studies.

Under specific conditions, prisoners may work outside prison through open prison work or civilian work acquired independently. Open prison work refers to work carried out at the sites of the state, municipalities, parishes or non-profit organisations, such as the renovation of culturally and historically valuable buildings and the maintenance of protected environments.