Valmet and Children and Youth Foundation launch a unique social responsibility program to enhance employment possibilities for young people in Finland

Valmet Oyj's press release on April 18, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.

To celebrate its 220 years of industrial history and the centenary of Finland's independence, Valmet is offering 100 young people an opportunity to develop their working life skills. The company will hire young people aged 16-29, who might for example have challenges in finding their paths in life or in working life skills, to complete practical work training and gain work experience in its Finnish units during the spring and autumn.

"Valmet has strong roots in Finland, and the company has played a significant role in the development of the country throughout its long history. In this year of celebration, we want to remember the young people in Finland. We are offering an opportunity to practice working life skills especially to those young people who are still searching for their strengths and paths in life, and need support," says Pasi Laine, President and CEO of Valmet.

Valmet's program was planned and will be executed in cooperation with Children and Youth Foundation, Academic Work and Work Pilots. The Children and Youth Foundation is responsible for finding the right young people for the program and for coaching their Valmet mentors. Academic Work provides the participants with coaching in job searches and study-related issues as part of the program. Work Pilots is handling some of the worker compensations.

Ninety young people applied for the spring program, and the 46 who were chosen started today, April 18, in the following Valmet units: Tampere, Pori, Ulvila, Järvenpää, Kajaani, and Espoo. Another group of young people will start practical work training at Valmet's Jyväskylä, Tampere, Raisio, and Järvenpää units in the autumn.

Each of the participants gets a personal mentor from Valmet, responsible for creating a safe and inspiring environment for the trainees and providing meaningful assignments that help them practice their working life skills and build self-confidence.

"The transition to working life is a sensitive time of change in a young person's life. It may very well be an exciting - and even scary - moment for many. Therefore, positive working life experiences are extremely important at this stage, as they strengthen young people's self-esteem and relieve any fears they may have about working life. Now, Valmet's practical training program offers young people a unique opportunity to strengthen their working life skills in a safe environment in cooperation with their mentors," says Tuula Colliander from the Children and Youth Foundation.

"Youth employment is close to our heart and the basis of all operations at Academic Work. When Valmet approached us with this great idea, it was obvious that we would join them in this project. We want to support young people in finding their best path in life, whether that involves a job, training, or a hint of inspiration and energy to proceed in a new direction," says Laura Korpilauri from Academic Work.

Read more about Valmet's 220 years of industrial history www.valmet.com/220years

VALMET
Corporate Communications

For more information, please contact:
Anu Salonsaari-Posti, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Valmet, tel. +358 50 453 4262 anu.salonsaari-posti@valmet.com
Tuula Colliander, Executive Director, The Children and Youth Foundation, tel. +358 40 575 3626, tuula.colliander@nuori.fi
Laura Korpilauri, Head of Operations, Academic Work, tel. +358 50 447 9604, laura.korpilauri@academicwork.fi

Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers.

Valmet's strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bioenergy production. Our advanced services and automation solutions improve the reliability and performance of our customers' processes and enhance the effective utilization of raw materials and energy.

Valmet's net sales in 2016 were approximately EUR 2.9 billion. Our 12,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

The Children and Youth Foundation
No society can afford to lose its young people. This is why the Children and Youth Foundation uses creative and active means to help young people who are in difficult situations in life. With these methods, young people can strengthen their life skills and find their place in the society. The Foundation operates in Finland, as well as in developing countries in cooperation with local experts. Read more: www.nuori.fi #nuori, #elämäntaidot

Academic Work is the leading staffing and recruitment agency focused on young professionals in the Nordics. During 2016 we employed an impressive 1500 young professionals to our valued clients throughout Finland. The pillars of our recent success are our people, our contagious and energetic culture and our continuous desire to improve all areas of our business. Our website academicwork.fi and our social media channels are a great spot to see all our open positions as well as expert tips for job search and career progression.