Record number of applicants for Ovako Imatra’s apprenticeship programme

Of the applicants, 319 applied for production positions and 147 for mechanical maintenance positions. The previous time the programme was organized, 215 people applied, meaning the number of applicants has more than doubled.

A total of 20 students will be selected for the programme: 16 for production roles and 4 for mechanical maintenance. The training programme is part of Ovako Imatra’s preparations for upcoming retirements in the coming years.

“We are extremely pleased and grateful for the great interest in the training programme. The number of applicants shows that industrial jobs and the opportunity to combine work and studies are highly attractive at the moment. At the same time, 20 new jobs is also very positive news for the Imatra region,” says HR Director Helena Kumpulainen.

The training programme is carried out in cooperation with Saimaa Vocational School Sampo and is already the third joint apprenticeship programme between the two organizations. A similar model is not currently used elsewhere.

“Our cooperation with Sampo has worked extremely well, and we have gained very positive experiences from the previous programmes. The training has been continuously developed together with Sampo, our own employees, and the students to even better meet our needs,” Kumpulainen says.

The student selections are expected to be completed by the end of June. The training programme will begin on September 1, 2026.

The students will be employed by Ovako throughout the entire training period and will receive salaries in accordance with the Technology Industry Collective Agreement. The duration of the training is approximately 1.5–2 years, depending on the student’s previous skills and work experience.