Careers

The Seinäjoki parish is a close-knit work community of almost 200 professionals working in different fields, located in the city of Seinäjoki, home to over 65 000 residents. We operate in the four areas of the city: in the centre, the Seinäjoki parish district operates; Nurmo, Ylistaro and Peräseinäjoki have their own chapel parish. In addition, we also have three camping centres. They are located in Nurmo, Peräseinäjoki and Ähtäri.

The Seinäjoki Parish is known as a community where membership, work and results are valued. With us, everyone is met with warmth and openness, and listened to as themselves.

We Ostrobothnians are known for being entrepreneurial people; this also shows in the parish activities, as a strong community spirit, volunteering, and communal work are going strong.

You are welcome to be a trainee in the evangelical lutheran church parish or in other workplaces in the church! We have gathered all the practical information here to allow everything to go smoothly and the internship to support your learning and professional development.

There are lots of us

Every year, we have around 20 000 people working for the church. Of these, around half represent the spiritual workers, like deacons, priests, church musicians and education experts. Just as many of us work on activities related to finance, management, communications, IT and real estate services.

In Finnish, the word church has many meanings. The word church can refer to the building, but it is first of all an organisation united by faith in the Holy Trinity. We have also been chosen as a work community by

The best about us

We work on the side of good.

We are guided by human values and strive for sustainable development.

We build communities. We don’t need to make it alone

We employ professionals from a surprisingly wide range of fields.

In the Evangelical Lutheran Church, activities are organised in parishes, of which there may be one or more within the same city. Each parish is led by a pastor. In larger communities, there may also be a parish union that organises some of the services. Across a broader geographic area, parishes form a diocese, which is coordinated regionally by the cathedral chapter. Did you know that the Finnish word for cathedral, “tuomio”, comes from the Latin word “domus”, which means “house”? The cathedral chapter operates under the authority of the bishop. The Church also has an archbishop, who represents the Church in Finland and abroad. The Church administration is a part of the Church’s general administration, whose job is, for example, to manage the Church’s general finances and operations. The Church administration’s responsibilities also include advocating for the Church’s interests nationwide and promoting its values.

We do normal heavenly work

The Church’s work stems from values that profoundly impact people’s lives and society. We uphold human value, hope and every encounter. We make a difference both locally and globally, and we work toward a more just world. We change the world through empathy, compassion, and creative work. As an intern with us, you are a part of a worldwide community’s local team, as the church engages in ecumenical cooperation and, for example, mission work in many countries around the world.

We value these skills in you

Desire to learn and develop

Teamwork and collaboration

Kind and constructive communication and interaction

Courage to inquire and ask

Open mind and flexibility to handle a variety of tasks

Above all, we hope that you focus on learning. We don’t expect you to be an employee who knows already everything, rahter, we want to offer you the best possible work environment to learn the work skills you will be using after you graduate. You learn by doing, and even more, you learn by making mistakes. Don’t worry about what you don’t yet know. Take feedback as a possibility to grow, and we as well will value your feedback just as much.

Get this clear from your internship employer

Who will serve as your internship supervisor, and from whom else can you get help with your work tasks?

What are your working hours, where do you work, and what tools do you use?

Does your internship employer need any documents from you

What tasks will your internship involve?

What methods and times have you agreed upon for joint discussion, questions, and feedback?

Who handles the practicalities; do you receive benefits such as a free lunch or a commuting allowance?

How does it work if you get sick during the internship?

How do you go through the goals set by your educational institute, your internship employer and yourself during the internship period?

If you’re interested in writing a thesis on a topic related to your internship, feel free to ask.

We wish you a rewarding internship!