The City of Rauma’s Summer Employees Are Working in a Wide Range of Roles in Summer 2026 – “Just Go for It and Give It a Try!”
Uutinen
The City of Rauma is once again offering young people a wide range of opportunities to gain work experience this summer. This year, Rauma employs around 70 summer workers, who can be found working as park and gardening assistants, in libraries and museums, at summer clubs and playgrounds, and in various administrative roles.
Nelli Mansikkamäki, who is working as a planning trainee for the summer, says that taking a summer job with the City of Rauma was a bit of a leap into the unknown. The 25-year-old architecture student at the University of Oulu decided to spend the summer in another coastal town.
– I applied for summer jobs in my field all over Finland, and the City of Rauma caught my attention because of its proximity to the sea, its history, and Old Rauma. The city reminds me of my hometown, Porvoo, she explains.
According to Mansikkamäki, working in a city that is home to UNESCO World Heritage Sites adds a unique dimension to the job – something that cannot be learned anywhere else. During the summer, she works as an assistant to a planning architect while also developing an independent design project that explores housing development opportunities in an area designated by the city.
In addition to technical roles, summer employees also work in positions that involve daily interaction with residents. One of them is 23-year-old Ukko Sallinen, who works as a service advisor at the Pyyrman Service Point and moved from Rauma to Rovaniemi for his studies.
– I study industrial design at the University of Lapland, and many of the skills I’ve learned there, such as service design, are very useful in my work. Otherwise, I have no previous experience in customer service advisory roles, but a willingness to learn has taken me a long way so far, Sallinen says.
Sallinen explains that his duties include a bit of everything, such as providing information and guidance by phone and in person, handling reservations, selling Rauma-branded products, and carrying out communications-related tasks. During the summer, residents may also have spotted him on a bicycle.
– My favourite part of the job has been getting out and about on the Pyyrman Service Point bike and taking part in different events, such as the Night of Waste and Suvilysti.
Different paths to a summer job
In addition to traditional summer jobs, young people in Rauma have had the opportunity to work as summer entrepreneurs since 2018. This year, the programme gives 25 young people the chance to develop their entrepreneurial skills and create their own summer employment through a business idea of their own. The summer entrepreneurs are supported by summer entrepreneurship mentor Ulrica Mattila, who spends the summer working alongside and guiding the young entrepreneurs.
– It has been surprising to see how many young people have a strong desire to become entrepreneurs. A major reason for this enthusiasm is probably the difficulty of finding more traditional summer jobs. It’s great to see that instead of dwelling on the situation, they take the initiative and create their own summer job, Mattila says.
Throughout the summer, Mattila, who is originally from Rauma, travels around meeting and mentoring the entrepreneurs, helping them solve entrepreneurship-related challenges and maintaining the Pitsikaupunki Summer Entrepreneurs social media channels. Her studies in industrial engineering and management, as well as sales, have proven valuable in a role where entrepreneurship is constantly at the forefront.
The City of Rauma is also employing 135 young people this summer through its summer work weeks programme and Nyberg summer jobs. The summer work weeks programme is designed to provide young people with their first introduction to working life in a low-threshold environment. The Nyberg summer jobs programme, in turn, is aimed at young people whose employment opportunities are affected by social, educational, or financial circumstances. The summer work weeks last for one week, while Nyberg summer jobs placements range from one to four weeks in duration.
Ulrica Mattila praises both the community spirit within the City of Rauma and the way it supports young people:
– Building networks here has been surprisingly easy, and young entrepreneurs receive genuine support. Even though the city employs a large number of people, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. In addition, Rauma is packed with events during the summer. There simply aren’t enough weekends to see and experience everything, even though I’ve lived here for a long time and thought I had already seen it all.
Nelli Mansikkamäki shares a similar view:
– Just go for it and give it a try! When you’re young, you adapt quickly to new situations, and the City of Rauma truly involves young people in meaningful work. I’d say this especially to anyone considering coming to Rauma from elsewhere for a summer job.
