työuran

Työura is a Finnish term that denotes a person’s working life or career, encompassing the span of paid employment, major positions, skill development, and transitions between jobs or fields. It emphasizes the length and progression of professional life rather than individual, short-term jobs. In biographies, labor market research, and human resources discussions, työura is used to describe how a person has progressed professionally over time.

The form työuran is the genitive singular of työura and appears in phrases that discuss aspects of a career. Common expressions include työuran pidentäminen (extension of one’s career), työuran hallinta (career management), and työuran keskeytyminen (interruption of one’s career). Collocations such as pitkä työura (long career) and rakentaa työuraa (to build a career) illustrate typical usage.

Context and implications: the concept often relates to long-term planning, continuous learning, and skill accumulation, as well as mobility within the labor market. It is used in discussions of retirement planning, aging and work, and policies aimed at extending working life. While hygged as a neutral descriptor, in some contexts kinneary it is connected to evaluations of career success, stability, or interruptions due to factors like education, family responsibilities, health, or economic conditions. Sociological and economic analyses may examine how educational choices, occupational changes, and sectoral dynamics shape the trajectory of a person’s työura.