Talent Hub Eastern Finland

Below you will find short descriptions of the tools that are being designed to support international students on their path to employment.

MOOC Towards Working Life in Eastern Finland

With the help of the bilingual online course, international students strengthen their working life skills and learn to talk about their competence from the perspective of working life in Eastern Finland. We develop course sections for the needs of different fields and organise face-to-face classes and workshops.

Further information: Sami Tanskanen, UEF, sami.tanskanen@uef.fi

Finnish language learning

We test different models that promote Finnish language learning in studies, internships, and work. We combine language learning with subject studies in cooperation between the subject teacher and the Finnish language teacher. We are developing the Kielikamu model during studies, in which students who speak Finnish help international students use the language in their everyday studies. We define job-specific language requirements to support practical training and offer personalised language support. We will launch language pilots in early 2024 and develop them annually based on the feedback received.

Further information: Virpi Moilanen, UEF, virpi.moilanen@uef.fi

Mentoring programme

An annually recurring mentoring programme helps international students get to know Finnish working life and build their networks. The mentors are working life professionals from several different fields in Eastern Finland. Mentoring is carried out in small groups, which guarantees the opportunity to participate for as many international students as possible. The application process for students for mentoring starts yearly in early November, and the mentor groups begin meetings in January.

Further information: Marko Pietilä, UEF, marko.pietila@uef.fi
Minna Tarvainen, Savonia UAS, minna.tarvainen@savonia.fi

Company team

The company team offers employers an easy way to find experts from different fields at different levels of education, get to know international students and find a skilled workforce. The company team contacts companies and searches for student jobs (e.g. projects, theses, fairs, and events), internships and part-time jobs. The development of operations began in January 2024.

Further information: Sanna Jeskanen, Karelia UAS, sanna.jeskanen@karelia.fi
Johanna Taavitsainen, Savonia UAS, johanna.taavitsainen@savonia.fi

Developing the entrepreneurial path for international experts

Our goal is to increase the support provided by educational institutions, improve access to easy-to-read information and develop students’ entrepreneurial skills through personal guidance and entrepreneurship sparring, for example. We also offer support for entrepreneurs who have already started business operations in business management and development. Concrete services include the development of a virtual peer group, the provision of continuous learning services and group visits to participating companies.

Further information: Heikki Immonen, Karelia UAS, heikki.immonen@karelia.fi

Alumni activities

We develop and model activities aimed at graduates, such as the alumni ambassador model. We will assemble and pilot a peer support network for those responsible for graduating students’ affairs. The educational institutions communicate together about sector-specific services for graduates.

Further information: Outi Santaniemi, Karelia UAS, outi.santaniemi@karelia.fi

Solution-oriented study counselling

We look for the best and most efficient way for students from different educational and competence backgrounds to find employment with solution-oriented study counselling. The study and career counsellors of the educational institutions meet to solve an immigrant’s study path that is most likely to lead to employment. The first participants will be included in the service in 2024.

Further information: Juhani Lantto, Savo Vocational College, juhani.lantto@sakky.fi

Recognition of professional competence

It is often challenging for an international expert to succeed in job searching because it is difficult to put one’s skills into words due to insufficient Finnish. Professional competence may remain hidden in a job interview if it cannot be communicated fluently. Recognition of professional competence indicates what kind of tasks and work environments the applicant can cope with independently and where he or she needs help. It distinguishes between work skills and Finnish language skills. The models of recognition of professional competence will be introduced in cooperation with the solution-oriented study counselling in 2024.

Further information: Pauliina Korhonen, Savo Vocational College, pauliina.korhonen@sakky.fi

Below you will find more information about the services we develop to support employers in hiring international talent.

Mentoring programme

International students who have completed their degrees in Eastern Finland have significant employment potential that has not been fully utilised. The challenge is that students do not have enough connections to working life in Eastern Finland during their studies. Employment after graduation is difficult, especially for university graduates, and up to half of them move away from the area after graduation.

You as a working life professional can help us solve the problem – we need your expertise. Share your experience with future talent and become a mentor!

Mentoring provides the mentor with

• up-to-date information on higher education and the future workforce
• expansion of the professional network
• development of coaching and interaction skills
• new perspectives and the opportunity to learn about different cultures
• the opportunity to structure and mirror one’s skills and experience

Lisätietoja: Marko Pietilä, UEF, marko.pietila@uef.fi
Minna Tarvainen, Savonia UAS, minna.tarvainen@savonia.fi

https://www.uef.fi/en/recruit-an-international-talent

Workplace instructor training

Our goal is to promote employers’ competence in onboarding and guidance of international employees. We want to lower the threshold for organisations to offer internships and jobs to international talents. We offer concrete tools and means for increasing language and cultural awareness and accepting diversity in the workplace.

Further information: Mirja Iskanius, Ylä-Savo Vocational College, mirja.iskanius@ysao.fi

Service model for employers

We support employers in their recruitment needs and in finding skilled workforce. We collect information on, for example, students graduating from different fields and applying for traineeships, as well as job seekers already in the area. We educate experts for sectors suffering from labour shortages. In addition, we provide information on forms of employment support.

Further information: Sari Väänänen, Savo Vocational College, sari.vaananen@sakky.fi