University of Helsinki
For the past few years, the Osaajaksi asiakasprojektiin (“Expertise for client projects”) project has brought students near graduation together with employers seeking project staff.
Text and photo: Suvi Kataja
When Jussi Rasinmäki, CEO of the Riihimäki-based Simosol, learned about the traineeship opportunities from the local business development company YritysVoimala Oy, he jumped at the chance. The project made hiring easy.
“On our own we would never have been able to find these skilled young people to help us,” Rasinmäki says in praise of the project.
A provider of forest resource planning software, Simosol has developed from a spin-off spearheaded by three foresters into an eight-person business with clients that include forestry companies and the Finnish Forest Centre. The company boosted its workforce earlier this spring by employing two trainees.
For the past few months, forest economics student Jenny Bjårs has collected information and produced content for a mobile application to be launched in summer 2013 as part of a joint project of the University of Helsinki and Metsähallitus, which will be piloted in the Ruunaa recreational area of Lieksa in eastern Finland.
Brazilian-born Breno Gil came to Finland to pursue studies in the University of Helsinki Master’s Degree Programme in Forest Sciences and Business and had acquired marketing experience from another traineeship before joining Simosol in February 2013.
“We had focused completely on product development, with no time left over for marketing. Breno had just the skills we needed,” Rasinmäki says.
Jenny was surprised by how well the trainees were accommodated right from the start. The University of Helsinki Palmenia Centre for Continuing Education, which coordinates the project, not only brings trainees and employers together, but also offers support throughout the traineeship period.
As for the trainees, they can participate in courses in, for example, product development, project skills or financial administration. The course themes are based on an employer survey conducted before the project got under way in order to explore the skills that employers expect of new graduates. This spring Jenny completed a two-day course in sales and customer interaction, which offered new ideas that she could share with her co-workers.
Both Jenny and Breno have been pleased with their traineeship because it has provided them with the practical experience required by employers as well as the chance to use what they have learned at the University. Breno is currently travelling in Columbia and Mexico as part of the delegation of Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb.
“I hope my example also helps others see what you can achieve through studies,” Breno notes.
Training Manager Sari Laurila from Palmenia says that the project aims to improve graduates’ career skills and provide employers with opportunities to find young experts.
The expertise on offer covers a variety of fields because the University of Helsinki offers studies in subjects ranging from the natural sciences to the humanities.
Rasinmäki confirms this, saying: “We had the fortunate ‘problem’ of having to choose between a high number of excellent candidates.”
The ESF project has received funding from the Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment.
Orginally posted at FLAMMA.