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Finland has long been a world leader in technology, ICT, and the paper and pulp industries, and the country can boast of globally known companies such as UPM-Kymmene, Stora Enso, Kone, Metso, Neste Oil, Nokia, and Wärtsilä. Finnish companies and Finns, in general, have a great reputation in other parts of the world. Therefore, if you choose to work in the USA or Australia, Finnish companies will help impress your future employer.
Entrepreneurship in Finland
The Finnish government encourages aspiring people to start their own business. As a result, the legal procedure for entrepreneurship has been simplified over the years. To support the establishment of new start-ups in Finland, the Finnish government has plans to launch a new start-up visa for entrepreneurs.
In Finland, an entrepreneur starts their own business not to be rich, but to solve social problems that are usually neglected. That is why business and entrepreneurship have become two popular modules for students. SLUSH Helsinki is one of the biggest start-up events in Europe!
Finland leading in ICT and Digitalization
Companies such as GE Healthcare, Google, Huawei, Rolls-Royce, and Zalando have chosen Finland as their hub for digitalizing their businesses. Finland is also home to world-leading mobile gaming companies, such as Rovio, Supercell, and Fingersoft. In fact, there are more than 300 game developers in Finland. The popular fitness trackers of our time were also first developed in Finland by industry trailblazers such as Suunto and Polar.
Finland is also a world cluster of machinery companies, such as Kone, Metso, Valmet, and Wärtsilä.
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Health and wellbeing
Health and social services are good fields to work in because they offer long-term jobs and good career paths. Several global pharmaceutical companies, such as Pfizer, Merck, and Roche have large R&D centers in Finland.
Finnish Medical and Health Technology is also globally well-known, and companies such as GE Healthcare, Thermo Fischer, Danaher, and Bayer have therefore established R&D centers in Finland. Finland integrates ICT and artificial intelligence in healthcare service to ensure accuracy in treatment and better remedy.
Clean technology and Bioeconomy
Environmental engineering is another popular degree among foreign students. This is because it is easy to get admitted and there is a need for the labor force. Today, there are more than 4000 cleantech companies registered in the country.
Cargotec Oy, Metso Oy, and Neste Oy have shaped the perspective of the world about Finnish’s bioeconomy. Most of these companies recruit every summer all over Finland and offer internships in their undergraduate programs. The Japanese firm Itochu, for example, has invested in a new bioproduct mill by Metso Group, and in 2016, the Chinese companies Sunshine Kaidi and China CAMC Engineering announced their intentions to invest in Finland, with a total worth of over EUR 1 billion.
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Smart Maritime
Finland has long been a frontrunner in maritime technology and shipbuilding. The majority of the largest luxury cruise ships in the world are built or designed in Finland. 60% of all the icebreakers in the world are built, and 80% are designed in Finland. The first LNG-powered icebreaker in the world was built in Finland.
Wärtsilä Oy recruits students very often, especially those who are from the business and engineering sides. Finland is a great environment both for testing and developing autonomous shipping technologies. Expertise? Optical sensors, wireless communications, software development, the industrial internet, and artificial intelligence This is why Rolls Royce opened an autonomous ship R&D center in Finland in 2018.
Future skill shortages in Finland
According to predictions about job openings in Finland in the future, there are severe skill shortages in the following areas:
- IT, ICT and gaming
- Software engineering, computer science, AI, Robotics, Big data, cloud computing
- Chemical industry (Chemicals account for Finland’s second largest industry sector)
- Chemical engineers
- Bioeconomy
- Biorefinery, biochemistry, chemical engineers, environmental engineers etc.
- Health sector
- Medical practitioners, health ICT, medical data analytics, AI
- Construction/Infrastructure
- Construction engineers, electrical engineers, and other engineers.
- Tourism
- Hospitality Management, Business Development
For students interested in working in Finland after studies, there is a lot of potential in the fields of IT, ICT, AI, VR, Big Data, and gaming. According to the Finnish Information Processing Association, Finland will have around 10,000 vacant positions for skilled programmers in 2020. In Europe, there will be about 200,000 job openings in the above fields over the next few years.
Students who are interested in IT, ICT, and digitalization will have good opportunities and will find a job in AI, big data, and robotics. As you can see from the list above, there will be a shortage of skilled workers in almost every industry in Finland in the coming years.
Finland has high standards for infrastructure, well-being, and salary. Read 5 Reasons to Love Finland and Finnish Work Culture to find out what’s behind the success of Finland’s top companies.
