Close cooperation between TAMK and International House Tampere is bearing fruit
Asko Ali-Löytty, Career Services Planner at TAMK, works with student career guidance and their transition to working life, which makes collaboration networks essential. The cooperation initiated by Minna Arko with IHT has focused particularly on supporting the employment of international students.
Ali-Löytty explains that IHT has been involved in TAMK’s Career Week organised by Career Services. IHT has produced job search workshops specifically targeted at international students.
“Together with Tampere University, we have also collaborated with IHT in the Study and Stay event. The event was organised for graduating international students to support their post‑study job search, and it also presents the service offering of IHT,” Ali-Löytty says.
According to him, IHT’s experts have brought valuable know‑how and perspectives that have enriched the content of events and increased their impact.
“Through the cooperation, we have been able to offer international students concrete pathways into working life: counselling, networking opportunities, and information about local services for example. I believe this has increased students’ understanding and ability to navigate Finnish working life. The cooperation supports TAMK’s strategic goals of promoting internationalisation and employability,” Ali‑Löytty emphasises.
The aim is to deepen collaboration even further and to develop service processes that support students’ transition from studies to working life more effectively.
Project and working‑group cooperation is important
Project Manager Laura Sairanen from TAMK’s Learning and Well‑being Services says she has worked in several projects focused on employment and the support measures related to it (Osaamispoluttaja, Quickly to Work, Talent Boost programme). Her work also includes supporting the integration of international students, and she is responsible for implementing TAMK’s School to Belong loneliness prevention programme. In August, a new ESF+ project International Students into Internships and Employment in Regional Cities – KOHTA began, where she serves as the project manager.
Sairanen has collaborated with IHT for many years. The cooperation has included information sharing, joint development, event planning, exchanging experiences, and organisational visits in both directions. Collaboration has focused on employment, finding internship placements, and supporting integration.
Working groups are an excellent way to share knowledge, discuss, and stay informed about what different organisations are working on. Cooperation has also helped TAMK to more effectively market available services and events to students.
“With the help of cooperation, we have been able to organise events and increase shared visibility and guidance to services. The Internship Kickstart campaign has brought in many new companies, which has concretely resulted in internship or project opportunities for our students. The cooperation is extremely meaningful because we all work towards the same goals. Students’ opportunities to find their place in Finnish society increase when our shared expertise helps connect them with services,” Sairanen emphasises.
Shared marketing responsibilities and export cooperation
Customer Manager Johanna Koivulampi‑Howard from Continuing Education Services mainly works with domestic public‑sector clients. Over the past six years, she has organised several ELY‑funded labour market trainings, where the end customers have included international professionals. She also manages domestic clients in business administration and media.
“I have worked a lot with IHT. When running international labour market training programmes aimed towards export sectors, I received marketing support from IHT. Students visited the location, and a few even secured internships. We also organised a webinar in their facilities, highlighting the successful career stories of international professionals and sharing tips,” Koivulampi‑Howard says.
“It has been wonderful to see IHT’s development from its early steps into a significant actor in the Pirkanmaa ecosystem. Together we have developed new ways of collaborating, shared marketing responsibilities, exchanged company insights, and provided information about training opportunities. Our cooperation has also included supporting our shared customers.”
“When I receive new international training programmes, I always contact International House Tampere. I am happy to develop new approaches that respond specifically to the current situation,” Koivulampi‑Howard adds.
Long‑standing collaboration
Piri Hiltunen, Specialist responsible for the marketing of international degree programmes at TAMK’s Admission Services, emphasises that services provided by the surrounding community – such as IHT – are an essential part of the student promise for international students relocating to Tampere.
“The cooperation with IHT began even before it was formally established, when TAMK alumni Mari Taverne and later Karen Ahtiainen were involved in the city’s strategic development work. A natural link formed based on talent attraction to include international student recruitment from the very beginning. The aim has always been to strengthen how the City of Tampere’s activities can support TAMK’s international students, and how TAMK in turn can enhance the city’s attractiveness and retention globally,” she explains.
According to Hiltunen, the collaboration has always been active, open, and forward‑looking. Together, both parties have shared concern for the smooth settlement of international students – future residents, taxpayers, and entrepreneurs – and their commitment to Tampere as their home.
“Throughout the studies and afterwards, we support employment, professional networking, and the internationalisation of the entire region. The goal is to deepen the collaboration further, for example in the selection of target countries in marketing or other strategic decisions.”
Guidance for students with immigrant backgrounds
TAMK School of Professional Teacher Education (TAOK) works closely with IHT. Senior Lecturer Kosti Nivalainen and Senior Lecturer, SIMHE Counsellor Mervi Kastari explain that cooperation began with a practicum model for teacher education. The model was designed for vocational teacher students who were not working in the education sector. In the integration sector, practicum placements have included Mainio, International House Tampere, and the International Competence Centre for Immigrants within the City of Tampere’s Employment and Growth Services.
“The practicum placements have been highly sought after and have strengthened teacher students’ pedagogical and guidance skills for working with learners from diverse cultural backgrounds,” says Nivalainen.
In autumn 2024, TAOK launched a flexible admission pathway for completing Finnish‑language supplementary pedagogical studies for students who have completed their teacher training abroad and received Finnish qualification recognition. This Finnish‑language programme offers immigrant‑background teachers a good opportunity to find employment, as it also improves their language skills. Likewise, their own diverse cultural backgrounds are beneficial as the student population becomes increasingly multicultural.
“The School of Professional Teacher Education has organised information sessions about the training in cooperation with IHT and TAMK’s SIMHE services. This has helped reach highly educated immigrants in the region, and the qualification programme for teachers has become very popular,” Kastari and Nivalainen say.
The first graduates have already obtained their Finnish teaching qualifications, and many have found employment corresponding to their education.
Author: Heli Antila
