Gateway to Working Life Brought Students and Employers Together at TAMK
Established as TAMK's most important recruitment event of the year, Gateway to Working Life was held this year from January 19th to 21st. In addition to Tamko, the arrangements involved student clubs, subject associations, and TAMK Career Services. At its core, the event aims to help students find employment and provide opportunities for internships or thesis topics.
The event was divided into traditional theme days based on TAMK’s fields of study. The week kicked off with a day for Social Services and Health Care, followed by a focus on Business and Hospitality Management, and concluded with a day dedicated to Engineering and Technology. This arrangement makes it easier for students to find employers specifically within their own fields.
Low-Threshold Networking in a Familiar Environment
Event Coordinator Annika Keskinen from the Student Union Tamko is delighted with the activity of the employers. A total of 77 operators from various fields, ranging from companies to trade unions, participated.
– It is great to see that so many companies want to provide opportunities for students even in a challenging employment situation and see new talents as a vital resource, Keskinen states.
According to Keskinen, the event's greatest strengths are its location and relaxed atmosphere.
– The purpose of the event is to lower the threshold for networking, as being on campus means being in a familiar environment. You can stop by to talk to companies even on your way to lunch. The companies are here specifically because they want to meet students, so they can be approached very easily.
A Counterforce to Digital Job Seeking
Today’s job hunting often consists of merely filling out online forms, which can cause one's personality to be overshadowed by text. Gateway to Working Life offers a counterpoint by enabling genuine, face-to-face conversations.
– We hope, of course, that students make the most of the event and network actively. Here you can introduce yourself in person, truly stand out as an individual, and ask more about the work, Keskinen emphasizes.
TAMK Career Counsellor Asko Ali-Löytty also stresses that the event is a brilliant opportunity to practice networking skills, which are essential in modern working life. He highlights that the event offers a chance to meet employers ‘personality first’ and practice professional event behavior, which is an important part of modern job seeking alongside digital channels.
Previous years have proven the concept’s effectiveness, since according to the 2025 feedback survey, more than half of the respondents gained new contacts or even concrete employment opportunities through the event. Student feedback has also been addressed this year by extending the event hours by one hour.
Students Value Direct Connections and Accessibility
The event received praise from students who utilized the opportunity to meet employers in their field. Third-year Architectural Engineering students Hanna Koivisto and Minna Tolkki attended the fair specifically to find engineering firms. For them, the most valuable part was the chance to ask for direct tips for applications and hear what is important to companies during recruitment.
– It’s super good that you can ask things directly. Reading websites often feels a bit distant, so it’s nice to get to chat and hear tips on, for example, what makes an application memorable for a company, Koivisto describes.
The duo visited the Sweco stand, which had open positions specifically for architectural engineers in the Tampere region. According to the students, Gateway to Working Life is a useful concept they hope will continue as a tradition in the coming years as well.
– It’s a fantastic concept in my opinion, very useful for students, and I recommend everyone to attend!
First-year Electrical Building Services Engineering student Jadis Apell, attending for the first time, says the event is useful even at this stage of studies, as internships need to be found already during the first year. Apell notes that the event is a good opportunity to get to know companies as a new student and particularly likes that the event is held at TAMK, where meeting the representatives is easy.
At the event, students also got to hone their job-seeking skills with an AI-assisted interview simulator. The simulator provided many with concrete practice and feedback, helping them prepare for future challenges. Students praised the method for providing a safe environment to practice interview situations and refresh required skills.
Companies Find Future Talents at the Gateway
For companies, Gateway to Working Life is a key channel to meet motivated students and build an employer brand directly on campus. The event offers employers the chance to present their operations, find fresh talent, and discuss future skill requirements. For many companies, the fair has become an annual tradition to reach the right talents.
The technology company Insta, specializing in critical infrastructure, security, and industrial solutions, participated again this year. Recruitment Specialist Johanna Välimäki says the company is a regular fixture at the event, having participated almost every year.
The successful cooperation is rooted in the expertise provided by TAMK: the university produces the future professionals that companies need for their trainee positions. Particularly relevant fields for Insta include Information Technology, Electrical and Automation Engineering, and Business Administration.
– We are an interesting workplace where you get to work extensively on projects in defense, cybersecurity, and electrical and automation engineering that you don't see elsewhere, Välimäki says regarding the trainee positions Insta offers to students.
Participating for the first time was POP Pankki, represented by Financial Specialist Anton Pohjonen. Pohjonen reached out to the organizers after hearing about the event, as it was seen as a good opportunity to reach new talent. Business students are a key target group for the bank, with the goal of finding new interns for daily banking services.
– In our internship, you get to work with everything related to accounts, online banking, and cards. The work is very customer-service oriented but also includes sales, for example, with insurance and card products, Pohjonen describes.
Concrete Results and Successful Encounters
Tamko representatives are pleased with the success of the event and the activity of the students. Large crowds were present every day, and the CV photography and interview simulator, in particular, received praise and high participation.
– We have received very positive feedback from both students and companies. It has been great to hear that many students have gained concrete contacts and agreed on internship or thesis positions through the event, Tamko reports.
All in all, Gateway to Working Life was once again a highly valued and popular event, providing a unique meeting place for TAMK students and companies. The work done by Tamko did not go unnoticed, with thanks for the successful arrangements being heard from both students and employers alike.
Author: Jasmiina Ronkainen
