Students and companies happy with collaboration within Aalto International Talent Programme

The Aalto International Talent Programme pilot supporting international students' employment and careers ended in May.

The programme brought over sixty international degree students from the School of Science and the School Electrical Engineering together with eight companies: Bayer, Elisa, Ericsson, Nokia, Supermetrics, Vaisala, VTT and Wärtsilä.

During the spring, the students met with the companies' recruiters and other specialists in small groups.

'We had great conversations about job hunting, career development and future competence needs. Students also met with our specialists, who shared their career stories and their views on the future development of various technologies,' explains Ericsson's Recruitment Team Lead Anu Hirvikallio.

The programme enabled students to network and develop job hunting skills

Students who participated in the programme felt they received a lot of support in brushing up their job search skills.

'I learned how to improve my CV and LinkedIn profile, and how to prepare myself for a job interview,' says Manila Kodali, who joined Nokia's group.

Although Kodali agrees all programme elements were useful, she values the chance to build networks the most.

'Aalto International Talent programme helped me grow my network in Finland. I am sure that participating in the programme will help me to get a job in the future,' adds Kodali, who works as a research assistant at the Department of Communications Engineering this summer.

Also companies benefited from the programme

Company representatives felt it was also beneficial for them to participate in the programme.

'We were able to reach out to students and hear their views. At the same time, we had the chance to tell them about Ericsson and what it is we do nowadays. We were also able to share information on our internship positions,' Anu Hirvikallio says.

In fact, three students who joined Ericsson's group were recruited as interns at the company.

'The collaboration brought mutual benefits,' Hirvikallio adds.

The programme helped in finding an internship

One of the students, who will start working as an intern at Ericsson, is the second year Communications Engineering student Waqar Abbas.

'I am going to join the Cloud Development Team as an intern in late July,'  Abbas shares.

Like the majority of Aalto International Talent programme participants, also Abbas felt the programme supported his job search.

'Aalto International Talent Programme helped a lot. Especially in finding out about different research projects companies are undertaking, and identifying the suitable ones to which I could see myself contributing,' Abbas says.

The Aalto International Talent programme will continue in spring term 2021.

The programme is part of the International talents accelerating growth co-project that is linked to the Finnish Government's Talent Boost Programme.

More information

Kaisa Paasivirta
Project Manager
Aalto International Talent Programme
Talent Boost - International Talents Accelerating Growth Co-Project
Aalto University Career Services
Advancement and Corporate Engagement
kaisa.paasivirta@aalto.fi 
+358 50 359 3620