Funded by the Regional Council of Ostrobothnia & VAMK, Ready for Talents focuses on two key goals: enhancing SMEs’ readiness to recruit international talents and supporting international students in identifying employment opportunities already during their studies.
The project is implemented across three main areas:
- Real-life employment connections, including internships and pilot company partnerships.
- A training program and digital tool, developed to assess and build recruitment readiness in local companies.
- A podcast series, co-created and hosted by international talents and local experts from the region.
Together, these initiatives contribute to a more inclusive, diverse, and future-oriented job market in the region.
Understanding the Challenge: Insights from YoungTalk 23
The motivation for Ready for Talents stems from key findings at the annual YoungTalk event, part of the Wasa Future Festival. Discussions with SMEs, international students, and stakeholders highlighted two pressing issues: SMEs often lack preparedness to effectively recruit international talents, and international students frequently do not recognize the employment possibilities within local SMEs.
Ready for Talents tests a new approach focused on three pillars as explained below:
Piloting with SMEs: Creating Employment Possibilities
Ready for Talents actively facilitates connections between international students and local SMEs through pilot collaborations and internship opportunities. Participating companies complete a recruitment readiness questionnaire, gaining tailored feedback and access to supportive materials.
Pilot companies receive free access to the customized training program, enabling them to improve their international recruitment processes by learning from peers and experts within their network. As they put their readiness into action, these companies commit to offering internships or employment opportunities to international talents, starting in Spring/Summer 2025.
By joining Ready for Talents, companies earn certification as champions of diversity and inclusivity—demonstrating their commitment to creating welcoming workplaces for international professionals. This certification not only boosts employer branding but also strengthens the region’s attractiveness for skilled global talent.
Training and Development: Tools and Programs for Success
A key innovation developed by the project is a mobile application, created in partnership with SuperApp Oy, that allows SMEs to self-assess their international recruitment capabilities and identify development needs. This scanning model serves as a foundation for the training program and is accessible via the Ready for Talents project website.
Furthermore, the project collaborates with Vaasa Startup Factory’s Summer Bloom program, offering international talents coaching and mentoring in navigating recruitment challenges. With over 200 applicants and 20 selected participants from universities including VAMK, the University of Vaasa, Novia, and Hanken, this initiative nurtures the next generation of global professionals.
The Ready for Talents team, led by Sara Nyyssölä and Kartik Sharma continues its community engagement through the upcoming YoungTalk25 event, taking place on 12 August 2025. Young talents are involved as volunteers and organizers, fostering peer learning and opening pathways to summer jobs and internships.
Podcast Series: Sharing Experiences and Practical Advice
One of the project’s cornerstone activities is a podcast series hosted by Kartik Sharma representing various institutions in the region. This platform shares firsthand stories, insights from international talents, employers, and expert advice on navigating the Finnish job market.
- Episode 1 featured an interview with Khin Phyu Cyn Kyi, an international business student and trainee at Hitachi. The episode focused on job search strategies for international students, emphasizing the importance of networking, using both formal platforms and informal contacts, and understanding Finnish cultural hints in applications. Khin’s memorable insight was, “Networking doesn’t have to be fancy. It’s just talking to people, even small talk.”
- Episode 2 explored recruitment challenges from the SME perspective with Abel Muparadzi who is working at EduPower. It underscored the high stakes for SMEs when hiring and introduced the International Project Practice (IPP) program, which fosters smoother integration of international talents through project-based collaboration and coaching. A noteworthy cultural insight Abel shared was the Finnish management style: “No news is good news,” which can sometimes confuse international talents who are accustomed to receiving regular feedback.
- Episode 3 shed light on Finland’s hidden job market, where up to 70% of positions are filled through internal referrals or remain unadvertised. Anita Sundman from Åbo Akademi advised talents to maintain visibility via LinkedIn and local events and noted that even basic Finnish language skills can enhance applications. “Some positions might not even exist before the right person shows up,” she explained.
- Episode 4 with Torbjörn Strand and Laila Fe Balinggan highlighted the importance of continuous personal and professional development. They emphasized that building skills aligned with the current job market, nurturing entrepreneurial thinking, and showcasing one’s potential and attitude are just as crucial as formal qualifications. They pointed out, “Finnish employers don’t just hire qualifications — they hire potential, attitude, and self-awareness.” Their insights encourage international talents to focus on growth beyond their degrees and embrace opportunities to develop diverse competencies.
Conclusion: Building a Sustainable Talent Ecosystem
The Ready for Talents project demonstrates how collaborative innovation can bridge gaps between international talents and local SMEs. By combining awareness-raising through podcasts, workshops, practical employment opportunities, and targeted training programs enhanced by digital tools, the project lays the groundwork for a more inclusive and competitive labor market in Ostrobothnia.
As pilot companies implement new recruitment strategies and international talents gain stronger footholds in local workplaces, the region benefits from a diverse and skilled workforce ready to meet future challenges. Ready for Talents not only addresses current labor shortages but also fosters a community where talents and businesses grow together, strengthening Ostrobothnia’s position as a vibrant and welcoming hub for international professionals.
