Tech Solution Day, organized by the Spouse Program in collaboration with Teknologiateollisuus – Technology Industries of Finland and partner companies KONE, Metso, and Capgemini, created a dynamic platform for collaboration and innovation within the tech industry. Held in March, the event connected international spouses from the Spouse Program with key company partners in the Helsinki capital region. The event’s role was to promote integration of hidden talent and highlight problem-solving opportunities within the Finnish tech industry in a diverse and inclusive environment.
One key objective for Tech Solution Day was to support talent retention for companies, while also showcasing highly skilled talent available locally. Many companies face common issues of losing key specialists when their spouses struggle to settle in. Such spouses often find their own talents overlooked and unable to enter the local job market, even though they are highly skilled specialists in their own right.
“This topic is really important”, says Paula Romanainen, International Mobility Manager at Capgemini. “We have lost international talents because their spouses did not find work in Finland or feel comfortable here.”
According to Romanainen, it is important to help the spouses feel welcome and find something meaningful to do. It can be helping them find work or networks of people who are in a similar situation. “It can make or break an international assignment if the family doesn’t feel good about the transfer.”
Esa Johnsson, Global Mobility Manager at Metso, also highlights the importance of relocation and integration for individuals and spouses moving to Finland. According to him, families that move back to their home countries after living in Finland, move mostly because the spouse hasn’t been able to find a job or meaningful life here.
“That’s why these kinds of programmes are very important”, Johnsson emphasizes. “We want everyone to have a happy, good life, and the job is part of it.”
Kristiina Saaristo, Senior Full-Stack Recruiter at KONE tells that KONE has been collaborating with the Spouse Program for a couple of years, and KONE also belongs to the Technology Industries of Finland. “It’s nice to have these two parties collaborating.”
Saaristo believes that Tech Solution Day holds importance not only for the members of the Spouse Program but also for the participating companies. “The event is important for all the companies participating to get fresh new ideas, thinking outside the box, and new innovations.”
Jenni Pitkänen, Lead Expert at Teknologiateollisuus – Technology Industries of Finland, tells that they have almost 1900 member companies, and the goal is to make Tech Solution Day even bigger in the future. “In all our projects we think how we can help a lot of companies at the same time, and I think this concept is very good for that. Next time we will have more companies and more people.”
Shaping the future of technology
Tech Solution Day kicked off with the tech companies introducing themselves and offering valuable insights into their roles within their industries. This provided the spouses with a comprehensive understanding of the background and the obstacles faced by tech companies today.
Each participating company then presented design challenges for the spouses to tackle in groups, with the objective of brainstorming innovative solutions together. These challenges ranged from specific obstacles, such as barriers with remote field assignments, to design processes, such as elevator programming logic, to forward-thinking industry trends, such as harnessing artificial intelligence to streamline recruitment.
Groups were formed by talented spouses from various backgrounds and with diverse skill sets who had never previously worked together. They worked in interactive sessions to tackle the challenges proposed by the companies, and were characterized by intense brainstorming, groupwork, and the exchange of ideas. As the deliberations progressed, participants focused their energy on problem-solving, leveraging their unique profiles and expertise to develop creative and practical solutions.
Bikash Panthi, Consultant and Automation Developer at Capgemini, emphasized the event’s cross-cultural nature, describing it as “more like an international meeting”.
At the end of the day, the company representatives had the chance to hear the talented spouses pitch their innovative solutions. Feedback from the companies was extremely positive, with some going so far as to suggest that certain solutions would make excellent start-ups, and it was later agreed that companies would host the groups of spouses in company office visits.
The spouses themselves also came away feeling positive and empowered, thankful for the opportunity to prove themselves and network with relevant industry players. “It was really amazing”, Abigiael Nya, a Talent Spouse, expresses her experience about her team. “We were all synchronized together which made our work easier and we were such an amazing team together, great teamwork.”
Tech Solution Day was a success, showcasing the interaction between talented spouses and tech companies in driving innovation and finding solutions to challenges within the industry. It demonstrated the power of collaboration between talented spouses and tech companies and highlighted the potential for driving innovation and inspiring creativity when diverse skill sets and perspectives are brought together.
“The companies present gave us opportunities to present our views and we got to know more about them and their recruitment process”, says Ranjana Gautam, Talent Spouse.
The event not only provided a platform to connect companies and talent, but also served as a source of inspiration for all participants, emphasizing teamwork and creativity in shaping the future of technology.
More information about the Spouse Program
The Spouse Program offers those who have moved to the Helsinki capital region due to their partner’s employment the opportunity to join a supportive community. Participants can attend workshops and networking events and receive guidance on how to enter the local job market.
How does the Spouse Program help companies?
The Spouse Program has a talent pool of extremely qualified individuals already based in the Helsinki capital region and ready to adapt their careers to Finnish companies. By becoming a company partner, you can access the talent pool through collaborative recruitment events, or the Spouse Program can provide specialised services to your own international spouse community.
Contact: spouseprogram@hel.fi