Katia Joolokeni Leskelä osallistui vuonna 2020 kansainvälisille työnhakijoille suunnattuun F.E.C.-ohjelmaamme ja antaa nyt muutaman vinkin miksi kannattaa hakea mukaan rekrytoivaan koulutusohjelmaan. Leskelä rekrytoitiin yhteistyöyritykseensä Funzilife Oy:öön F.E.C.-ohjelman jälkeen.

What would you tell or what are your experiences, why is it useful to join F.E.C. programs?

• I was a little bit at a crossroads of how do I start to enter this job market in Finland? I wasn't familiar so well with what avenues are available to me. Where do I start to search for a job? What is expected in a Finish professional life? And then also just getting a little bit of guidance on the whole process of how to start searching, how to market myself as a professional to potential employers.
• But then also there was a little bit of a community formed from the people who took part in the program who were in very similar circumstances. So you felt like you were a little bit part of a community, you didn't feel so isolated in this job searching journey. I think that was the greatest benefit for me. Outside of, of course, just what you're learning in the courses, which were also quite great.

Are there any tips, if you put yourself in the shoes of a young university graduate applying for their first jobs, and considering if this F.E.C. program could be beneficial for them, what kind of a tip would you give for applicants?

• If you are still trying to consider whether or not this is the program for them, I think it will be great to have a look at what the program covers, and see if the courses that are available would be beneficial for you. For me, the greatest job searching learnings I got were from the job searching element of the program. Just have a look at the courses in the program and know that there is quite a lot of depth to each of them. And then just to really participate. I think being open to the process, you do gain quite a bit from that.
• I think the tip also is to actually apply what you're learning in that program. So I saw immediately, just from my job application process, some of the things that I've learned how beneficial it was. But then also in the job that I did get through the FEC program, some of the courses that I took were immediately applicable. So courses like design thinking, which was an online course, which is so great. The project management course also super useful.
• I think just apply everything that you're learning, be open to the process, and don't be afraid to talk to other participants within the program. And also the facilitators of the program, they're super helpful and can give you some really useful tips.

How was it for you to work for the company during this six-month program, and any tips regarding that aspect for the applicants?

• I think, just finding the organization that you want to work in can be a bit scary at first, I guess if you're new to the job market. It was a bit daunting for me, at least thinking that I have to now put myself out there and just send open applications. But luckily you get quite a bit of support from the F.E.C. program facilitators just to help you with that.
• But you do need quite a bit of proactiveness on your own part and that willingness to actually want to find a partner organization. And something that I really liked that the FEC program was encouraging was finding an organization that is aligned with your own values and truly what you want to do. You don't have to be this desperate job seeker, just taking anything that comes your way. You can start to really value yourself and what you can give to an organization.

There were participants with very different educational backgrounds and backgrounds in general. How important do you think that is? Does the field that you have graduated from play any role?

• I really liked the fact that it was people from different backgrounds. Because you firstly learn a lot of different perspectives, but then you also realize that even though you have different backgrounds, you're all pretty much in the same boat and can help support each other in that way. And as I mentioned earlier, there's a sense of community and there's a sense of we're in it together in this job search or professional growth journey.
• I think that sense of community was definitely brought on because people are from such different backgrounds, and we're all with the same goal at the end of the day. So, one of definitely the key benefits of being part of such a program.

Where are you now, in terms of your career? What kind of steps have you taken since the program ended and how would you describe your position in the Finish labor market at the moment?

• I think first of all, how I feel is after the program I felt very empowered. I felt like I am able to take ownership of my career growth within the Finnish labor market. So what previously felt very scary and daunting, I feel like, "You know what, I can actually ..." With or without the organization that I work in, I feel like I have enough tools or I understand a little bit how to navigate in this labor market.
• But then in relation to my job, I would like to think it was an easy decision for them to make to hire me full-time. Because of the period that you work through the program with them, it's almost like an intern. I wouldn't call it an internship because you're adding more value really than just a short-term, it's kind of your way to show them what value you can bring to an organization, a test period, or whatever it may be that you want to call it.
• So once I was able to go through that process and show what value I can bring to the organization, it was an easier decision for them to say "full-time position." And I'm a marketing specialist now at the organization, and I feel like I'm continuously learning through working at this organization. And it'll just catapult me to be able to do anything else if I ever want to grow in other directions. So yeah, feeling, I think, empowered is the word I would use. 

Further Educated with Companies. F.E.C.-koulutusohjelma on noin puolivuotinen yhteistyöjakso potentiaalisen tulevan työnantajan kanssa. Rekrytoivan koulutuksen tavoitteena on työsopimus yhteistyöyrityksen ja koulutukseen osallistuvan välillä. Koulutussopimukseen perustuva ohjelma sisältää perehtymistä ja käytännön työskentelyä sekä Aalto PRO:n järjestämän koulutuksen.