DunniExpo – Student Recap

Vol. 26, Issue 18, 08 March 2024
DunniExpo is one of the biggest networking and recruitment events which we were lucky enough to attend as a part of our new business environment course. The organizers have created the event for people to network and find a work placement. As an international student, Dunniexpo was a good opportunity to meet and network with Finnish companies for practical training and as international students the event was useful not only because of the networking event but also because of the discussion forum sessions.

As for the employment opportunities (summer jobs/ practical training opportunities), the presence of recruitment agencies like Eezy, and Barona and the presence of various industry-related companies like Helen Limited (Energy), Metsä Group(Forest), Sweco Oy (Sustainability) ….etc was an opportunity for business students to network and apply for positions. Unfortunately, the answer most of the students received from most companies was that they don’t have available work opportunities and requested us to apply online for open positions. Although it was somewhat discouraging as international students, writer believes that the opportunity to make contact with the company representatives and build up personal network via these kinds of events gives XAMK students a better chance to secure an employment position. The experience alone serves as a lesson on how to reach out to potential employers and make first contact and can be beneficial for students in the long run.

Workshops including CV building, networking opportunities for students as well as the discussion forum in auditoriums including Irisa Keahey’s “Global citizenship skills for work in globalizing economies” was exciting and very insightful as the speaker explained the key aspects of skills including high interpersonal skills, adaptability, open-mindedness, Courage, comfortability with differences, multiple perspective talking, Curiosity and seeking for new knowledge as well as empathy. Although the event was consisit of other speakers, students were not able to attend as they were conducted in Finnish. Throughout the event, students experienced the importance of learning Finnish as fast as they could as it was a huge factor to secure employment positions. Although it may be bit annoying as an outsider and a newcomer, students must realize that learning Finnish not only serves as a medium to communicate with others but also serves as a tool to preserve health and safety as we need to be able to understand the language not only to connect with other people but also to integrate ourselves in company culture.
In conclusion, DunniExpo is both an event perfect for opportunity seeking as well as an eye opener about the importance of language learning to connect and network with the job market in Finland.