Episode 43
Continuing our series on job-seeking in Finland, Petra chats with Stefan Cave. Originally from the UK, Stefan moved to Finland with his partner in 2019 seeking a better work-life balance. Upon arriving in Finland, he applied his background in HR and operations management to his role as COO at talent accelerator The Shortcut.
The Shortcut was founded in 2015 to help solve the refugee crisis; however, its founders quickly realized that there were bigger problems in the Finnish labor market that needed to be addressed. Stagnating growth in the Finnish economy and obstacles to the integration of foreign talent was creating a joblessness crisis among educated internationals.
As the largest talent accelerator in the Nordics, The Shortcut seeks to help unlock potential and accelerate job seekers into employment or entrepreneurship. To reach this goal, The Shortcut offers free services including training programs, coworking space, networking and matchmaking events, and career coaching.
The Shortcut focuses on the tech industry, because of the thriving tech scene in Helsinki and the industry’s international culture. However, there is something to be said for their entrepreneurship services as well. The company takes advantage of Finland’s entrepreneur-friendly services to help internationals create their own dream jobs.
“When I compare it to places like the UK, Finland is head and shoulders above the rest in terms of entrepreneurship,” Stefan pointed out.
Due to restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, The Shortcut is currently only offering online services. You can take advantage of free webinars, career coaching, and digital community events to build your skills and grow your professional network.
If you do not have a background in the tech industry, you may be doubting whether The Shortcut has anything to offer you. Before writing off their services, listen to what Stefan had to say about the kinds of people who they have been able to help in the past.
“Diversity and inclusion are the bedrock on which we’ve been built,” he said. “We welcome everyone from all walks of life. If you’re someone who’s had a background in hospitality but now wants to become a programmer, we support it.”
Although the company is founded on the principle of helping anyone who walks through their doors (or, in this case, visits their homepage), be advised that some training programs require registration with the TE office.
Tune in to episode 42 for Stefan’s advice for international job seekers and to learn more about how The Shortcut can help you. You can check out the company’s success stories and sign up for upcoming events at the links below.