Talent First – collaboration across borders

Talent First activities enhance collaboration between various actors in North Savo to attract talent to the region. The aim of this collaboration is to work together towards common goals on a regional, national and international level.

The labour shortage has been making headlines for some time now, and the latest studies suggest that the situation will not improve in the next few years. This could lead to different regions in Finland competing over talent. The strength of North Savo is that the region embraces a culture of doing things together, unreservedness and the ease of networking among companies, municipal organisations and educational institutions.

Covering all areas of life

The aim of Talent First activities is to make North Savo an attractive and interesting region that offers plenty of opportunities while taking all areas of life into account when it comes to skilled professionals.

CEO of Savon Yrittäjät Paula Aikio-Tallgren is pleased to see that the focus is not only on the potential mover, but also on what their family might need.

“Versatile career opportunities and services that support personal life, such as hobbies and health care, are all part of the big picture that ultimately ensures that the professional and their family enjoy living in North Savo,” says Aikio-Tallgren.

Through this collaboration, North Savo will focus even more on how the superiority factors of each municipality complement what the other municipalities in the region have to offer. Aikio-Tallgren believes that North Savo has nothing to be concerned about in terms of its pull factors.

“We offer comprehensive education in English, education at different levels, versatile career opportunities as well as public health care, which is appreciated not only by many international talents, but also companies moving to the region.” 

First in providing expertise scenes

In addition to soft values, Talent First activities focus on highlighting regional competence and career opportunities. Key themes include matching the priority industries in North Savo with the needs of talent, improving the growth conditions of companies and regional attraction and retention.

The priority industries – or so-called expertise scenes – in North Savo represent the broad range of industries and businesses in the region and their strengths. There are several priority industries in North Savo, and the first scene networks will be built around the industries where talent is most urgently needed. These are the health tech, wellbeing and pharmaceutical industry; ICT; technology industry; the tourism sector and security.

“They offer a variety of career paths. In the tech industry, for example, you can go from smaller companies to bigger ones. Or you can work in the health, wellbeing and pharmaceutical industry either in a startup or a big, global organisation,” says Managing Director Kaija Savolainen from the Kuopio Region Chamber of Commerce.

North Savo provides plenty of opportunities to land a job at a global company if you want to pursue an international career. These companies allow you to work abroad and then return to Finland, if you want. Here, you can choose to be a part of this internationality.

International talents

There are several multinational companies in North Savo, each with its own cultural nuances. All the parties engaging in collaboration exchange best practices on how we could lower the threshold for international talent to come here.

We want to make international talent feel accepted, like they are part of the community, and to consider this region their home, because home is where the heart is. All areas of life need to be covered.

“Talent First activities help us attract talent to the region and give them a chance to find their mental home here. How the newcomer and their family manage to integrate into Savo and build communities here is important,” says Savolainen.

Savolainen mentions that newcomers can expect a warm and considerate welcome in North Savo. Help is available to new arrivals and people are easy to reach.

“Your background doesn’t matter; what matters is that you feel welcome and enjoy equal treatment with everyone else.”

Talent attraction model of North Savo – impact through collaboration

• Talent First is the project’s brand for collaboration, activities and measures
• The primary aim is to attract new talent and labour to the region by enhancing regional attraction and retention.
• During the project, a collaboration model and tools are built for the partners and other actors in the region.
• The project will involve close cooperation with companies and educational institutions in North Savo, regional projects and municipal partners. There are 13 partners in total.
• The measures are based on the perspectives of the talent and the priority competencies.
• The lead partner and coordinator of the project is the City of Kuopio.
• The project period is 1 September 2023 – 31 August 2025. Activities will continue after the project.
• The project is part-funded by the European Union (North Savo ESF+).

This article is one of the measures conducted under Talent First (“Talent attraction model of North Savo – impact through collaboration”). The project is funded by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of South Savo (North Savo ESF+) and the European Union and 13 partners from North Savo (1 September 2023 – 31 August 2025). More information about the project: Project Manager Reetta Airaksinen, reetta.airaksinen@kuopio.fi, and, as of April 2024, www.talentfirst.fi

This article was published in Kuopio by Nature 2024 magazine.

Text: Akiola Media Oy