Financial Academy brings together financial organisations and educational institutions

What is the Financial Academy?

The Financial Academy is a network coordinated by Finance Finland that unites financial organisations and educational institutions. The network’s aim is to share information and know-how between network members and to increase collaboration between financial organisations and educational institutions to better account for changing needs in the sector. The network also seeks to improve the sector’s employer image.

In addition to Finance Finland’s member organisations, the Financial Academy includes 22 educational institutions that represent all educational levels from vocational schools to universities, including independent institutes that offer continuing education.

The Financial Academy’s work is organised around two working groups: one focused on lobbying and oversight, and the other on education pathways and employer image. In addition, Finance Finland’s member organisations and educational institutions can also promote human resource development and expertise in the field through their own training and collaboration programmes.

Educational institutions in the Financial Academy network

  • Aalto University Executive Education Ltd
    (+ FINVA Financial Education)
  • Business College Helsinki
  • Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences
  • Hanken School of Economics
  • Häme University of Applied Sciences
  • Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences
  • Keski-Uusimaa Joint Municipal Authority for Education and Training Keuda
  • LAB University of Applied Sciences
  • Laurea University of Applied Sciences
  • Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
  • Omnia, the Joint Authority of Education in the Espoo region
  • Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College Ltd
  • Rastor-instituutti
  • Satakunta University of Applied Sciences
  • Tampere University
  • Turku University of Applied Sciences
  • University of Eastern Finland
  • University of Helsinki
  • University of Jyväskylä
  • University of Turku
  • University of Vaasa

The Financial Academy in action

Ideas Market (Ajatustori)

Launched by the Financial Academy in the spring of 2022, the Ideas Market is an event that regularly gathers Financial Academy members together to discuss fresh and emerging themes in the financial sector based on inspiring introductory remarks from expert members. The aim of the Ideas Market events is to find common ground and foster collaboration between members.

Hackathon

In the Financial Academy hackathon, students from educational institutions in the network workshop solutions to challenges devised by financial sector companies and educational institutions. The hackathon has a different theme every year. The theme was corporate responsibility in 2023 and generative AI in 2024.

Instagram takeovers

The @finanssialalle Instagram account is taken over twice a year: first by educational institutions in the Financial Academy network early in the year and then by financial sector companies in the summer. In the early part of the year, both students and staff members of educational institutions showcase what life and studying at the institution looks like. In the summer, summer employees take over the account to offer a peek into what it is like to work in the financial sector.

Virtual TET work experience programme (etäTET)

The Finnish curriculum includes a familiarisation period with working life known as TET (työelämään tutustuminen). These TET periods take place in lower and upper secondary school and have been offered also in a virtual form since the COVID pandemic. Through the virtual TET work experience programme, thousands of 14–19-year-olds all over Finland have the chance to learn more about financial sector companies and work in the sector. Finance Finland and its member companies take part in the virtual TET.

The world’s largest virtual TET work experience period is coordinated by Junior Achievement Finland. The financial sector organised its own virtual TET for the first time in the spring of 2021 and took part in the world’s biggest virtual TET work experience week in the autumn of the same year with four other sectors. The credit for the concept goes in part to Nordea: it has organised virtual TET work experiences since 2018.

The financial sector wants to offer young people practical experience of work to encourage them to explore different sectors and learn about modern work and the future of work. Because the financial sector is committed to supporting young people find their place in the workforce, we take part in the virtual TET and want to encourage and inspire young people to explore and try out a wide range of opportunities.

The financial sector has a host of job opportunities for people with various backgrounds, skills and strengths. The most obvious are perhaps people with a background in business, economics or law, but the sector also has a great need for people from other backgrounds. Coders, customer service personnel, HR professionals and communications and marketing specialists all also play a key part in the financial sector. In the financial sector’s virtual TET day, young people get to learn about the interesting opportunities the sector has to offer.

The financial sector’s day in the virtual TET week is organised by Finance Finland and its member organisations. In 2024, the participating financial sector companies were Elo, Ilmarinen, LocalTapiola, Nordea, POP Bank Group, SEB and Varma. These companies introduced teenagers to a variety of jobs in the financial sector, took them through the steps of finding work and offered advice on how to thrive in a fast-changing work environment. Another exciting day in the financial sector!

OpeTET field experience for instructors

In the financial sector’s OpeTET (formerly EtäFIT) remote field experience for instructors, business and economics instructors get to experience first-hand what it is like to work in the financial sector. During the field experience week, financial sector companies offer instructors from vocational institutions, universities of applied sciences and universities a chance to learn more about and update their knowledge of work in the sector.