HAMK and the City of Riihimäki mentoring program ended with insights into career development and lasting connections

The mentoring program, organized in collaboration with the career services of the City of Riihimäki and Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), ended in a warm atmosphere at the closing ceremony. HAMK's international students were inspired by the support and guidance of their mentors.

As many as 17 employees from different fields from the city of Riihimäki participated in the program as mentors. It was important for the city to be involved in supporting the integration of international students, the development of career paths and the formation of networks. These are also key goals of the International Riihimäki action program.

Kati Heikkinen, Head of International Affairs at HAMK, describes the importance of the program:

“Supporting the career development of international students is essential, especially by enabling them to form professional contacts and local networks. According to the students, this short program gave them hope and strengthened their ability to tolerate uncertainty. I believe this is one of the truly valuable contributions of the program. We are grateful to the professionals from the City of Riihimäki who participated in the program and provided our students with meaningful insights on their learning path.”

During the program, students gained practical insights into Finnish work culture and workplaces, including networking, interaction, and working life expectations.

One student described his experience in an anonymous feedback survey:
“This program not only connected me with professionals in the workplace, but also with other HAMK students. The mentors' personal stories inspired me, gave me new perspectives, and helped me prepare for the uncertainties of my own career development.”

Mentors also emphasized the value of the program:
“I really like the mentoring program. It creates a supportive atmosphere and makes learning, sharing experiences, and networking easier… As a mentor, the best part of the program was seeing how the participants developed and gained confidence along the way.”

Although some students and mentors had to drop out of the program due to distances, schedules, or other reasons, the experience remained very personal and meaningful.

In addition to the professional and clear program planning of HAMK's career services, the strong sense of community among the participants brought an unexpected but very positive dimension.

Since the meetings had to take place in Riihimäki, both students and, to some extent, mentors ended up making connections outside of work-related topics through carpooling, joint activities, and informal discussions. These moments provided an opportunity to build personal relationships and reflect on, for example, work culture and professional freedom – enriching the experience in ways that went beyond the official program framework.

The program demonstrates how valuable cooperation is between HAMK and important stakeholders, such as the City of Riihimäki.

The program offers regional actors the opportunity to collaborate with HAMK and gain valuable insights from international students' perspectives. It reminds students that meaningful learning also takes place outside the classroom: networking, mentoring, and exposure to Finnish work culture support long-term career development.