Helsinki Society of Engineers
Helsinki Society of Engineers, HI for short, is a joint organization of engineers and building architects living in the Uusimaa region.
Information about the website in English
Content in English language on our website will be increasing – slowly but surely. To begin with, we will publish most important news here on this front page, but in the future, the content will be divided on specific pages. You can practice your skills in Finnish by surfing on the Finnish pages, and in case you have difficulties in understanding some of our content in Finnish, please do not hesitate to contact our office. Thank you for your patience!
Boost your Job Hunting
2.12.2024
In Spring 2025, there will start two Online Job Hunting Programs, lasting for three weeks each, called CareerBoost. The Programme is a very effective way to take an active approach to job search, based on peer-to-peer support and the help of a professional coach.
CareerBoost is targeted for the unemployed members of six Akava unions, The Union of Professional Engineers in Finland / Helsinki Society of Engineers being one of those. In your group, you can share the successes and disappointments of your job search, get encouragement and feedback, as well as new perspectives on the direction of your own skills and the flow for successful employment.
The first course will occur 13th–31st January and the second 5th–23rd May. Registration for the January group starts on Wednesday, 11.12.2024, at 8:00 am. The May registration will open later in the spring. It is wise to register right away, the courses are very popular. Working with the group is scheduled, so you really get things done.
The feedback from previous CareerBoost participants has been flattering:
“This program gave me a great boost of confidence. The most useful task for me was CV review by the members of the group.”
“Thank you organizers, found this extremely helpful. These really helped especially, meeting other professionals in a similar situation, CV & cover/motivation letter, guest speaker, the platform and as a whole, this course definitely boosted my career.”
“Knowing that I’m not alone with the challenge of finding employment; meeting other job seekers in the same boat.”
Please read more on CareerBoost here and register!
Survey tells: The immigration policy debate in Finland worries foreigners who work here
13.8.2024
The Union of Professional Engineers in Finland and the TEK, a trade union for academic engineers and architects in Finland, have made an interesting survey examining the situation and experiences of International experts in Finland.
The survey focussed in working and living in Finland, unemployment and experiences in finding a job in Finland, experiences of discrimination and prejudice, plus the future prospects of the respondents.
There were over 1000 respondents in the survey and it was made in April 2024.
According to the survey, Finland has some work to do to increase its attractiveness for foreign experts to move to the country. There is also doubt that Finland would be a better place for migrants in the becoming five years.
Please find all the results of the survey here:
International-experts-2024-results.pdf
A Walkout on 6th of February
22.1.2024
The Union of Professional Engineers in Finland will participate a Walkout organised by Akava, the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland. That means, that at 14 o’clock (2 PM) that day, all the Union members working in the private sector, including universities and universities of applied sciences, should walk out from work. The demonstration ends at 16 o’clock (4 PM).
The walkouts are Akava’s way of protesting against some of the Government’s working life measures. Akava has tried several times to initiate negotiations on the issues but the efforts have been met with little response. Akava has also repeatedly submitted to the Government its appeal for the opening of negotiations and proposals for alternative measures.
The right to participate a political action is guaranteed by law, so your Employer can’t tell you not to participate.
Please follow Akava’s website for more information, and do take an action for a better working life!
No second strike in technology industry, agreement achieved
February 2023
The board of the negotiation organisation YTN, acting for the Union of Professional Engineers, including HI, has approved the new Agreement Proposal given by the National Conciliator. That means no second strike of the senior salaried employees in the technology industry will take place, and the Collective Agreement with the employer’s union is achieved.
The Agreement includes a pay rise of 3 % to all from April onwards, if nothing else will locally be negotiated. In addition to that, a one-time extra pay will be paid in March. That will be 12,5 % counted from the income in February.
The employer can by its own decide over a pay rise of 0,5 % in addition to the general raise.
Next year (2024) the raise to all will be 1,3 % and the employer can decide independently over a raise of 1,2 %.
The overtime ban and the ban on work-related travel during leisure time is not valid anymore in the technology industry, but still stands for the consulting sector, because on that branch no Collective Agreement is achieved yet. So do keep on working in just the regular hours!
General information on labor market issues, and the Negotiations Manager Petteri Oksa’s views on achieving the agreement can be read on the YTN web pages.
YTN web pages
Check out the upcoming events
The Union of Professional Engineers has its own Training and Event calendar. There are some courses in English as well!
And please remember, that we have an English speaking Teams group as well, let’s meet there!