Building Bridges to Working Life through Action
Helsingin Ekonomit and Herizon Join Forces for “90 Good Deeds”
In its 90th year, Helsingin Ekonomit (HEKO) is living its values in a tangible way – by opening doors. In collaboration with Herizon, HEKO is launching a new campaign under the annual theme “90 Good Deeds”, with the goal of creating 90 internship opportunities for international students by the end of 2025.
This is not just about providing internships for international students – it is a statement in support of inclusion, community building, and the future of working life in Finland.
Sini Ågrén from HEKO’s Entrepreneurs Committee and Sebastian Leppälammi from English Business Network and Board Professionals Committees are acting as the main organizers of this collaboration and are happy to answer any questions you may have.
Why Internships Matter
Herizon is a mission-driven organisation that helps international talent find employment in Finland and gain confidence through meaningful work. Herizon has recognized the importance of internships as a crucial first step toward successful integration and employment for international students who are about to graduate.
For many international students, finding their place in the job market is a major challenge. Cultural differences, language requirements, and limited access to local networks can create barriers long before students have the chance to demonstrate their skills. An internship is much more than just work experience – it is often the first step into a professional community and a key opportunity to showcase one’s capabilities.
Through Herizon’s internship program, companies aren’t just offering tasks – they are offering trust and opportunity.
HEKO’s Role: Community in Action
As part of its “90 Good Deeds” anniversary campaign, HEKO is joining in to support the Herizon Internship Program (HIP), with the goal of enabling 90 internship placements by the end of the year.
Through its broad network of 16,500 members, HEKO will promote the campaign through various visibility efforts and invite all its members to take part in the shared mission – to turn awareness into action.
How the Program Works
Herizon facilitates every step of the program and ensures that participation is as smooth as possible for companies.
- Cost: The program is free of charge for companies. Herizon handles the structure, support, and facilitation from start to finish.
- Internship Duration: 2.5 months, or 360 hours of hands-on collaboration.
- Fields: Internship opportunities fall into four main tracks – ICT, engineering, cybersecurity, and business (sales/marketing). Project topics include, for example, UI/UX design, automation, marketing, and expanding to new countries.
- Offering Internship Positions: Companies add their internship project to Herizon’s Matcher platform, after which they can begin offering internship opportunities to suitable students. The platform uses AI to help companies identify the most suitable profiles, providing them with recommended candidates they should at least review and invite to a short meeting.
Companies set clear objectives for interns at the beginning of the program. Interns work toward these goals throughout the internship and report their progress regularly. The goal is not perfection but curiosity, proactivity, and the willingness to build trust. Interns are encouraged to ask the questions no one else has yet thought to ask – because those are often where the growth begins.
Next Steps, TOGETHER
The timeline:
- July 2025 – The launch article will be published on HEKO’s website, and company registration will be open on Herizon’s site. When registering, mark that you are part of the HEKO campaign.
- August 2025 – The internship program will be featured in newsletters.
- August 28th – A webinar will be organized by Herizon and HEKO. On HEKO’s side, the organizers are Sini Ågrén (Entrepreneurs Committee) and Sebastian Leppälammi (Business Network and Board Professionals Committees).
- September 2025 – Registered companies will participate in onboarding online meetings and publish their internship projects on the Matcher platform.
- Starting from October 2025 – Internships of approximately 10–12 weeks will begin.
This collaboration brings HEKO’s mission – to create success together and build a sustainable future – to life through concrete actions.
It also fulfills HEKO’s vision: to be the most sought-after partner from the first steps of education throughout life, by opening new pathways that benefit both the economy and Finnish society.
The English Business Network is actively involved in this campaign as a natural extension of its goal to bridge the gap between international business graduates and Finland’s working life. Through our collaboration with Herizon and the Entrepreneurs Committee, we aim to create new pathways into the workforce for those who too often face barriers due to language or lack of local networks.
One internship at a time. One good deed at a time.
Herizon
Our mission is to connect international talent with Nordic opportunities, ensuring a diverse and thriving future.
More information:
Ekonomiyrittäjät & Herizon:
Sini Ågrén, [email protected]