Move to content

Student’s career and work-life services

Would you like to learn how to apply for a job? Are you interested in career planning? Career planning is continuous throughout the entire study path, starting right from the first academic year. Career planning aims to build a bridge from studies to working life. This is possible when you identify your own strengths, interests and goals.

Group of international students sitting together in Campus Allegro

What is career planning?

Career planning is a goal-oriented activity that moves students forward on their career path. When planning your own career path, it is important to consider your desires and goals because they give direction to your career plans. In addition, it is worth checking that your own job searching skills and working life skills are up to date.

Career and work-life services

Career and work-life services are a place for students to stop and consider their dreams, goals and competencies and what direction they want to take in their career path. In addition, we provide concrete guidance and advice on job search matters.

Jyrki and Anni-Maija from career and work-life services introduce themselves.

Personal career guidance

The Personal Study Plan (PSP) is one tool for student’s career planning. PSP made by the student guides the student along the study path. The PSP discussion with the tutor teacher plays an important part in student career guidance. The PSP covers the entire study period and also includes career planning. As studies progress and the student’s life situations change, the personal study plan is updated to reflect the current situation.

During the third year, the final PSP discussion takes place, which aims to coach the student to move toward working life. The discussion will specify the student’s career opportunities and how the student will utilize their expertise in future working life. Students can also participate in the Career MOOC course, which helps the student to notice the development of their own competence.

First year

During the first year, a student’s career guidance focuses especially on strengthening their studying skills and study ability. The Orientation to Studies course (tutor classes) for first-year students introduces what university studies include from different perspectives. The student also gets acquainted with the learning objectives and practical instructions of the practical training in his/her field.

Students also develop their own study skills, including teamwork skills, and learn to identify their own resources. The PSP discussion with the tutor teacher is an important part of the student’s career guidance. The PSP discussion will take place during the first, second and third years of studies. The student will discuss the different options of professional studies in the PSP discussion.

Second year

During the second year, the student focuses on professional studies. In the second year’s PSP discussion, the key topics are the progress of the studies and a deeper peak and comprehension of the study field. In addition, the student gets acquainted with and completes professional practical training in the student’s own field. The PSP discussion covers the student’s interests and career aspirations, as well as possible challenges to which the student is encouraged to find suitable solutions. 

Students are encouraged to network actively with working life. Centria organises several events during the academic year that provide an excellent opportunity to meet representatives of working life. Early networking helps students gain a broad view of job opportunities in their field, facilitates access to work placement in the desired company/workplace, and provides ideas for the final thesis. 

Professional practical training (10 ECTS) is recommended to be completed in the summer of the second year. The goals of the practical training are specified by the practical training supervisor. Multi-modal part-time students specify the objectives of practical training and how to complete it with the teacher tutor.

Third and fourth year

In the third year, the final PSP discussion will take place with the objective of preparing the student for working life. The discussion elaborates on the student’s career opportunities and how the student can utilise and articulate his or her skills in working life.

The student completes the professional practical training period at the latest during the third year of studies. The objective of practical training is to be able to apply gained theoretical knowledge in practical work tasks in one’s own field. We heavily recommend also looking at the work community in terms of possible thesis topics and to consider the possibilities of linking the thesis to the development needs of the employer. 

Career guidance in individual meetings

In addition to the career guidance included in each student’s studies, it is possible for students to receive individual career guidance. An appointment can be booked by emailing jyrki.rajala@centria.fi. Drop-in guidance is also offered. Students will be informed about those through the campus info screens and student news channels (Tuudo, student’s news).

Work and practical training places

Are you having trouble applying for a job or a practical training position? Career and work-life services support and assist in the job application process. You can turn to us in the following situations:

Are you using Centria Jobi already? In Centria Jobi you will find open job and practical training positions offered by companies in our region all the time. More information about Centria Jobi can be found here.

Project practical training in the RDI learning environment

RDI activities (research, development and innovation) create new knowledge, know-how and technologies for the working life of the region. In cooperation with teaching, RDI provides students with a work-oriented learning environment. The practical training included in the degree can be completed in an RDI learning environment. The goal is for students to apply and deepen what they have learned in hands-on projects. Students receive credits for RDI practical training.

Centria’s RDI divisions are:

If you are interested in a project practical training in an RDI learning environment, please contact the Career and work-life services.

Career and recruitment service Centria Jobi

Centria Jobi is a new digital career and recruitment service which offers an easy and fast job search platform (Tiitus App) for students of Centria University of Applied Sciences. Centria Jobi service and Tiitus App are available and free of charge for both students and employers to use and create profiles. Students can create a profile in Centria Jobi as soon as they begin their studies. The job search platform is available via the mobile application or web browser, in English, Finnish and Swedish. 

Centria Jobi

Students create their own profile in the Tiitus App, which they can update during their studies. In their profiles, students add their education and experience, and they assess their own skills by adding keywords. They can also add a portfolio and LinkedIn link as well as pictures, and a short introduction video to their profiles.

Work abroad

Dreaming of an international career? Working abroad offers a unique opportunity to learn about new cultures, gain international networks and develop your professional skills in a new environment. Career and work-life services can help you find job opportunities and guide you through the practicalities.

Find a job abroad

Work-life workshops and coaching

Career and work-life services regularly organize coaching and workshops that are open to everyone to support students’ job search capabilities. Coaching and workshops are organised on the following topics:

Location: in the pink space of the Talonpojankatu Campus (158)

No pre-registration.

Apply for summer job

  • Mon 5.2.2024 at 10–11
  • Wed 21.2.2024 at 12–13

How to make a good CV and Cover letter

  • Tue 5.3.2024 at 12.00–13.30

Preparing for job interview

  • Tue 26.3.2024 at 12.00–13.30

Momentum

The goal of Momentum is to improve employment and networking amongst the highly educated in Northern Finland. The project offers a wide range of services, including career coaching, working life lectures, peer group meetings, webinars, podcasts, internet-based coaching sessions and such, in both Finnish and English.

The most essential parts of the content are also broadcasted to target group living in the more remote areas in Northern Finland as webinars, internet-based work-shops and such. The aim is to increase the professional skills and knowhow of the target group, as well as to make the participants skilled and effective in their job seeking. Momentum has services in Finnish and for the core content also in English.

TE-services and TE-live

TE-live is a TE service that produces live broadcasts of job vacancies, various themes in working life and training opportunities.

Walk-in career guidance

Every other Tuesday in the pink space of the Talonpojankatu Campus.

Building your own portfolio

Building your own portfolio is important when you are looking for a job. With the portfolio, you can indicate your own abilities, know-how and experience for a potential employer. You can include samples of your previous work, project works, study material or samples of your hobbies and volunteer work. The portfolio can be used as a supplement of your CV and you can present your know-how with it.  

You should begin building your portfolio at the beginning of your studies. This way, you have concretely proved how your knowledge and know-how has developed. You should update your portfolio regularly. This also helps you evaluate your progress. You can also present your portfolio on social media, for example, by adding a link from your profile to your portfolio. You can also add the portfolio link to your CV and to your e-mail signature.  

Examples of different portfolios can be found here.

Alumni activities

After graduation, you can join our alumni register and activities as a part of the expert network of Centria graduates. Our alumni are an important stakeholder for us and they are valued as partners and working life contacts.

Learn more about Centria’s alumni activities

As an alumnus, you can participate in the development of our education and take part in events Centria organizes.

Career stories

  • – Roman Likhachev, Developer, Ahola Digital

    We had company presentations at Centria and a representative of Ahola Digital was there. I got interested, sent my CV and portfolio, and got invited to an interview. After a while I got an offer.

  • – Martin Hansen, Environmental chemistry and technology student

    Through the Export Expert project I got into the company Boliden. It was a very good experience and it actually ended up so, that I will go there again having an actual job there during the summer. If it wasn’t for the project, I wouldn’t have had that opportunity.

Contact career and work-life services

Career and work-life services are available at the Kokkola campus and as an online meeting by appointment. You can connect with career and work-life services if you need advice on things like job hunting or career planning.

The contact person in career and work-life services for international students is Talent Boost coordinator Jyrki Rajala.

Jyrki Rajala