Nearly every sector is undergoing a digital transformation, which highlights the growing importance of ICT expertise. At the same time, working life is changing rapidly – developments in technology, longer careers, and increased virtuality are challenging people in new ways. In such a situation, it is important not only to recruit top ICT professionals but also to ensure that the entire staff has sufficient knowledge and skills to navigate the transformation of work.
FITech offers free courses for this purpose in the FITech ICT and FITech 5G projects.
FITech ICT
The aim of the FITech ICT project is to address the national shortage of ICT professionals and skills by offering free university courses in ICT to everyone interested in it. The project aims to ensure that, in addition to recruiting top ICT experts, all employees have sufficient knowledge and skills in the field, which is is essential during the digital transformation. The ICT courses cover topics such as programming, software development, artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity and information security, computer networks, data analytics, and game development.
- Funding: The Ministry of Education and Culture
- Project duration: 2019–2026
- More information: FITech ICT project page
FITech 5G
Finland has an exceptionally strong position to develop 5G network technology as well as industrial products and services that utilise it. Maintaining Finland’s strong position in the global competition depends on how well we can educate a skilled workforce to meet the needs of growing markets. Topics of the FITech 5G courses include the Internet of Things, embedded internet, system vulnerabilities, and wireless technologies. In addition to universities, several leading companies in the field are involved, and they have played a central role in defining the skills and educational requirements.
- Funding: The Ministry of Education and Culture
- Duration: 2021–2026
- More information: FITech 5G project page
FITech Health Technology
FITech Health Technology brings together offerings from fields such as medical engineering, health technology, nursing science, information technology, industrial engineering and management, electrical engineering and automation, and mathematics. The target group for the courses includes higher education graduates from the field of technology who are interested in deepening their expertise, as well as other professionals working at the intersection of technologies who wish to broaden their knowledge and improve their opportunities to work in health technology.
- Funding: Service Centre for Continuous Learning and Employment (SECLE)
- Duration: 2025-2026
- More information: FITech Health Technology project page
Thematic steering group
The thematic steering group of ICT and digitalisation develops collaboration within the network related to these topics.
Members of the thematic steering group:
- Petri Vuorimaa (Aalto University)
- Markku Tukiainen (University of Eastern Finland)
- Samuli Pekkola (University of Jyväskylä)
- Kari Smolander (LUT University)
- Jari Iinatti (University of Oulu)
- Terhi Kilamo (Tampere University)
- Timo Vasankari (University of Turku)
- Petri Välisuo (University of Vaasa)
- Johan Lilius (Åbo Akademi University)
- Ville Peltola (Technology Industries of Finland)
The convenor and content preparer of the meetings is Johanna Luomala (FITech team).
Information about the executive groups of the FITech ICT and FITech 5G projects can be found on the project pages (links above).
