partner/story

Etteplan

INDUSTRY: TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

LOCATION: GLOBAL

FOUNDED: 1983

EMPLOYEES: 4000~

“Kood/Sisu trains professionals for our specific needs and enables networking with other partner companies.”

Etteplan’s challenge

There is a shortage of experienced embedded systems developers, and too few new professionals are graduating into the field.

Etteplan’s challenge

There is a shortage of experienced embedded systems developers, and too few new professionals are graduating into the field.

kood/Sisu Solution

Trains developers in a practical way and offers the opportunity to influence their skills already during their studies.

kood/Sisu Solution

Trains developers in a practical way and offers the opportunity to influence their skills already during their studies.

“Etteplan is a global engineering company with around 4,000 experts. We work in design, electronics, software, and technical documentation. I serve as the Department Manager for embedded systems software development, with responsibility for Kuopio, Kajaani, Oulu, and Kokkola.”

– Timo Härmälä, Department Manager

“Kood/Sisu combines education and the business world in a way never seen before. It offers students a genuine pathway into working life and gives us employers the opportunity to be involved from the very beginning.”

Timo Härmälä, Department Manager

A partnership that connects talent and companies

At the heart of the collaboration is a clear goal: to bring together the software developers of the future and leading companies in the technology sector. Etteplan sees Sisu as an opportunity not only to enhance its own employer visibility, but also to help shape the kind of expertise that is developed in Finland.

“Kood/Sisu combines education and the business world in a way never seen before. It offers students a genuine pathway to working life and gives us employers the opportunity to be involved right from the start.”

kood/Talk – Etteplan Timo Härmälä / May 2025

According to Etteplan, working with Kood/Sisu has been smooth and transparent.

“We have had good discussions, and visits and presentations at the school have already been scheduled for the spring. We are excited about all the possibilities for how the collaboration can grow.”

Timo Härmälä, Department Manager

Developers with both technical skills and teamwork abilities

Teamwork skills, initiative, and a willingness to learn new things.

Etteplan’s business model is based on high-level expertise – especially in embedded systems software development. That’s why a partnership with a school that focuses on practical learning and diverse group work directly supports the company’s needs.

“What matters to us is not only technical expertise, but also teamwork skills, initiative, and a willingness to learn new things. Kood/Sisu students come from diverse backgrounds and are motivated – and it shows in their work.”

Etteplan looks forward to offering career paths to Sisu’s graduating developers – whether through internships, projects, or later direct recruitment. The collaboration is already underway, with the aim of deepening interaction through course content, events, and professional networking.

The ability to operate as a truly nationwide player

One of Kood/Sisu’s advantages is its ability to operate as a truly nationwide player. Although the school’s campus is located in Kuopio, its students are from all over Finland – and so are Etteplan’s offices. This creates geographically broader opportunities for collaboration.

“Kood/Sisu is not just an educational organization, but part of an ecosystem where the expertise of the future is built together.”

Kood/Sisu carried out the initial screening of applicants, leaving Ponsse with only the final interviews and the decision on who would start. Ponsse sees the collaboration as a concrete answer to the software industry’s labor shortage – an opportunity to find professionals interested in hands-on development work with cutting-edge technology.

When discussing the directions for developing the collaboration, Etteplan highlights in particular the growing importance of artificial intelligence and embedded systems. The company hopes that in the future, Sisu will offer even stronger training in these areas.

kood/Sisu Jobfair / January 2025.

We invite others to join – the benefits multiply

Etteplan also encourages other technology companies to become partners of Kood/Sisu. Härmälä’s message is clear:

“The most important thing is to set aside time and invest in the collaboration. The more involved you are, the more you gain. This is an investment in the future – in talent, in the community, and in the entire industry.”