partner/story

Kuopio Region Chamber of Commerce

INDUSTRY: CHAMBER OF COMMERRCE

LOCATION: KUOPIO, FINLAND

FOUNDED: 1918

MEMBER COMPANIES: ~900

“Kood/Sisu offers the opportunity to gain practical skills that lead directly to working life.”

Kuopio area challenge

The local shortage of professionals is a challenge that slows down business growth and investment.

Kuopio area challenge

The local shortage of professionals is a challenge that slows down business growth and investment.

kood/Sisu Solution

Provides agile and practical training that quickly responds to the competence needs of the business sector.

kood/Sisu Solution

Provides agile and practical training that quickly responds to the competence needs of the business sector.

The Kuopio Region Chamber of Commerce is an influential body behind the entire business sector of North Savo – a 107-year-old network of around 900 organizations that brings together companies, educational institutions, and public actors. The Chamber’s core mission is to promote the vitality, growth, and attractiveness of the region – both locally and internationally.

“This is exactly what we wanted – concrete action and collaboration that gets moving quickly.”

Kaija Savolainen, Managing Director

An agile response to the needs of the business sector.

A skills needs assessment carried out in North Savo clearly showed that, alongside traditional forms of education, there is a need for agile solutions that can respond quickly. Kood/Sisu met this need. The Chamber of Commerce’s role was to act as a bridge builder – communicating companies’ needs to educational organizations and supporting the creation of this new form of training.

Thanks to Kood/Sisu, it is possible to train professionals in the region quickly for the industries with the highest growth and recruitment needs. Companies do not always need a degree – but skills that have an immediate impact in everyday work.

The Grand Opening of kood/Sisu – June 2024

“Everything that brings skills into companies also generates business, competitive advantage, and jobs – and through that, vitality for the entire region.”

The Grand Opening of kood/Sisu – June 2024

“This is exactly what we wanted – concrete action and collaboration that gets moving quickly.”

Kaija Savolainen, Managing Director

Kood/Sisu makes the region more attractive.

One of the most important challenges for the development of the Kuopio region has been the availability of talent. That is why the Chamber of Commerce got involved in supporting the establishment of Kood/Sisu right from the start.

“Kood/Sisu is an agile and proactive way to build expertise – exactly what the region’s companies need right now,” says CEO Kaija Savolainen.

Competitiveness is built through collaboration.

North Savo is a strong hub of technology industry, where there is a constant need for new expertise.

“Competitiveness comes from both hardware and software,” Savolainen summarizes.

Kood/Sisu brings new kinds of expertise, particularly in software development and digitalization – areas that impact all industries, from mining to wellbeing services. Attracting investment requires more than just a good location.

“One of the first questions is always: is there talent available? When we can answer yes – and point to Kood/Sisu – it significantly increases the region’s attractiveness.”

North Savo is a strong hub of technology industry, where there is a constant need for new expertise.

“Competitiveness comes from both hardware and software,” Savolainen summarizes.

Kood/Sisu brings new kinds of expertise, particularly in software development and digitalization – areas that affect all industries, from mining to wellbeing services. Attracting investment requires more than just a good location.

“One of the first questions is always: is there talent available? When we can answer yes – and point to Kood/Sisu – it significantly increases the region’s attractiveness.”

Collaboration that works

“Success is built together. This is not the work of one person or organization – but a joint effort of the entire region.”

According to Savolainen, collaboration with Kood/Sisu has been smooth and goal-oriented from the very beginning.

“Everything we hoped for has come true. The project has progressed with determination and been built with quality.”

Kood/Sisu Annual Board Meeting / May 2025.

The Chamber of Commerce has been involved in, among other things, applying for public funding, handling administrative tasks, and conveying messages from the business sector to the school. The participation of other regional organizations has also been important:

“Success is built together. This is not the work of one person or organization – but a joint effort of the entire region.”

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.

Towards the future – full speed ahead!

In the Chamber of Commerce’s view, the most important thing now is to improve foresight between education and the business sector. Companies are hiring today the professionals they expect to need according to their strategy in 2030 – education must keep pace with this.

“We need to be able to build expertise in a way that supports companies’ long-term goals – in this, Sisu has already shown a strong direction, and there is great potential.”

To further develop the collaboration, no radical changes are needed – only the continuation of what already works.

“The most important thing is that the school’s operations become established even after the funding period ends. We believe in this model and want it to continue.”

Savolainen sums up the thought:

“Full speed ahead – this is not criticism but encouragement. Kood/Sisu works, and it deserves even more volume, visibility, and courage to grow.”