Data economy to boost Finland’s growth – New microdegree to skill more experts
AI is only as intelligent as the data it uses. The strong growth in the amount of data following the growing use of generative AI has created a need for data experts. Finnish technology companies require up to 15,000 new data experts to achieve a leading position in the data economy. To boost this, together with higher education institutions and technology companies we have created a fast route to acquire data skills.
Sitra estimates that the value of the European data economy will exceed one trillion euros this year. At the same time, only 1% of Finnish companies uses data to create new business. The shortage of data experts is slowing our growth.
The data economy is already a significant part of business in most industries, including the public sector, and its role will only grow in the near future. Organizations must learn to create value from data and develop data-utilizing business models to succeed in a competition where skilled pioneers win.
AI also increases the need for data expertise because it requires large amounts of high-quality data, an in-depth understanding of data to develop algorithms, and ways to solve cybersecurity and data protection challenges. In addition, we need the ability to analyze and interpret data to support decision-making and the continuous development of data expertise.
We need data experts right now. That is why we have, together with higher education institutions and technology companies, created a Data Skills microdegree that is free of charge and open to all, enabling everyone to acquire the basics of data in as little as two months. The microdegree has been established in cooperation with higher education institutions, Arrow ECS Finland, Atea, Cloud1, Elisa, Islet, Microsoft, and Sovelto Eduhouse.
“Finland’s success in the field of AI and the data economy requires continuous investment in competence development. We are proud of this collaboration, which provides an opportunity to learn and utilize key skills. With these skills, we can build a stronger and more competitive society together,” says Mervi Airaksinen, Managing Director of Microsoft Finland.
“Kajaani University of Applied Sciences has been working closely to provide up-to-date and accessible education for everyone. We believe that one of our tasks is supporting the utilization of the latest private sector innovations through close collaboration. We can offer the opportunity to both higher education students and all Finns to easily learn about these innovations, based on their own needs and schedules,” says Matti Sarén, President and CEO of Kajaani University of Applied Sciences.
“Developing data skills is vital for our partners and their customers to make effective use of AI and data. It is a pleasure to be involved in supporting this new microdegree, which will help develop these skills and bring new experts to the field,” says Jyrki Korhonen, Country Manager of Arrow ECS Finland.
“According to the CIO Analytics report, IT decision-makers identified the lack of resources as the biggest challenge in the industry in 2024. Atea’s mission is to build the future with IT, and we are thrilled to be part of Skills for Jobs program. We believe this initiative will inspire individuals to deepen their understanding of data and its potential, helping to bridge the market’s resource gap,” says Riku Mustajoki, Recruitment Manager of Atea Finland.
“Microsoft Fabric is transforming organizations’ data management, which is crucial for leveraging enterprise-wide AI. This year, we are hiring dozens of new data experts, and our customers are also experiencing the same need,” says Seppo Kuula, CEO of Cloud1.
“Finland has a great opportunity to advance on a growth trajectory through technology, particularly AI and data expertise, despite an aging population and challenges in workforce availability. This is why it is especially important for Elisa to support the education needs of this new era,” says Katja Bäckström, Director of CX Business Solutions at Elisa.
“Islet is proud to be a corporate mentor for the Data Skills microdegree. We are excited to share our expertise and experience from various Islet customer projects with the program’s students. Data, its analysis, and the utilization of AI play a crucial role in all organizations, making the study of these skills essential for the future,” says Janne Anttila, CBO of Data, Analytics & AI at Islet Group.
“We can consider data literacy to be a fundamental skill for the digital era, playing a critical role in every organization’s AI transformation journey,” says Marika Kotola, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Sovelto Eduhouse.
Data Skills microdegree is part of a larger goal to train 300,000 technology experts
Data Skills microdegree is part of the broader Skills for Jobs program, which aims to support Finland in becoming one of the most advanced countries in the world in AI, data economy, cyber security, and sustainable IT. Over the past two years, 130,000 experts have accumulated new technology skills through the program. The program aims to train 300,000 new or further trained technology experts within five years.
Skills for Jobs program also offers Cybersecurity, Power Platform, and AI Developer microdegrees, a popular Practical AI course, as well as other opportunities for developing expertise through different training partners’ client and partner skills programs.
Towards an AI-driven growth: aka.ms/datataidot
More information on Data Skills microdegree
Data Skills microdegree includes the basics of cloud services and data analytics, the basics of Microsoft Azure services, the use of Microsoft Fabric to process and analyze data, the development and analysis of data processing skills, the creation of visually informative reports to support decision-making, and security issues covering data protection and management.
The microdegree is
- Open to all
- Free of charge
- Worth 12 credits
- In English
- Made in cooperation with higher education institutions, Arrow ECS Finland, Atea, Cloud1, Elisa, Islet, and Sovelto Eduhouse.