AiCan – Partner cooperation supports the future of the hospitality industry

AiCan Happy People Oy is a staffing services company operating in the hotel, restaurant and events sector. The company has been a partner of Haaga-Helia since 2021 and actively collaborates with Haaga-Helia students.

In interview, AiCan’s Account Manager Ari Pulkkinen discusses the objectives of the partnership and its broader societal impact.

– As an employer, we carry social responsibility to act as an employment provider in the hotel and restaurant sector and to enable students to enter working life already at an early stage of their studies, says Pulkkinen.

– Collaboration with Haaga-Helia offers an excellent opportunity to achieve this, helping to build the future of the industry and support employment within the sector, Pulkkinen adds.

Developing hospitality expertise together

Through the years, Haaga-Helia has become a significant developer of hospitality expertise and a forerunner in shaping the future of the industry. Partnership projects provide students with concrete touchpoints to working life, where they can develop their skills with the support of lecturers and industry partners.

– Haaga-Helia is Finland’s largest educator of hospitality management professionals, and we are proud of our close cooperation with the industry, where partners play a significant role, says Risto Karmavuo, Degree Director of the Hospitality Management Programme.

Networking and recruitment through events

Haaga-Helia organizes dozens of events annually for hospitality management students. One of the most significant is the annual RestoMessut event, a networking and recruitment event that enables interaction between partner companies and students.

– We have participated in RestoMessut and have also acted as a partner of Haaga-Helia’s student association Pore ry in other events. These events have been important channels for recruitment and for increasing our visibility within the student community, Pulkkinen explains.

Senior Lecturer Salla Ursin from Haaga-Helia has attended RestoMessut several times with students and describes the event from a lecturer’s perspective.

– RestoMessut is the most important annual cooperation event between companies in the hospitality sector and hospitality management students, Ursin says.

– For first-year students, the event provides insight into the diverse business landscape of the tourism, restaurant and events industry. Second-year students are part of the event’s organizing team and gain valuable, hands-on experience in event planning, she continues.

Comprehensive support for students’ employment

During the long-lasting partnership, AiCan and Haaga-Helia have supported students’ employment and familiarization with working life in many ways. At the core of the collaboration is the goal of providing students with sustainable, working-life-oriented solutions.

– The best part of our work is introducing students to working life in many different ways, such as through internships, guest lectures, thesis collaborations and practical training, Pulkkinen comments.

– Most rewarding of all is being able to witness how Haaga-Helia students grow into future supervisors, leaders and decision-makers in the hospitality industry, Pulkkinen concludes.

Haaga-Helia and AiCan are committed to building a sustainable future and providing excellent learning experiences throughout partnership collaboration.

Interested about Haaga-Helia’s partnership programme? Contact: [email protected].

Cover image (from left): Haaga-Helia’s Customer Relationship Manager Kia Lindström, and Communications Specialist Kristiina Marttinen, AiCan’s Account Manager Ari Pulkkinen, and HR Specialist Saara Liukko.