Every year, approximately 10,000 sixth and ninth graders from five different provinces visit the Southeast Finland Business Villages in Lappeenranta and Lahti, gaining their first exposure to working life. At the Southeast Finland Business Village, students learn about how a food industry company operates and how licorice is made.
At Yrityskylä Elementary School, a miniature society for sixth-graders, and at Yrityskylä Upper School, a gaming arena for ninth-graders in international trade, students learn about various themes of economics, working life, and society. Yrityskylä Southeast Finland represents companies from industries, education, and services, among others.
Kouvola's Lakritsi has been a partner of Yrityskylä Elementary School in Southeast Finland since 2018 and a partner of Yrityskylä Junior High School since 2019. Regional partners are helping to make the regional Yrityskylä's operations and students' visits to Yrityskylä possible.
“Understanding economic issues is particularly important for everyone, because everyone has to deal with them regardless of what they do for a living. It is also extremely important to understand how the economy works in relation to society, businesses and ordinary citizens, and what tax resources consist of and how margins are formed,” says Timo Nisula, CEO of Kouvola Lakritsi, whose official title is a laku manufacturer.
And what profession did the lacquer manufacturer himself dream of when he was in sixth grade?
"I've always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but I haven't gotten lost in that career yet, at least not yet," Nisula answers.
Yrityskylä Junior High School has been operating in Lappeenranta since 2015 and Yrityskylä Junior High School in Lahti since 2018. The region is currently in its second term, which will continue until the end of the 2020–2021 academic year. Elina Niskanen, Regional Manager of Yrityskylä Southeast Finland, also considers the activities of the regional Yrityskylä to be important.
“The students’ enthusiasm and joy of doing things are palpable at Yrityskylä. There is no theme or profession that is too difficult that cannot be taught to a sixth-grader – the method just has to be right. The transition to working life comes surprisingly quickly for these young people, and then it is important that they have developed some kind of self-image and courage towards what they do, as well as an understanding of working life and the economy. The age groups are getting smaller, and therefore we cannot afford to lose any individuals due to lack of understanding. Young people have the right to hear and understand working life and the economy,” comments Yrityskylä Southeast Finland Regional Manager Elina Niskanen.
Watch a wonderful video about sixth-grade candy makers at Yrityskylä in Southeast Finland!