Many opportunities in banking and finance at Nordea

Lotta, Anna, Merilii, Heidi, Cecilia and Robert have all chosen to move to Åland. Today they work at Nordea Bank Abp's office in Mariehamn, with Åland as their base.

Lotta and Robert worked within the Nordea Group even before the move. When Lotta compares Åland with the mainland, she says it is mainly the language that differs.
- It is still good to know Finnish, but here Swedish is what counts in conversations with customers and colleagues.

The advantage of Swedish

The colleagues agree that Swedish-speaking is a major advantage of working and living in Åland. Estonian-born Merilii first had to learn Swedish when she moved here in 2009, while the other newcomers are Swedish-speaking. They appreciate the monolingual Swedish-speaking society and that the move went smoothly since they are Finnish citizens.

Anna and Robert are both in relationships with Ålanders, while Cecilia's husband is from Sweden. For all couples, the opportunity to work in Swedish was therefore an important factor. It also took little time for everyone to find employment.

Heidi is from Ostrobothnia but has worked in other countries. She describes Åland as something in between: 
- It is a bit like living abroad, but in Swedish.

Åland, Finland and the Nordic region

Lotta, who is a wealth manager, started at Nordea in Mariehamn eight years ago.
- I wanted to be closer to my younger brother who was studying here, and then I stayed.

Robert, in turn, worked as a credit analyst at the office in Turku before moving just under a month ago. 
- Since I handle my clients online, I still have the same position as before, the only difference is that I now have the office in Mariehamn as my home office.

Working in banking and finance in Åland does not mean being limited to the local market. One fifth of the employees at Nordea's office in Mariehamn work with Finland and other Nordic countries.

Different backgrounds 

In Nordea's job advertisements, a background in economics is often a basic requirement, but personality and customer service skills are also important. Unit manager Juho-Pekka Savolainen explains:

- The importance of an economic background varies, but we also work with people, and for some positions it is not a strict requirement.

Cecilia has a background in healthcare and marketing, while Merilii is a trained interior architect with experience from the service industry. Anna has not worked in banking before either.

- I was interested in changing industries after maternity leave, and the fact that I could speak Finnish was an asset – so I decided to give it a try. Now I work as a service advisor here at Nordea.

All new employees first go through a three-month internal training programme. In addition, Nordea offers the opportunity for further education through a support package.
- I was able to complete my master's studies without taking study leave, says Lotta.

Time for life

In addition to the language, quality of life is a major advantage of Åland. There is little traffic and everything is nearby, which means more time for family and leisure. It also means that you can live in the countryside without a neighbour in sight, yet still be at work in the city within 25 minutes.

Lotta adds that her family now manages with one car:
- Instead of commuting 1.5 hours every day, I can cycle to where I need to go.

Childcare also receives high praise among the families. It has been easy to secure nursery places, and both children and adults are happy with the staff and facilities. Despite the small community, there is a wide range of activities for both children and adults to fill their leisure time with. From sports halls and swimming pools to disc golf courses with plenty of available tee times. The cultural offering is also surprisingly rich, and events are often well-attended.
- I think the food scene is great, lots of people go for after-work drinks and eat out, says Robert.

A well-functioning whole

The community is peaceful and people trust one another. Cecilia, who moved from Espoo, was surprised by the sense of security and the fact that no one locks their bike. The colleagues find the Ålanders helpful and friendly, but note that it can take time to make local friends. Many socialise initially with other newcomers or find community through their children's activities.

Of course, there are other challenges as well. For example, it is useful to have access to a car, especially if you live outside Mariehamn. In the city and its surroundings, the city bus runs regularly, while the rural bus schedule has fewer departures. When it comes to shopping, most things can be found in Åland, but the selection is naturally not as extensive as in larger cities.

Cecilia mentions that she was surprised to discover that there are differences between the healthcare systems in Åland and on the mainland. This is because Åland has its own legislation in healthcare, as well as in areas such as education, social welfare, postal services, police and municipal administration.

Working and living in Åland nonetheless offers a safer and simpler everyday life, with many opportunities for those who wish to combine a rewarding professional life with quality of life.