Scientix Conference 2011, Session 5: Science & Industry and Schools Brussels 8.5.2011 Timo Sorsa, Head of Toijala Center, Nokia Corporation
Learning-by-Doing - Cooperation between schools
and industry
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Outline
• Background
• Case example: Nokia Toijala Center • School
• Internship
• Observed benefits
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The age pyramid is no longer a
pyramid (at least not in Finland)
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Source: Statistics Finland
Also in EU the population of 18 year olds to decrease by 22 % from 1993 to 2020
Interest in MST in decline
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Distribution of tertiary graduates by field of education (in %), EU27, 2000,
2004 and 2008
The education pipe is broken
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Source: Statistics Finland
Mismatch in demand and supply
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Young people’s interest in
MST (Mathematics,
science and technology)
in decline
Number of young people
declining altogether
Students not graduating in
timely manner
Economic growth in
society is increasingly
dependent on high
technology industries
Science and technology
are in a leading role in
facing the climate change
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Case:
Nokia Toijala Center
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Nokia Student Innovation Center
Case:
Nokia Toijala Center
Collaboration
• Deep collaboration between Päivölä School of Mathematics,
Valkeakoski Upper Secodary School and Nokia Corporation
• Joint activity founded in 1997
• The students study upper secondary school curriculum and
do internship at Nokia in parallel
• About 40 students
• Students selected based on their mathematical and science
ability
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Päivölä School of
Mathematics
• Boarding school for mathematically talented upper
secondary school students
• The students do their upper secondary school studies in 2
years (instead of the usual 3 years)
• High emphasis on supporting students’ individually and
allowing them to progress on their own level and speed • E.g. Possibility to do university courses in mathematics and
computer science
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Internship
• Studies are supported and deepened with internship at Nokia
• The trainees work at Nokia 12 h/week during the semesters • About half of the students work full time during the summer
• Small scale, real world R&D (research and development) projects
• Projects are directed by company needs • Students get to influence a lot on what topics they work on
• Project leaders (2-3) provide detailed technical and operational
guidance and support in projects
• Guidance from subject matter experts in other Nokia units
• Internship is integrated into students’ schedule • Clear control over work-study balance
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Cornerstones that Toijala Center
activities are build on
Company Confidential © 2011 Nokia Timo Sorsa
INTERACTION
ENGAGEMENT
COMMUNITY
FREEDOM
12
Win – win – win
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Students
Society Company
Win – win – win
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Students
Society Company
• Unique work experience
• Learning-by-doing
• Insight into working life to
help to make the
decisions about the future
• Networking
• Explore one’s talent and
passion
• Learning to take initiative
Win – win – win
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Society Company
• Fresh thinking
• Opportunity to identify
talent
• Project results
(prototypes, IPR,
publications, etc.)
• Get a feel for the young
generation
• Giving back to the society
Students
Win – win – win
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Society Company
• One piece in building
better match between
education and industry
needs
• Showcasing alternative
approaches for arranging
education
• Smoothening the
transition gap from
studies to working life
• Topical technology
education
• Corporate involvement in
financing education
Students
