Hidden Gems programme organises a variety of activities related to networking, mentoring and professional development for international spouses living in Tampere region. In academic year 2024-2025, the focus is on peer support groups. The peer groups help the spouses navigate personal and professional life in the new environment. In many cases new friendships are born!
Hidden Gems spouses have followed their partners to Finland and wish to build a good life and start a meaningful career for themselves. They are international talents coming from diverse educational and professional backgrounds. Our activities help them discover their potential and make an action plan for the months to come.
Hidden Gems Finland is an initiative by Tampere University and coordinated by university’s Human Resources Services. Initially, we started out as an in-house spouse programme supporting the spouses of international university researchers. Since then, our activities have been opened to other spouses who have followed their partners to Tampere. Currently, the activities are produced in collaboration with local organisations and associations.
Vision
In today’s competitive world companies need to seek for talents from abroad to answer the increasing foreign operations and innovation shortage. Up to 80 percent of international talents relocate with their families. When relocating, spouses are often falling off the radar of organisational support, while they need the most career care. Despite their qualifications, spouses may have to stay home for years before finding employment.
Research tells us that the number one reason for international assignment failure is due to the unhappiness of a spouse. In order to attract and retain highly skilled talents we must tackle this issue. The Hidden Gems team aims to ensure that the spouses are supported and able to build a social network, improve language skills and establish a social identity in Finland as a key for talent attraction and retention within Tampere region.
Mission
Hidden Gems activities and peer groups aim to facilitate networking, professional growth and full integration of the spouses into the Finnish society. The Hidden Gems Finland initiative promotes economic vitality and internationalisation by enabling local companies to tap into the “hidden” expertise of international spouses. We can no longer ignore the potential of the expatriates’ spouses!