Having studied graphic design and aiming for higher education in the field, Oona wanted to make the most of her time by developing her expertise in a project designed to support young people in finding employment that matches their skills or transitioning to further studies. Among the project’s themes, well-being and responsibility particularly interested Oona—especially how these can be promoted through one’s own actions.
"Well-being and responsibility can be considered in the design of marketing materials to ensure that our actions are as responsible as possible and take into account communities and the environment. It’s also important that the layout is clear and easy to read, fonts are large enough, and all text stands out well. These are always important considerations, but they also relate to responsibility and accessibility,” Oona explains.
In the AIMlearning project, young people under 29 living in Central Ostrobothnia get to train their skills in areas such as responsibility, artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, and well-being. During her time in the project, Oona worked on several different projects, allowing her to dive deeper into the project’s themes and produce materials that support them. For example, she helped create promotional materials for a stress management course and produced communication materials for Centria’s education and career services.
“I got familiar with using AI in an animated cybersecurity guide, where speech was generated using a text-to-speech function. I used the free version of Eleven Labs, which turned out to be the best option for the purpose,” she says.
Oona completed most of her AIMlearning period remotely, which suited her well. She feels that her job-seeking, career, and future skills have improved, and her knowledge of the project’s themes and various tools has deepened.
“I can now explain my skills better. I also feel more confident in my abilities overall, especially after trying out new and different tasks. I’ve realized that even in unfamiliar areas, I still have valuable skills. That gives me a general sense of confidence,” she reflects.
Oona believes that her new skills will be useful in many different roles and projects, broadening her job opportunities. She says the best part of the AIMlearning experience was the variety of tasks and the chance to try and learn new things—and she recommends the program to others.
“It’s been easy to get involved in different work-life projects and do tasks that interest me, even try out new things. I’d recommend this especially to those taking a gap year or looking for something meaningful to do while learning something new. It’s a great opportunity,” she concludes.
As of the interview in spring, Oona had applied for further studies in visual design and is now starting her degree program at a university of applied sciences this autumn.
The AIMlearning project is co-funded by the European Union and implemented by Centria University of Applied Sciences and Kpedu from February 1, 2024, to January 31, 2027. Its goal is to support young people in finding employment that matches their skills or continuing their education.
Artikkelin kuva: Oona Niemi
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