Finnair Trainee Program 2024 — takeoff into the world of aviation

Eleven trainees, eleven teams

Starting flexibly between March and May of 2024, eleven units across our organisation welcomed a summer trainee as a part of their team for four to six months. The trainees were all students with different educational backgrounds and got to work in units corresponding to their own area of studies while applying it to the exciting aviation industry.

“Due to its unique and extremely dynamic environment, I feel like Finnair is a great place for a curious mind to grow and learn,” Einari, our Procurement Trainee concludes their experience at Finnair. 

This year, the units participating in the program were Technical Operations, Flight Operations, Strategy & Fleet, People & Culture, Communications, Aurinkomatkat Customer Service, Finnair Kitchen, Resource Planning, Finance, Procurement and Operations Solutions. 

Trainees as trusted team members

During the summer, our trainees did not only assist in their teams but were given ownership and responsibility for their own independent and demanding projects. Despite the rather short trainee period, comprehensive orientation and integration into their teams enabled trainees to quickly feel at home at Finnair.

"I like the unique projects I have been part of and where I've been able to apply and develop my skills. I like that every day is different, and there is always something new to learn. Flexible working hours with the possibility to do remote work at times have also been critical to ensure work-life balance" says Ida, Finnair’s Flight Operations Trainee.

There was real trust in the trainees’ skills, work and fresh perspectives, but help and support from colleagues was always available when needed. “In this trainee program, you don't get to only observe but do concrete things and contribute. The variety of responsibilities and the trust placed in me have truly made me feel like a valued member of my team,” shares Aida, Finnair’s Communications Trainee.

Getting to know the aviation industry as a whole

On top of daily work in their own teams, a central part of the trainee program was to familiarise our trainees with Finnair as an organisation and, by implication, the aviation industry as a whole. This was made possible by insightful visits to Finnair’s different business units, like Finnair Kitchen, Cargo, Technical Operations, and Finnair Flight Academy.

Throughout the summer, our trainees visited these units together and participated in “Meet the Expert” sessions at Finnair headquarters. These were interactive meetings between our trainees and professionals across Finnair’s various teams, where the experts introduced their areas of responsibility while freely discussing them with the trainees.

“The versatile visits and experts’ comprehensive introductions were one of the best parts of the summer, as they gave a great overview of the whole organisation. Only after a few months, I feel like I’ve gotten a decent knowledge of this unique industry and met a lot of inspiring people”, Ella, Finnair’s People & Culture Trainee ponders. “As a cherry on top, we got to share our thoughts and learnings with the other trainees, making this special summer a shared experience,” she continues.

“The visits to different departments enabled us to take a peek into units that we would otherwise know little about. They even made me realise that it would be interesting to work in other departments on top of the one I spent my trainee summer in – so many possibilities within one industry!” Paula, Finnair’s Quality & Food Safety Trainee says.

“I have only taken my first dip in the world of aviation, but I’ve already learned a lot. The pace might sometimes feel quite intense as things and operations around you are always moving fast, but once you get used to it and the unique atmosphere, great colleagues and career opportunities are something worth getting excited for!” Einari, Finnair’s Procurement Trainee continues.

Some of this year’s trainees are also continuing with us for a longer time. Moreover, we are excited to share that our Takeoff Trainee Program will continue annually, and we’ll welcome about 20 trainees for summer 2025. Read more from our career page.