About project

AI is advancing fast, and its impact is uneven. Knowledge work support roles in HR, administration, finance, and assistance are among the first to feel the shift. As AI tools become standard in organisations, some tasks are changing fundamentally, and others are disappearing altogether.

Women disproportionately hold these roles. And professionals over 50 already face steeper barriers in the job market. That combination risks leaving a specific group behind. Not through any lack of talent or commitment, but simply through a lack of access to the right training at the right time.

This project exists to change that. We provide hands-on, practical AI education designed for real-world work. Not for tech specialists, but for the people who keep organisations running every day.

Impact on the People We Serve

Our programme is built around the real needs of support function professionals, with a particular focus on women and people over 50, those who face the greatest risk and stand to gain the most.

Participants learn how AI can genuinely support their daily work, and how to use AI tools in practice, not just in theory. These skills build confidence, enhance employability, and help people adapt to evolving workplace expectations.

Beyond skills, the project creates lasting connections. By bringing together professionals from Finland and Estonia, we build a cross-border network that opens doors to new career opportunities on both sides of the Baltic.

Our Approach, Step by Step

The project begins by surveying support function professionals and the companies that employ them, understanding existing AI skill levels and identifying the gaps that matter most in today’s workplace. Survey insights directly shape a tailored training curriculum and practical learning materials, grounded in real-world workplace contexts rather than abstract scenarios.

Afterwards, we deliver a hands-on, cross-border training programme for professionals from Finland and Estonia. Participants who complete the programme receive an official certificate jointly issued by Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences and Estonian Business School. We also publish a practical guidebook for using AI at work, freely accessible to all.

Our findings reach wider audiences through articles, newsletters, blogs, and a public webinar.

Key Results and Outputs

• Comprehensive mapping of AI skill levels among support function professionals and companies’ training needs
• Tailored AI curriculum and practical learning materials grounded in real workplace contexts
• Cross-border training programme for support function professionals from Finland and Estonia
• Official AI skills certificate issued jointly by Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences and Estonian Business School
• A lasting Finnish–Estonian professional network connecting participants and employers across borders
• Practical, open-access guidebook for using AI effectively in everyday working life
• Broad dissemination of results through articles, newsletters, blog posts, and a public webinar