An Introduction to Aikido

The next trial sport of the month was Aikido. An absolutely fantastic sport. It is a Japanese martial art, and the word itself means the way (do) of harmony (ai) and life energy (ki). The sport was developed in the early 20th century by Morihei Ueshiba, and it is based on a traditional Japanese martial art called Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu. Aikido aims to utilise the attacker's force by ”leading” it, which is evident in the softness and "curviness" of the techniques.

Our employee Juha Kurki, a black belt holder in Aikido, organised a truly brilliant taster session for us. We started our introduction to Aikido with a warm-up, after which we got to try out a variety of hand techniques and takedowns.

Thanks to Juha for the excellent training sessions! And after a tough workout, we naturally went for a burger. 😊

Jidokan Summer Days 2019

Introduction to Fencing

In January, the monthly recreational event continued with fencing, organised by our employee Tuomas. Learning about the sport was a great success, as Tuomas happens to be from the Tampere Kalpaveljet- fencing club member and practitioner of the sport. The event was held by one of the club's experienced coaches, and it was a lot of fun!

A surprise was also that fencing makes you sweat – and quite a lot: the protective gear is so thick that it gets warm. This time too, the Jidoka participant could bring a family member. Kaitsu brought his daughter Roosa and Eemil brought his partner Jenny.

Perhaps this will become a new hobby for someone?

At the end of November, our group held an introductory camp for Southeast Asian martial arts on the small tatami mats at the Hervanta Leisure Centre. The martial art was Kali Majapahit, which was presented by self-defence practitioner David Munoz Gonzalez (Art Zenter) from Espoo. He is a former police officer with almost 30 years of experience in various martial arts.

The intention was to have fun together and get to know something completely new, as this martial art differs significantly from the Japanese martial arts we are familiar with. The most significant difference comes from, among other things, different weapons. We got to try various sticks, an axe, a talibong, a karambit, and a knife. And it was fun! The instructor also strongly highlighted what to do if you find yourself in a situation where you are facing someone with a knife: run away, and run fast!

It was indeed a terribly educational and interesting event. The only unfortunate thing was that the 2-hour camp went by in the blink of an eye. 🙁 Well, another camp in a little while? 🙂 After the event, we naturally went to Haitari for burgers and kebabs!

Although we operate in the ICT sector, we gave up on traditional interviews focused on technical skills years ago. Nowadays, we want to get to know the applicant's personality first and foremost, because a diligent employee and a good person is a trustworthy employee and a brilliant colleague. We therefore require that an employee is, above all, capable of and willing to learn, motivated, and persistent. At the beginning of the meeting, we make it very clear that this is not an interview but an opportunity for a potential Jidoka employee to get to know their potential future workplace and colleagues as thoroughly as possible (we also visit our employees). During this meeting, Jidoka's task is to explain our company values (caring, honesty/openness, equality) as well as describe our requirements, expectations, and set clear frameworks for cooperation. After this, the applicant takes the lead and gets back to us within a few days if they see us as a potential employer. At the end of the meeting, we also ask for feedback on the opportunity later via email or phone.

A couple of weeks ago, a chap visited us. I am very grateful to him and appreciate him for giving honest feedback. The chap was very smart, determined, precise, and balanced. However, he didn't enjoy our meeting. ☹ He continued to refer to the meeting as an interview, for which, for example, one shouldn't attend wearing a hoodie (I was wearing one). So, this wasn't a traditional ”official-sounding” interview, but a flexible and relaxed introduction to the company and the people working there as they are in their work-day lives. So, it went well: we didn't get past the initial meeting because it immediately became clear that our values didn't align.

Writer

Alex, Business Manager

Motorcycle club

The latest addition to the club activities is decidedly the Motor Club, which aims to meet for the first time at the end of October to go karting on the outdoor track at Pirkkala Motorspace Arena. The 700-metre illuminated outdoor track reaches speeds of up to 70 km/h, rain or shine, so the club's first meeting is not for the faint-hearted. You can find more information on our social media after the first meeting has been held and the racing is done.

How do you combine sport, everyday life, and work?

All this is possible thanks to my profession, employer, and clients. I'm able to schedule my training well and my work thanks to flexible working hours. I can easily go and train, for example, during my lunch break or start work later in the morning. My everyday life largely revolves around these two, and sometimes there are days when all my time is spent solely on work and training. I've accepted this because, in addition to software development, it's another passion of mine where I want to become better every day.

And what is the next big goal?

At the moment, I'm considering whether my main goal for next year should be breaking 9 hours at an Ironman or securing a slot for Hawaii from Tahko. Breaking 9 hours is a magical barrier for AG athletes, but it would be fantastic to get a race slot to the spiritual home of triathlon, Hawaii, from my home race. Of course, breaking 9 hours is also possible at Tahko, but it requires a perfect race and top conditions from my end. In addition to the above, my goal is to reach the podium in the AG category at the European/World Championships.

Incredible performance and millions of congratulations!

Pasi is a living example that coding and sports can be combined, even though competitive sport requires a certain dedication and takes up its own time. The time spent on training has clearly paid off in this case!

Absolutely an incredible performance, and Jidoka couldn't be prouder of Pasi – congratulations on the SM victory! 🤩 We eagerly await next year and the fulfillment of new goals 🥰

The achievement of the following goals and preparation for competitions can be followed more closely by Pasin From the Instagram account.

Tackling the developer shortage

Finland is facing a shortage of coders – nominally a shortage of experienced coders, as who would want to invest time and energy in training beginners? In a fast-moving field, it’s considerably easier to hire someone who already knows their stuff and is capable of working completely independently. But what happens when everyone wants to hire these experienced individuals who already know everything, and there simply aren’t enough skilled people for everyone?

HS Visio published an article regarding a topic from May this year, where university lecturer Matti Luukkainen talks about the University of Helsinki's Full Stack Open course, which aims to serve as one solution to the industry's labour shortage. On the online course, students learn everything from software production to working with clients, but this alone is not enough to solve the current crisis. Luukkainen states that a change in the attitudes of companies would help the matter, if companies would give recent graduates the opportunity to grow and develop into those experienced guys that everyone wants.

A change in attitude might help the situation, but on the other hand, companies are not keen to get involved in this for fear that experienced chaps will still leave for higher pay elsewhere as soon as possible. Many companies have indeed started hunting for coders by raising salaries and offering significant recruitment bonuses to those who stay with the company longer (read more from the article by Jorma Erkkilä). Others have turned their search abroad, where efforts are being made to recruit creators from, among others, Childcare and moving assistance additionally Business Finland with financing.

At Jidoka, we believe that projects like the online course offered by the University of Helsinki could be a solution to the situation, in addition to companies changing their mindset. For this reason, we have focused our interest on less experienced coders and career changers for years, as we believe that a company develops alongside its employees and beginners should be given the opportunity to develop in their profession.

Jidoka – a different employer

Jidoka is a unique employer in the IT sector, focusing on applicants' potential rather than their experience. Reading IT job advertisements often gives the impression that only highly experienced top coders are sought, and competition for these highly skilled individuals is fierce within the industry. At the same time, it is important to remember that experienced coders rarely change jobs, meaning there are simply not enough of them to go around.

It's not the experience, but the potential

In that sense, our company is a very different kind of IT firm, as our recruitment process focuses on spotting untapped potential rather than prior experience. Living proof of this is the fact that, of the 31 Jidokans, only 8 joined the company directly from another employer. The remaining 23 Jidokala employees – a staggering 74% – have been employed by us without any prior IT work experience, through various training and employment programmes. In addition to this, a staggering 20% of our staff are career changers who have become unemployed or who had not been offered a permanent position before joining us.

It is known that there is a severe labour shortage in the IT sector for experienced software developers, but Jidoka believes that the team can accommodate more than just top-tier coders. However, mere experience and knowledge do not guarantee a contender's success at the company, and even experienced professionals must continuously develop and learn new things in a field that is rapidly advancing. Houses are not built by architects alone; the work largely requires ordinary craftsmen.

An impressive 74% graduates have found employment with us without any prior work experience in the IT sector.

Recruitment process

When we meet someone for the first time who has no IT experience, we describe our requirements to them clearly: we are only interested in individuals who are capable and willing to learn, motivated, tenacious, and also good people. The latter requirement means that the person is helpful, can get along naturally with others, has no prejudices towards others, and accepts their colleagues as they are. Furthermore, we emphasise that we work hard here and it’s not worth coming to test whether you might become interested in the job at some point in the future.

In the initial meeting, we therefore focus not on the applicant's skills, but on the applicant themselves as a human being and personality. Then we throw the ball back to the applicant and ask them to get back to us if Jidoka interests them as a potential employer. After such an initial meeting, some do not get back to us, but those who take up the opportunity we offer do very well.

Our recruitment model has successfully guaranteed us excellent, reliable, and permanent employees who can learn anything. Ultimately, all a person needs to succeed is an opportunity, genuine care, and a little encouragement. How many IT companies can truly boast that only a quarter of their staff joined the company already experienced, with the rest recruited as ”juniors” or career changers, given the chance to prove themselves? Jidoka can proudly state that it is one of those few companies 😊

When Mikko graduated as an IT engineer, there was supposed to be plenty of work available in the IT sector. Despite trying hard, Mikko couldn't find a job. Mikko attended several interviews, but the obstacle to employment always seemed to be a lack of experience. Solid knowledge of various programming languages was required, along with some specific hobbies and all sorts of other things that Mikko, lacking experience, couldn't offer his potential employers at that stage. The fact that he was sincere, persistent, diligent, and unyielding just didn't seem to be enough. However, Mikko didn't give up, and in late winter 2020, he got to meet Jidoka through a training and employment program.

At the meeting, it was emphasised to Mikko that, above all, ”rookies” are required at Jidoka to have the ability and willingness to learn, self-confidence, flexibility, unwavering motivation, and resilience. Coding skills were only of secondary importance, as software development frameworks and technologies are constantly changing. Furthermore, it was stressed that only good people who get along with each other and are happy to help each other are wanted. It was also clearly mentioned that hard work is done at Jidoka and that it is not worth coming to work here as a ”rookie” just for the sake of trying, but rather one had to firmly believe in oneself and genuinely want to be employed. These requirements did not deter Mikko, and just a few days later he started with us.

In just over a year, Mikko has become a valuable, versatile, skilled, and reliable employee for us, having developed immensely in software development roles by participating in Jidoka's diverse R&D projects. In addition to coding work, Mikko has been involved in the preparation and installation of digital display solutions, making him an even more valuable employee to us.

In the initial meeting, we don't focus on the applicant's skills,
but to the applicant themselves as a human being and an individual.

Junior developer career progression

Almost without exception, people join Jidoka as junior developers through a traineeship and employment programme. At that stage, a budding developer won't have actual work experience yet, but they will have plenty of willingness to learn, enthusiasm, and perseverance. Our tactic is to throw junior developers straight into the deep end, as we believe that the best way to learn is by doing – but of course, you don't have to flail in deep water alone, as colleagues are always there to support and help in problem situations.

Tasks for junior developers are generally based on Jidoka's own product development, within which there are always interesting projects. We have been developing our own smart device (Jidoka Smart Hub) and its surrounding IT infrastructure for almost ten years, and we write front-end, back-end, and integration code with modern technologies for this smart device and its infrastructure. Therefore, there are always interesting challenges for a junior developer and an opportunity to show their worth.

Usually, after about one to two years, a junior becomes a ”mediore”. At this stage, they can move to client projects if they wish, which are mostly located in Tampere. Just a couple of years ago, our software developers who did client work coded directly at client premises, but nowadays the coding is mainly done from our own office or flexibly remotely.

Employee story: from cook to coder

Niko's story is interesting. At one time, Niko graduated as a chef and actually cooked food professionally. However, Niko soon realised that coding interested him more. So, he went to study information technology at a university of applied sciences. Niko got employed at Jidoka through an internship at TAMK, about which you can read more in a previous from our blog post.

For the first two and a half years, Niko worked on Jidoka’s own R&D projects, which allowed him to develop his skills in C# and Android programming, amongst other things. Once he had gained sufficient work experience, he moved on to working on projects for Jidoka’s clients. Although Niko used to cook delicious food for a living, these days he cooks up high-quality code.

We believe that a company develops together with its employees.
and beginners must be given the opportunity to develop in their profession.

The importance of workplace well-being

The well-being of our employees is of paramount importance to us. We genuinely and sincerely care about our employees, which means we constantly listen, support, and mentor them. Our employees can come to us with their worries and concerns with a very low threshold, and these issues don't necessarily have to relate to work matters; we aim to support our employees regardless of the nature of their challenges. For example, employees can call their supervisor in problematic situations, even outside of working hours, and we aim to find a good solution to the matter straight away.

Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of the work community and its support are extremely vital. That's why we have a diverse range of club activities, which can be used to build strong bonds with colleagues, even if work is primarily done remotely: there's club activity focused on sports, board games, a cycling club, and other social activities. Jidoka is therefore a close-knit community whose members support each other also outside of working hours, and we strive to make each other's lives easier in every way possible.

Our solution to the shortage of coders has been to give inexperienced individuals the opportunity to develop through internships and various labour policy programmes, and we firmly believe that other companies should jump on board too. After all, no one is born a master craftsman, and skills don't develop without the opportunity to practise them. We also believe that work which has meaning is an essential part of an internship. In the words of our Business Director, Alex: we work hard, and it’s not worth coming here to see if you like working, but for a motivated and diligent employee, we can offer the most fertile ground to become a top professional coder!

Are you looking for an internship or a new job? Apply to us!

For more information, please contact Alex at alex@jidoka.fi 😊

Niko Ohvo, Jidoka: ”Learning new things by doing”

For many years, student internships have been one of Jidoka Technologies Oy's most important recruitment channels. For example, out of around 30 Jidoka employees, about half are former or current TAMK students who have gained employment after completing an internship as part of their degree. Currently, we have several TAMK students, three of whom will graduate in June and one in September. Three started their internships at the beginning of May.

Practice is real, hard work that matters

When a potential intern comes to meet us (we gave up traditional ”exam interviews” a long time ago), we make it clear to them that from day one they will be working hard on our R&D projects, which are of great importance to our company. We also emphasise that we are interested in long-term cooperation. We take on students for internships who have a strong intention to be employed by us. The intern will be able to develop professionally enormously within the first few months.

From internship to thesis completion

Typically, a student begins with a summer internship and from autumn onwards, they undertake paid hourly work with us alongside their studies, as and when they are able. Towards the end of their studies, the student completes their thesis with us. As a responsible and caring employer, we are heavily involved in and supportive of the student's studies and graduation. Sometimes this takes a year, sometimes several. However, we do not leave students to face their challenges alone, but ensure that their studies and work proceed smoothly together.

^{From top left to right – Henri (2nd-year student at TAMK), Alex (Business Director). From bottom left to right – Joni (2nd-year student at Tredu), Niko, Teemu (4th-year student at TAMK).}

The employer cares about and is interested in the student's well-being

TAMK's Niko Ohvo began his summer internship at Jidoka in May 2018. By June 2019, he will already have graduated.

– I went to Jidoka for an interview for a third-year work placement. It was made clear that you have to work hard here, but there’s always the rest of the team around to help out if any problems arise. I thought this sounded like a good place to work, as I enjoy being challenged and learning new things by doing. Working at Jidoka can indeed be described as challenging, but rewarding. My career at Jidoka has involved many different projects and languages, primarily Java, C#, JavaScript and HTML. As the second half of my final year began to approach, my managers asked me what topic I was thinking of for my thesis and what my timeline was. I chose the use of message queues in Android app development as my topic. The topic was closely related to my own project at the time. Initially, I thought I would graduate as early as May 2019, but due to a heavy workload, it looked as though my graduation would be postponed until June 2019. That’s when I started to feel quite stressed about my responsibilities. Jidoka’s Business Director noticed this and asked what was causing it and how Jidoka could help. I explained the situation and we agreed that on Fridays at the office I would work solely on my thesis and would not be disturbed by work matters at all. Thanks to this thoughtfulness and care, I was able to significantly reduce my stress levels and complete my thesis on schedule in June. At Jidoka, therefore, caring for one’s colleagues and a strong ”no one gets left behind” attitude are clearly emphasised as core company values.