Sponda new member of Hanken's partner programme
Sponda owns nearly a third of the commercial properties in the central business district of Helsinki, and has properties also in Tampere and Oulu. About 130 people work at the 33-year-old company owned by Blackstone. The company's strategy is to invest in, develop, and lease office and commercial properties.
Sponda became a member of Hanken's partner programme through Hanken's new Bachelor in Business programme, specifically the Navigator path initiated by Christina Dahlblom. The company has already offered its premises for a student workshop.
– We wanted to present the physical world in which one works to the students. An important theme for us is, obviously, presence and social contacts in the office. We want to encourage students to think carefully when choosing their future workplace. They should find out if it will be a place where they meet people and are able to learn from others, including all the tacit knowledge that exists, says Sponda's HR Director Marcus Reijonen.
Previously, Sponda has collaborated with Hanken's student union to show what the real estate investment industry is about and to recruit students. Sponda annually offers internship programmes to between five and ten students.
– You cannot really study this industry, at least not in Swedish here in Finland, so we are interested in collaboration where we can gain visibility among Hanken students and show what a career in the real estate industry could look like. If you want to work with us, it is important to be proactive, good at collaboration, and have the ability to take ownership of your tasks, says Reijonen.
He notes that the economic situation is a challenge in the industry but that there are also signs that the investment market is waking up.
– The trend in the real estate industry is that companies want better and multifunctional spaces that may be a bit smaller than before but centrally located with good connections and diverse services nearby.
Read more about Hanken's partner programme here.
Text: Jessica Gustafsson
Photo: Sponda