VAMK celebrated new graduates– 85 % finds employment within a year from graduation

During the spring of 2026, 343 new professionals graduated from Vaasa University of Applied Sciences, and they were celebrated at a graduation ceremony held on June 5 at the Palosaari campus. The number of graduates completing a UAS Master’s degree increased by 20% compared to last spring. The graduates are employed on average very well, with 70% of them finding employment on the west coast.

A total of 343 new professionals graduated from Vaasa University of Applied Sciences during the spring semester. Of these, 243 completed a Bachelor’s degree and 100 completed a Master’s-level degree. The number of Bachelor’s degree graduates increased by over 8% compared to last spring, while the number of Master’s degree graduates increased by more than 20%. Approximately 14% of the graduates were international students from outside the EU who paid tuition fees. According to statistics, almost 86 % of all the graduates from 2023 found employment a year after graduation and 70 % worked in the West Coast area.

Vice President of Education Sanna Valliaro congratulates all graduates:

“You have reached a significant milestone, and on behalf of Vaasa University of Applied Sciences, I wish you all the best for the future. You are now VAMK alumni and continue to be an important part of our higher education community. Completing your studies marks the end of one stage of life, but it also opens the door to new opportunities.”

Work-life-oriented Studies Support Employment

Yue Zhang Vaaranmaa, originally from China, graduated this spring as Bachelor of International Business. During her studies Vaaranmaa was employed by Wärtsilä as operative purchaser and has been working in the same role since then.

Vaaranmaa found studies at VAMK both positive and inspiring.

“The teachers were very supportive and approachable. The learning atmosphere was encouraging, especially during teamwork where students from various cultural and educational backgrounds learned to adapt different working styles and perspectives. This provided a solid foundation for the working life in the future and helped integrate into Finnish society,” says Vaaranmaa.

The best were the courses that had connections to real business cases and practical projects.

“Business projects prepared us for facing the reality after graduation and offered plenty of networking opportunities to engage with local businesses and employers,” Vaaranmaa states.
In August Vaaranmaa will continue her studies at Hanken, Vaasa where she will start in the Marketing and Management Master’s program.

A Sense of Community in Online Studies

Mirca Mäensivu-Puukko, originally from Tampere and living in Jyväskylä, completed a Master’s degree in Social Services and graduated in spring 2026. Working as a specialist in the church, Mäensivu-Puukko pursued further studies because she wanted to deepen her expertise beyond individual courses.

“I wanted to immerse myself in a long-term learning process where you are both challenged and encouraged to examine things beyond your own bubble and professional boundaries,” she explains.

Vaasa University of Applied Sciences was chosen as the place of study because Mäensivu-Puuko’s work covers three regions, including Vaasa, which made the city a natural choice.

“Because of my work, online studies were practically the only possible option, and I familiarised myself thoroughly in advance with what had been written and said about VAMK. In the end, however, the studies were not only what I had hoped for – they were even more,” she says with satisfaction.

According to the national AVOP survey of graduates from Universities of Applied Sciences, Vaasa University of Applied Sciences’ Master’s-level education is the best in Finland.

According to Mäenpää-Puukko, studying at VAMK was at the same time inspiring, educational, and in many ways also surprisingly touching.

“I have previously spent years in supervisory roles, responsible project management positions, and for about the past ten years in demanding expert roles where you are constantly responding, taking care of things, anticipating, and organizing matters for others. That’s why it was almost a bewildering experience for me to realise that now I was the one being taken care of. We were able to participate in well-prepared, high-quality lectures, and we were encouraged, listened to, and genuinely taken into account. It was a meaningful experience to be the one who is supported, guided, and encouraged. I still marvel at it, but above all, I am grateful for it,” she reflects.

Mäenpää-Puukko describes the thesis process as extremely educational and strengthening for her professional identity.

“It was not only an interesting and professionally developing process, but also one that deepened my self-understanding. I also feel that, as a kind of added benefit from my studies, I gained a great deal of understanding that is essential for my work, for example, about online pedagogy and what feels meaningful from a student’s perspective. That has been valuable,” Mäensivu-Puukko reflects.

She says she was surprised at how strong a sense of collegiality and connection can also develop online.

“The relationship between teachers and students also stayed with me. Our experiences, thinking, and expertise were genuinely valued. It felt like we were building ideas together, expanding our understanding, and reaching toward something shared. And that is precisely what changes the world,” Mäenpää-Puukko states.

After graduating, Mäenpää-Puukko wants to continue working in expert roles within the church and in development work.

“My studies have strengthened my sense that I want to be involved in building wellbeing, inclusion, and connection in a time when people are searching a great deal for meaning, direction, and their place,” she says, adding:

“Ultimately, what matters most may not be what you learn on your own during your studies, but what you begin to see together with others.”