Tiia Strömberg: "Studies can help you to start pursuing new dreams"

Who are you?

I'm Tiia Strömberg, 46 years old, and I just graduated in December of 2023 with a degree in Business Administration. I have been working for about 30 years and have worked as an executive secretary, expert and customer service representative. I have worked for the City of Helsinki for 11 years, including almost six years as an expert in the legal services of the Urban Environment Division.

When I was young, I had little interest in school. After primary school, I completed a degree in sales at the Malmi Trade College, and then I was excited to start working. I started a family at the age of 25, so although I realised at some point before my thirties that I would be interested in further education, I didn't feel that there was a chance.

When I told a colleague, who had studied at Haaga-Helia, about my ambitions for further studies, she encouraged me that I would certainly be able to do well in my studies with my work experience, even though I doubted myself because of my educational background. I decided then that when my children were of secondary school age, it would be my time to continue my studies.

How and why did you choose to study business?

I summoned up my courage and applied for the entrance exams, but I was quite disappointed. The entrance exams went badly and I had no hope of getting into Haaga-Helia. However, I pulled myself together in a few days and decided to give myself another chance through the open path studies. And it was a good thing, because I was selected for the open side as a pathway student and later as a degree student.

As I have always worked in customer service and business in one way or another, business studies was an obvious choice for me, as was the service business and customer relations orientation. I find developing the customer experience through service design to be hugely interesting and inspiring. I am solution and development oriented by nature, and these traits are useful in developing customer experience. The main reason for studying was that I dream of working in a development role where the customer is at the centre.

What has studying at Haaga-Helia been like?

From the beginning, my studies went very well, helped by the fact that I found a wonderful study friend in the open path students. This encounter was a coincidence in itself, because at the time we were completely dependent on distance learning. Despite the 20-year age difference, we recognised our similarities when we worked together as a team. We were particularly united by our desire to do our schoolwork carefully. It was great to find someone with whom we could reflect on the tasks and solutions.

Multidisciplinary studies alongside work are admittedly quite demanding. I think I succeeded in my studies because I have strong self-management skills and I am persistent. I also really enjoy learning new things and challenging myself. What a great feeling you get when you succeed at something that seemed difficult at first!  

Is there anything that surprised you, especially during your studies?  
I was surprised by how much I had to study independently. Of course, there was teaching, but in the multidisciplinary implementation the student has a lot of responsibility.

Is there a particular memory from your student days that stands out?

The best memories are definitely the moments spent with the student friends. Towards the end of my studies, I also had another great student friend, with whom I did a thesis together. Together, we achieved a great result when we completed the thesis in a very short time and got a grade of 5, so this is something to remember!

Many of the courses have left me with lots of fun memories and friends. It is a pity that we saw very little of each other, but I am still very grateful for the opportunity to study at a distance.

One teacher sent me a personal message after the end of a course. Her words of encouragement and praise gave me a lot of strength to continue my studies. I remember her fondly and often.

What kind of support does studying at Haaga-Helia give you for your future and professional life?  

My studies have given me confidence for my future job search. I have a good job now, but it's good to build on my studies to pursue new dreams. I also plan to continue my studies for a Master's degree.

Greetings to current or future students?

My main message is that even if you fail your entrance exams, it does not determine your future opportunities. After the entrance exams, I thought for a while that I was not cut out to be a student, but now I graduated with a 4.78 average. I really did this and so can you!