This quarterly overview highlights selected large projects and investment pipelines shaping demand for external professionals in Finland. The four areas have been selected due to high, verifiable activity in publicly available sources. The article is not exhaustive and does not cover all Finnish projects, but focuses on initiatives that are particularly relevant for agencies, suppliers, and project-driven organisations.
Energy
Finland is investing heavily in decarbonisation, with green hydrogen, Power-to-X, and transmission infrastructure becoming central components of long-term planning. These projects generate sustained demand for engineering, construction management, and commissioning expertise.
Harjavalta green hydrogen and Power-to-X cluster
A major hydrogen and Power-to-X development is progressing in the Harjavalta industrial zone. Investment estimates have been reported around 2 billion euros, with production planned for green hydrogen and synthetic fuels (source: Reuters, 2024; Finnish regional press, 2024).
The industrial environment in Harjavalta already hosts battery materials and metals production, creating strong demand for process engineers, civil engineers, commissioning specialists, HSE roles, and construction supervisors as planning and permitting advance.
Nordic Hydrogen Route – Bothnian Bay
Finnish and Swedish partners are preparing the Nordic Hydrogen Route, a cross-border transmission concept covering hydrogen and CO2 pipelines in the Bothnian Bay region (source: CINEA hydrogen infrastructure documentation, 2024; Gasgrid Finland releases, 2024).
The concept requires environmental impact studies, transmission engineering, routing, and stakeholder coordination, driving early-stage demand for designers, planners, and engineering consultants.
Industrial Manufacturing & Life Science
Finland maintains strong competencies in heavy manufacturing, shipbuilding, and battery systems. Orderbooks and ownership changes continue to influence the need for both blue-collar and white-collar specialists.
Meyer Turku – cruise ship orderbook
Meyer Turku shipyard continues to deliver large cruise vessels to international operators, with several builds planned towards the late 2020s (source: Reuters, 2024; Finnish business media, 2024).
These programmes require welders, electricians, HVAC specialists, planners, project controllers, commissioning teams, and extensive subcontractor support across steel, interiors, and mechanical systems.
Battery manufacturing – Salo and Uusikaupunki
Finland’s battery production capability remains stable after ownership changes in 2024, when IONCOR acquired the former Valmet Automotive battery units in Salo and Uusikaupunki (source: Yle, 2024; Kauppalehti, 2024).
The facilities continue producing modules and packs for heavy-duty transport and industrial applications, creating consistent demand for maintenance technicians, quality engineers, automation specialists, and safety professionals.
Data Centers
Finland is one of the Nordic region’s most active data center markets, driven by reliable low-carbon energy and available grid capacity. Several hyperscale and colocation initiatives are progressing simultaneously.
500 MW hyperscale proposal – Lapland
A significant hyperscale concept of approximately 500 MW has been proposed near Rovaniemi, structured as a multi-phase campus with development expected later in the decade (source: DatacenterDynamics reporting, 2022; Finnish municipal announcements, 2023–2024).
Large-scale earthworks, electrical infrastructure, and commissioning efforts will create demand for civil engineers, MEP specialists, installation supervisors, planners, and HSE roles.
Project Clover – TikTok and Hyperco (Kouvola)
A major data center investment of around 1 billion euros has been announced by TikTok in cooperation with developer Hyperco for a site in Kouvola (source: Reuters, 2024; Hyperco press material, 2024).
Upcoming phases include electrical and mechanical fit-out, commissioning, and safety-critical installation work, providing opportunities for supervisors, commissioning engineers, and documentation specialists.
Regional pipeline – Lappeenranta and Hamina
Polarnode continues preparations for data center projects in Lappeenranta, reported with potential capacities up to 150 MW (source: Datacenter Forum coverage, 2024).
In Hamina, Google is expanding its long-established Finnish data center operations through incremental upgrades and renewable energy agreements (source: Reuters, 2024; Google Finland statements, 2024). These programmes require technicians, project managers, and service engineers familiar with mission-critical infrastructure.
Defence
Finland’s NATO membership is accelerating the development of defence infrastructure, training sites, and industrial capability, generating specialised staffing needs.
NATO land command and forward presence
NATO has confirmed new structures in Finland, including a land command element to coordinate Nordic and Baltic forces and additional forward land units (source: NATO announcements, 2024–2025; Finnish Ministry of Defence briefings, 2024).
These initiatives require upgrades to bases, communications, logistics, and protected facilities, increasing demand for construction managers, ICT specialists, cyber roles, and technical staff with security clearance.
F-35 industrial participation and air base upgrades
Finland is preparing for the arrival of 64 F-35A aircraft under the HX Fighter Programme (source: Finnish Air Force, 2024; Ministry of Defence announcements, 2023–2025).
Industrial activity includes Patria’s engine maintenance facility at Linnavuori in Nokia, designated as a future F-35 engine depot maintenance location (source: Patria statements, 2023). This creates demand for engineers, technicians, QA specialists, documentation experts, and aviation-grade safety professionals.
What This Means for Agencies and Suppliers
Across energy, manufacturing, data centers, and defence, Finland has a visible pipeline of large projects extending into the late 2020s. For recruitment agencies, technical consultancies, and suppliers, the common pattern is sustained need for inspectors, technicians, engineers, supervisors, commissioning managers, and HSE specialists—particularly those experienced in regulated and safety-critical environments.
Disclaimer
This article is based exclusively on publicly available, non-classified sources and presents a selection of projects illustrating activity in Finland. It is not a complete overview and should not replace independent commercial, legal, tax, or technical advice. Project scopes and timelines may change, and readers should consult original project owners and official publications for the latest information.
