The school campaign familiarises young people with the diverse opportunities within the forest sector

The joint Forest of Opportunities school campaign by the Finnish forest industry will launch on 2 March 2026. This year marks the 13th time the campaign is organised, with around 200 schools from across Finland taking part. It is one of the largest employer‑brand campaigns in Finland, reaching a total of approximately 12,500 lower secondary school pupils.

As part of the campaign, professionals working in various forest sector companies, school ambassadors and students in the field visit lower secondary schools and upper secondary schools to talk about study and career opportunities in the forest sector, as well as to present wood-based products. The aim is to increase awareness of the sector and encourage young people to consider the career paths it offers.

“Our school ambassadors represent a wide range of roles from mill production to design and corporate management. During their visits, they share their own education and career journeys. This helps illustrate the breadth of the sector and provides relatable examples for young people,” says campaign project manager, Kati Kuusisto, Senior adviser, communications at the Finnish Forest Industries Federation.

The forest sector offers meaningful career paths

“Young people increasingly value opportunities to influence socially significant matters. The forest sector provides a diverse range of jobs that contribute to a more sustainable future — from practical work to research, and from production to design. Skilled professionals are needed at all education levels, from vocational qualifications to university degrees,” says Venla Kaplas, Senior adviser, skills and education at the Finnish Forest Industries Federation.

“More than half of the employees in Finland’s forest industry hold an upper secondary qualification, and there is currently a particular need for forest machine operators and timber truck drivers. Professionals in the field not only manage forest environments and wood flows but also ensure the profitability of the economy and export income,” Kaplas continues.

High demand for the campaign’s renewed presentation materials and product portfolio

This year, both the campaign’s presentation materials and product portfolio have been updated. The product portfolio, introduced in classrooms, contains current product samples from forest industry companies — something schools clearly appreciate. Results from the 2025 Youth Forest Barometer reveal surprising gaps in young people’s understanding of how essential wood‑based products are in everyday life. Many do not recognise that, for example, hygiene products, clothing, or packaging can be wood‑based. This highlights the need to make the role of forests more visible as enablers of sustainable everyday solutions.

Wood serves as a versatile material in numerous products that can replace those made from fossil‑based raw materials. Every Finn uses wood‑based products daily. In addition to hygiene papers and printed materials, wood can be used to manufacture, for example, apartment buildings, medicines, sausage casings, cellophane, and textiles.

Campaign partners

The campaign is organised in cooperation by the Finnish Forest Industries Federation, the Finnish Forest Association, the Finnish Forest Products Engineers’ Association, and the forest industry companies Metsä Group, Stora Enso Oyj, UPM‑Kymmene Oyj, DS Smith Packaging Finland Oy, Koskisen Oy, MM Kotkamills, HASA Oy, Sappi Kirkniemi, Versowood Oy, Tornator Oyj and Tervakoski Oy. This year, Koneyrittäjät ry and Metsuritrio are also participating.