More than an internship - how the FFP programme gave Petteri and Tatu a flying start

When Petteri Mikkola and Tatu Komulainen joined the Future Finance Professional programme, both had theoretical knowledge from their studies. The FFP traineeship gave them the opportunity to put textbook knowledge into practice through hands-on business cases and real responsibility — deepening their understanding of financial products and processes and getting a feel for the bigger picture.

During the summer, they worked in different teams on the trading floor. Petteri joined Structured Investments, where the team creates structured products by combining bonds and derivative instruments. Tatu worked in Derivatives Coverage, focusing mainly on interest-rate derivatives and loan-linked products for private customers. 

Looking back, one of the biggest positive surprises for Tatu was the amount of responsibility he was given from the very beginning. 

"It's not just assisting or doing a task that someone gives you. You have ownership of your work and what you do," says Tatu Komulainen. 

While the learning curve was steep, both highlight the supportive environment as key to their growth. Passionate colleagues and fellow FFPs were ready to answer questions, share their knowledge, and help them settle into life on the trading floor. 

The summer wasn't all work, though. They still found time for studies, friends, sports, and plenty of fun activities with the other FFP interns. 

Their advice to anyone considering applying: 'do not let uncertainty stop you'. 

“You don’t have to be afraid of what you know or don’t know, because you will learn it,” says Tatu. Petteri agrees: “Take the risk, because it’s definitely worth it.”