Gradia students create a new look for Soihtu apartments

Housing, Kortepohja, News, Soihtu Vehkakuja / 28.1.2022

Gradia’s surface finishing students have been working in the Kortepohja Student Village and Vehkakuja apartments for the past three weeks. The students have for instance painted the hallways in buildings MNOP and painted and wallpapered some of the Village’s older apartments in buildings K and L and in Vehkakuja. Many new tenants moving in to a Soihtu apartment will now get a newly renovated home.

The cooperation between Gradia’s surface finishing students and Soihtu has begun already in the autumn of 2020. This time, 14 adult students are working on Soihtu sites, guided by their teacher Taru Saari. According to her, the students do the actual work, and the role of the teacher is to guide and “carry the heavy paint buckets”. Each student is responsible for one apartment, after which they can help others if needed.

The job well done remains visible on the walls of the apartments

According to surface finishing student Minka Riukulehto, it is great to to get to work in real apartments.

“Working in an actual apartment has been a lot more meaningful than painting in a practice lodge. In Soihtu apartments, we have also been able to practice some of the more challenging painting techniques. It is a wonderful idea that we are creating a home for a new tenant and our work improves their comfort of living.”

Teacher Taru Saari says that she has received similar feedback from other students as well.

“Students feel grateful to work for a real client when they know that their work can be seen on the walls of the renovated apartments.”

Cooperation benefits both parties

According to Soihtu’s real estate manager Markku Kilpi, Soihtu provides the materials for the work, and students do the work as part of their studies. The savings from the work done by the students also leaves more of the budget available for other housing maintenance projects.

“All in all, we have been really pleased to be able to offer the students a concrete job that matches the actual job description of a surface finishing expert. The cooperation will be of great benefit to both parties, and we hope that it will continue in the future.”