Paf’s headquarters will be filled with new students as the tech education grit:lab continues. The application tests will start this winter. Admissions weeks will be organised in spring 2024.

The Nordic gaming company Paf started the innovative tech education named grit:lab two years ago, a few months later the admissions opened and a year later the students started their education. Currently, 60 students from around 20 different countries are entering their final year of the intensive tech programme. The first year has been successful and stakeholders are keen to see the education continue.

“grit:lab is a complement to traditional education and it will contribute to making Åland a tech hub in the Nordics. The potential is great and from Paf’s side we want to continue to be a driving force behind the educational programme,” Daniela Johansson, Paf’s Deputy CEO & Chief Responsibility Officer, said.

Applications for the new cohort of grit:lab are planned to open up in December 2023 and those who are curious to take up the challenge can perform an online test until February 2024. The new cohort will begin their studies at grit:lab in autumn 2024.

“The fantastic response we have received both from the students and from many visiting groups is proof that there is a need for this type of education. It is a form of education that will meet the future needs of the job market,” Anna-Lena Svenblad, Paf’s Development Director and Director of grit:lab, said.

“I am impressed by how much the tech students have already learnt. Two of them worked as summer trainees in our sysops team over the summer and at the same time they managed to get certified for AWS cloud services. This is a programme that we at Paf can be proud of,” Paf’s Chief Technology Officer Fredrik Wiklund said.

The grit:lab tech education is carried out in cooperation with Ålands Yrkesgymnasium on behalf of the Government of Åland.