Social insurance institution

The Social Insurance Institution of Finland, known as Kela, is responsible for the implementation of social security in Finland. Social security aims to equalize income disparities among both families and individuals, striving to ensure sufficient livelihood for everyone. It consists of services and financial benefits designed to secure livelihoods in various stages of life and situations where individuals cannot manage on their own. The need for livelihood support can arise from various reasons, such as education, unemployment, incapacity for work, illness or old age. Kela reimburses employers for costs related to factors like occupational health care, employee sick leaves or parental leaves. In summary, Kela is a significant actor influencing the population’s livelihood, health and independent coping with everyday challenges. In accordance with its values, Kela communicates its presence in people’s lives and its support during changes. The principles embedded in Kela’s value-based approach include being respectful, competent, collaborative and innovative. More information about Kela can be found by entering www.kela.fi in the browser’s address bar.

As I write this, I have worked as a bridge design engineer for 10 years. I study alongside work whenever I have the time. I pay the healthcare fee for students in higher education to Kela once per term as a student. As an occupational health care client, I don’t feel like I genuinely get value for the money I pay to Kela. On the other hand, I use other services that are not directly part of occupational health care. For example, health services provided by a dentist and a dental hygienist are services that I especially appreciate. When using these services, I receive reimbursement from Kela by presenting my Kela card during the payment transaction. It’s interesting to note that the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) can be applied for through the OmaKela service, and it is free of charge. I recommend getting it, just like I did. But there are maybe too many cards in my wallet that could easily be replaced by digital cards in the future.

However, these days, I rarely use Kela’s services. Actually, this seems to be a pretty good thing, don’t you think? Nevertheless, I remember with gratitude that 10 years ago, I received student financial aid while studying to become a structural design engineer. Without this financial support, it would have been quite challenging for me to fully focus solely on studying. Without student financial aid, I likely would have had to allocate my personal resources not only to studying but also to work. And I might not have ever reached the level of expertise that led me to the fascinating world of bridge design engineering immediately after completing my studies almost 10 years ago.

Health care data

OmaKanta is a digital health care data service intended for Finnish citizens. It displays information recorded by social and healthcare services about the customer and their medication. The service allows users to view personal health information and prescriptions. Therefore, using the service requires data secure practices.

I typed www.kanta.fi in the browser address bar without using search engine results. On the website kanta.fi, I clicked a button that leads to the login for the service. Choosing this button directed me to the suomi.fi service page, where I selected the authentication method. I chose to log in to the service with my own online banking credentials. I used a mobile key, after which I was directed to a page where I could read that my information, such as personal identification number, last name, first names and municipality of residence, would be transmitted to the service provider. After this, I selected the button that led me to the service.

I must admit that I haven’t used the OmaKanta service much before. The service seems to contain diverse information about my health and well-being. The service appears user-friendly, and as a user, I could intuitively navigate and view my personal information. Perhaps, in the future, I will use this service more often, as this usage left a positive impression about the service and its usefulness.

I recognize that I am accustomed to using various digital services throughout my life. Although I found accessing and using the OmaKanta service easy, not everyone may see it the same way. For example, older individuals may face difficulties if their previous experiences with digital services have been limited. This shouldn’t be surprising, considering the relatively rapid pace of society’s digitization in recent years. Even I had not used the OmaKanta service much before, but based on my previous digital experiences, it felt like using a service I was already familiar with. So, I believe that completing this task was actually pretty fun and contributed positively to my digital general knowledge.

Pension

The Finnish pension system encourages individuals to work for as long as possible. The amount of pension significantly depends on the length of one’s working career. The longer one can sustain in the workforce, the better pension they will ultimately receive. In my case, the difference in the pension amount is in the range of hundreds of euros. Based on the results of the pension calculator, I interpret that pension accumulation seems to accelerate the longer one stays in the workforce. Therefore, individuals should carefully consider whether they want to retire as soon as it is possible or if it might be more beneficial to aim for the target retirement age.

I find it fair that there is a certain connection between the length of the working career and the resulting pension. It’s essential to be aware that the pension system may change in the coming decades and might not necessarily remain as it is now. That’s why, for me, the most important aspect is the meaningfulness of the work rather than just financial compensation. In conclusion, I acknowledge the fact that my minimum retirement age is significantly higher than the mentioned limit of 63 years in the given task. It remains to be seen how long I can continue doing such demanding work as bridge design engineering.

I hope to enjoy healthy and good days both now and in the future. However, if, for example, health problems accumulate towards the end of my career, I don’t believe I would want to continue doing the work I love just to pursue a few hundred euros more in my pension. When faced with the choice between money and health, the decision is clear for me. I always choose health and well-being. If, on the other hand, my health remains good, I believe my motivation and interest will extend far into the future. Based on my experience, bridge design is an extremely interesting job. I would say that it is a part of my heart and identity.

Digital shops

Online stores have significantly transformed commerce. They offer a vast array of products and services to consumers. Competition influences the pricing strategies of online stores, with visible promotions and discounts aimed at attracting customers. Comparing prices between online and traditional stores may not be straightforward, considering factors such as the global operating environment, transportation costs, shipping fees or customs duties. Taking these factors into account may impact a consumer’s purchasing decision. How many consumers actually have the patience to thoroughly investigate all factors affecting the final price when making a purchase is a question, especially when the transaction is just a few clicks away?

While online stores can provide competitive prices, brick-and-mortar stores may offer personalized service and quick deliveries. Major online retailers, such as Amazon, typically invest in comprehensive product information. Product descriptions, technical specifications and customer reviews are readily available, helping consumers make informed decisions and instilling trust in their purchases. The reliability of online stores is crucial to their success. While major players enjoy a strong reputation, the reliability of individual sellers can vary significantly. At the same time, it’s essential to remember that no product description can replace firsthand experience.

Application from my own field of expertise

I chose an application called Taitorakennerekisteri, commonly known as TREX within my field of expertise. Yes, you read it right, and I wrote it right. TREX, the Taitorakennerekisteri, is a digital foundational database for demanding structures, where the design must absolutely rely on reliable strength calculations. It is continuously developed and updated. I personally see continuous innovation as a positive aspect, even though it entails effort to ensure that my own information stays current. Taitorakennerekisteri serves experts, such as myself, a bridge design engineer. Accessing, modifying and maintaining data require successful completion of training. Consequently, it is a critical application for societal resilience, safety and functionality. Needless to say, secure practices are emphasized now and likely even more in the future.

I chose to write about Taitorakennerekisteri in my blog because it has become an essential digital application in my work, accessible on computers, smartphones and tablets. Mastering the operating system is, in my experience, a gradual learning process. Taitorakennerekisteri operating system feels intuitively functional, making it easy to get started with the application. However, it’s essential to emphasize that relying on intuition or guesswork in the long run is not beneficial, as guidelines for structures like bridges are precisely defined. In my experience, using Taitorakennerekisteri requires precision and diligence to ensure accurate, reliable, consistent and user-independent data. According to the vision for the near future, Taitorakennerekisteri will be developed in a way that its data content resembles a digital twin of bridges built in the real world. I look forward to the realization of this.

Digitalization and digital gap

The lack of use of digital services can entail several risks, including social isolation, digital illiteracy, difficulties in dealings with authorities and organizations, limited access to information, restricted opportunities for commerce, employment challenges and cybersecurity risks. The impacts of not using digital services can thus be very comprehensive. Being outside the realm of digitalization can signify a kind of digital exclusion. In such a situation, an individual may not necessarily be able to function efficiently in society or in the job market. In a digital society, digital skills are fundamental competencies for citizens, and mastering them signifies participation at all levels of society.

Digital competence

I took a digital competence test. I interpret the results of the test to indicate that my competence in the four main areas is relatively balanced. According to the test, my strongest areas of digital competence are information, safety and communication. I scored the lowest in the production aspect. In hindsight, I’m reflecting on whether I might have answered the test questions a bit too critically. In any case, it’s good to be aware that there’s always room for improvement and that one can always learn more. In the future, I plan to use the test results to consider how I can enhance my skills. I found the test interesting, comprehensive and eye-opening. The image below illustrates the results I obtained from the digital competence test on January 17, 2024. Perhaps I will revisit these results after a few months to reflect on my current skills in comparison to my future skill level.

Self-reflection

I learned a lot about the digital society, citizenship, services and products. I notice that the digitization and electrification of society are advancing rapidly. I want to stay up to date with these changes. Especially, I found myself reflecting on the results of the digital literacy test.

Comments

I shared my comments on the following blogs.

Comment 1: Hello. Thank you for sharing your reflections. It was interesting to read about your experiences with online stores. Personally, I don’t prefer online shopping. However, I used to buy books from online stores, but nowadays, I am a heavy user of audiobook services. As a subscriber to BookBeat, I pay for streaming rather than individual books. I often browse online stores for climbing-related clothing, shoes and other equipment. However, I usually don’t purchase climbing-related items unless I can try the product before making a final decision. No information can replace personal experience. For example, the suitability and comfort of climbing shoes can only be confirmed through personal trial. If you’d like, you can take a look at my blog on the page https://blogi.savonia.fi/jarmolampimaki/digi-citizen/

DIGI CITIZEN

Comment 2: Hello. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I paid attention to the results of the digital comperence test. It seems that I, too, obtained a similar outcome from this test. My results were relatively even across different areas, although I scored the lowest in the Production section. I found the test to be comprehensive, diverse and eye-opening. If you’d like, you can take a look at my blog on the page https://blogi.savonia.fi/jarmolampimaki/digi-citizen/.

Digi Citizen

Comment 3: Hey! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I notice that your blog has a solid engineering-oriented approach. As a bridge design engineer, I also have experience with computer-aided design programs. I use AutoCAD for technical drawing. However, for modeling in my field, the software I’ve found effective is Tekla Structures. If you’d like, you can take a look at my blog on the page https://blogi.savonia.fi/jarmolampimaki/digi-citizen/.

DIGI CITIZEN