Open to opportunities - Helsinki

Creative background. Technical direction.

A varied background across media, design, technology and the natural world. Currently retraining in AI and modern web development, and putting it into practice.

See what I'm building Get in touch
Currently: AI Now! training programme (Opiframe - Uusimaa, March-September 2026) - actively seeking a company partner for the on-the-job learning phase. Download programme info or visit Opiframe.

About

A broad background, now with a clear direction.

I'm Joakim (Joe) - based in Helsinki, originally from a fairly international background. I've always been interested in how things work - technology, the natural world, visual communication. That curiosity has taken me in a few different directions over the years.

I've done web and media work in London, underwater videography in Southeast Asia, film and TV in New Zealand, studied geology, and run a small business in Finland. Every chapter has added something.

Right now I'm focused on AI tools, digital products and modern web development - partly through formal training, partly by building things. It's where my interests and the current job market meet.

I work well independently and equally enjoy being part of a team. I communicate clearly and am comfortable in multicultural settings - Finnish and English are both native languages for me, which in this field matters since most of the tools, documentation and conversation around AI happens in English.

Joakim Olkkonen

Based in

Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

Languages

Finnish - native
English - native
French - basic

Work eligibility

Full right to work in Finland and EU. Available for full-time employment or training placement.

Education

BA (Hons) Multimedia Arts - SAE Institute, London
BSc Geology - University of Auckland
Diploma Film and TV Production - South Seas, NZ
IB - International School of Brussels

What I'm doing right now

Current focus

01

AI Now! Training

A 120-day programme where classroom training and on-the-job learning are combined throughout. The learning path is built around my background and the partner company's needs. Topics include Python, the MERN stack, generative AI, prompt engineering, agentic workflows and AI in business.

Opiframe - March to September 2026
02

Digital Marketing

A comprehensive digital marketing course covering the full picture - from market research and brand strategy through SEO, content, email, paid ads across major platforms, analytics, copywriting and consumer psychology. The whole funnel, not just one piece of it.

Udemy - 27 Courses in One

In development

What I'm building

Food for Picky Kids app

Mobile App - In Development

Food for Picky Kids

A family-friendly mobile app around food and kids. Started as a side project to apply what I'm learning in practice. The concept came from noticing a gap in what's currently available, and the app is being built from the ground up with working screens, navigation and local data storage already in place.

Note: the app name and splash graphic (AI-generated) are placeholders - the concept is real, the branding is still in progress.

React Native Expo Router Zustand AsyncStorage AI-assisted dev

Actively in development

Past work

What I've built

Radar Films website

2007 - Auckland, NZ

Radar Films

Website design and build for a music video and commercial production company. Custom dark design, featured work showcase, blog integration and recent productions sidebar.

Web design HTML / CSS Custom design
Production Plus website

2007 - Auckland, NZ

Production Plus

Website and secure client video portal for a film and TV production company. Clients could log in to view and give feedback on commercials during production - particularly valuable for international clients who no longer needed DVDs shipped to them.

Web design Client portal HTML / CSS SEO
Radiessence website

2007 - Auckland, NZ

Radiessence

Full website with custom-built CMS for a cosmetics brand. A technically involved project requiring a bespoke content management solution built to the client's specific needs. Client reference available.

Web design Custom CMS Graphic design
Shift Control website

2006 - 2009 - Auckland, NZ

Shift Control

My own web design and digital services business. Offered custom web design, CMS development, email marketing and SEO to small businesses and organisations. Built and managed the whole operation independently.

Web agency CMS development Email marketing SEO

Capabilities

What I bring

Digital and creative

Web design HTML / CSS Content production Graphic design Visual storytelling CMS systems Photography Video production Adobe Creative Suite

AI and development - in training

AI-assisted development Prompt engineering Generative AI Agentic workflows Python (learning) MERN stack (learning) React Native (learning) Cursor Claude / ChatGPT

Digital marketing - in progress

SEO Content strategy Email marketing Google Ads Meta / Social ads Facebook advertising Analytics Copywriting Branding Consumer psychology

How I work

Bilingual FI / EN Cross-cultural communication Independent worker Fast learner Client-facing Project coordination Adaptable

Background

Experience

Various periods

London, NZ

Web design and digital content

Freelance - various clients and personal projects

Built websites by hand (HTML/CSS), produced graphic, photo and video content, and worked with CMS platforms at different points in my career. Projects included small business sites, a custom CMS for a cosmetics brand, and a secure client video portal for a film production company. Most active during my time in New Zealand.

2007 - 2025

New Zealand (+ one job in Finland, 2025)

Lighting and Grip - Gaffer / Grip Assist

Freelance - film, TV and commercial productions

Worked on film, TV, commercials and music videos in New Zealand. Moved from occasional work to regular bookings over time, taking on gaffer responsibilities on some documentary and commercial productions.

2021 - 2025

Finland

Founder

Property and Garden Services (own business)

Ran a property and garden services business in rural Finland. Handled client relationships, scheduling, subcontracting and invoicing independently. Grew entirely through referrals - quickly to the point where there was more work than I could handle alone. Handled all marketing myself, including designing and distributing flyers and running Facebook advertising campaigns.

2002 - 2005

Thailand and Philippines

Underwater Videographer and Divemaster

Multiple dive operators, Southeast Asia

Worked as a divemaster and underwater videographer across several operators in Thailand and the Philippines. Shot and edited daily dive videos for guests. Later went independent with own equipment. Also produced marketing material for operators, and contributed footage to a German nature documentary.

Footage broadcast on Spiegel TV

2000

London, UK

Multimedia Supervisor

SAE Institute London

Ran the multimedia lab alongside my own studies - helping students, maintaining equipment and software, producing marketing materials for the school, and teaching a short module on audio for multimedia.

The bigger picture

A life in chapters

The CV is a fairly compressed version. Here's a bit more context on how it all fits together.

1991 - 1997

Brussels, Belgium

International School of Brussels. IB diploma with Higher Level subjects in Physics, English and Art. Native English alongside Finnish, some French, and early experience of a genuinely multicultural environment.

1998 - 2000

London, UK

BA in Multimedia Arts at SAE Institute. Thesis: "The Future of Mobile Multimedia in the Age of 3G" - written in 2000, well before smartphones existed. First websites built by hand. Ran the computer lab. Interned at a digital design studio.

2001 - 2002

California, USA

Volunteer graphic design for Coral Reef Alliance in Berkeley. Watersports work in the San Diego area. Spent time around the ocean and developed a serious interest in marine environments and underwater life.

2002 - 2005

Thailand and Philippines

Became a divemaster and turned that passion into a career as an underwater videographer. Shot a whale shark encounter that ended up in a Spiegel TV documentary. Went freelance with own equipment across multiple operators.

2006 - 2013

New Zealand

Film school in Auckland with the goal of getting into natural history filmmaking - particularly underwater. University started with oceanography, pivoted to geology, and ended up with a BSc that combined field science with analytical thinking. Freelance film and TV work throughout, plus web and design projects.

2013 - now

Finland

Back to roots - first in the Finnish countryside running a property services business, then back to Helsinki. Now deliberately upgrading prior digital and creative skills to modern standards, with a full pivot into AI-assisted development and digital products.

Contact

Get in touch

I'm looking for a company to partner with through the AI Now! training programme. The structure is straightforward: classroom training and on-the-job learning are combined throughout a 120-day programme. The cost to the employer is low, and if the placement leads to employment, Finnish wage subsidy (palkkatuki) may apply for up to a further six months.

I'm also open to freelance work or collaboration, particularly around digital content, web or AI-assisted projects.

Send me an email
For full details on the programme structure and costs, download the Opiframe programme info or visit opiframe.com.

Email

joeolkkonen@gmail.com

Phone

+358 41 489 6172

Location

Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

Currently

AI Now! Training - Opiframe
Seeking on-the-job placement - until September 2026