Kaksi ihmistä keskustelee ja hymyilee läppärin ääressä toimistoympäristössä.

You help others succeed.
We help you succeed.
That’s why Skilla is the right trade association for you.

Network of skilled business support experts

We are approachable trade association that supports the development of your expertise and provides security throughout the ups and downs of working life. Skilla offers concrete support at every stage of your career: diverse training opportunities, guidance, advocacy in working life, and above all, a strong network where we learn together and share everyday insights.

Our diverse community of around 2,000 members represents hundreds of different job titles. Most of our members work in the private sector in administrative roles, office work, and business support services, but we are also represented in the public sector, municipalities, as well as organisations and foundations. Skilla is a professional association where networking and the sharing of expertise truly take place.

  • expert and supervisory roles in organisational support services
  • executive assistants
  • coordinators, secretaries, and assistants
  • sales and marketing roles

Our members are skilled professionals—experts who keep the day-to-day operations of organisations running smoothly while managing multiple responsibilities at once. We bring together business support professionals across organisational boundaries: assistants, supervisors, coordinators, and specialists—all the enablers of a seamless everyday working life.

Our members work, for example, in the following roles:

Explore our job titles here

As a member of Skilla, you get...

Answers

For all questions about working life, internships or summer jobs.

Personal help and advice

For questions related to job search, salary and working conditions, as well as practical matters — even ask your employment contract to be checked by a lawyer before signing, so that you do not become more than promised.

Trainings and events

That add value to both your professional and personal development or are otherwise just refreshing and wonderful.

Network

Through us, you will meet alumni and those who have been in the industry for a long time, from whom you will receive valuable tips on hidden jobs as well as industry practices and tacit knowledge.

Insurance and purchase benefits

The membership includes discounts on insurance, Member+ benefits, discounts on loans and much more.

Advocasy

We know what the everyday life of support service specialists, assistants and secretaries is like, and we monitor your interests in society and at the conference tables.

Learn about the benefits of membership

Providing support and security since 1970

HSO Secretaries Association (HSO-sihteerit ry) was founded in 1970 to serve secretaries graduating from the Helsinki Secretarial College. This marked the beginning of our association’s history, and today we are known as Skilla.

The name change to Skilla was historic, as the abbreviation HSO was removed after fifty years. The association’s new name is derived from the English word skill. It reflects the high level of professional expertise in the field and the competence that our members carry with pride.

Learn about the history of the association
Nainen istuu portailla ja puhuu puhelimeen hymyillen.
Kolme nuorta aikuista seisoo portailla modernissa rakennuksessa ja katsoo kameraan hymyillen.
Kolme henkilöä keskustelee ja hymyilee kahvikuppeja kädessään modernissa toimistoympäristössä.
Kaksi miestä istuu ja nojaa eteenpäin katsoen puhelimen näyttöä ja nauraen.

Are you looking for any of these?

Kolme ihmistä kävelee ylös kapeita kierreportaita mustien seinien ympäröimänä.

History of the organization

Read more
Nuori mies ja nainen kävelevät ja nauravat modernin rakennuksen edessä.

Strategy

Read more
Kolme ihmistä keskustelee istuen neuvottelupöydän ääressä modernissa toimistotilassa, keskellä oleva nainen käyttää kannettavaa tietokonetta.

Rules

Read more
Neljä ihmistä keskustelevat kahvipöydän ääressä toimistossa.

Materials

Read more

Skilled people are always needed!

Our Vision

We are known as a guide and builder of better working life. We are a strong community whose members thrive and take pride in their work.

Our Mission

We are working for a better working life. We support our members in demanding support assistant, specialist and foreman positions at every stage of their career.

Our Values

Courage
Responsibility
Sense of community

Questions about membership

Miten päivitän jäsentietoni?

Skillan ja Akavan erityisalojen jäsenenä voit itse päivittää jäsenrekisterissä olevia tietojasi Akavan Erityisalojen verkkoasioinnin kautta. Kirjautumiseen tarvitse jäsennumerosi tai sähköpostiosoitteesi. Jos olet jäänyt työttömäksi, perhevapaalle tai eläkkeelle, voit ilmoittaa muutoksista Akavan Erityisalojen sivuilta löytyvien lomakkeiden avulla.

Voit päivittää yhteystietosi meille lomakkeella. Ongelmatilanteissa ota yhteys toimistolle: toimisto@skillary.fi tai 040 571 1038.

Miten eroan jäsenyydestä?

Ikävä kuulla, että haluat erota! Akavan Erityisalat hallinnoi jäsenrekisteriämme, ja eroilmoitus tulee tehdä heidän verkkosivujensa kautta.

Jos haluat erota Akavan Erityisaloista ja työttömyyskassa Erkosta mutta hyödyntää myös jatkossa Skillan omia jäsenetuja, voit halutessasi vaihtaa Skillan ei-järjestäytyneeksi jäseneksi (jäsenmaksu 80€/vuosi). Täytä tällöin ylläoleva eroilmoitus sekä Skillan ei-järjestäytyneiden jäsenten liittymislomake. Lue lisää >>

Ei-järjestäytyneet jäsenet voivat erota lähettämällä sähköpostia Skillan toimistolle.

1. Tell your colleagues/friends about Skilla and encourage them to join Skilla
  • jäsenenä kuulut Akavan Erityisaloihin, saat ammattiliiton palvelut ja neuvonnan
  • jäsenenä kuulut työttömyyskassa Otteeseen, mikä tuo ansiosidonnaisen turvan
  • saat työsuhdeneuvontaa, palkkasuosituksia ja pääsyn tapahtumiin
  • hyödyt mm. uravalmennuksesta, työnhaun tuesta ja palkkaneuvonnasta
  • saat käytöösi kattavat Member+ edut, jonka valikoimassa onmm. lomamökkejä ja hotelleja, etuja hyvinvointiin sekä jäsenetuhintaisia verkkokauppoja.
Does ERKO Kassa collect the membership fee directly from the benefit?

Unfortunately, Erko does not charge a fixed membership fee for the benefits paid in unemployment. The member must take care of the payment of the membership fee during Erko's benefit. You can pay your membership fee for example Akavan's Online Services for Specialized Areas.

I have not received instructions on how to pay the membership fee

Akava Special Industries (AE) manages our membership fee traffic. AE will provide payment instructions to members by email by the end of January. If the payment instructions have not reached you, you can order the reference numbers for 2022 from here. You can also find payment instructions About AE Online Serviceswhere you can additionally check that your contact information is up to date. If necessary, be in direct contact Member Secretaries of the AE. More information on AE's website >>

For non-organized members of Skilla, we will primarily send the membership fee invoice by email every January — February.

What membership fee do I pay for my family leave?

If your employer pays you a salary for the first few months of family leave, you will pay the normal membership fee for this period. In this case, mark Akavan's Online Services for Specialized Areas your family leave starts from the day you start receiving Kela's parental allowance.

Warm congratulations and wonderful family holidays!

I study alongside my work, can I change to a student member?

Full-time students are eligible for student membership and you can change your membership to a student membership using this form. Minor studies do not qualify for student membership. More information about student membership >>

I want to resign from Skilla and/or Akava Special Industries

I'm sorry to hear you want to break up! Akava Special Areas manages our membership register and a resignation notice must be made through their website.

If you want to leave Akava Special Areas and Erko in the unemployment fund, but also take advantage of Skilla's own membership benefits in the future, you can change to a non-organized member of Skilla (membership fee 80€/year). In this case, fill in the above notice of resignation and Skillan membership form for non-organized members. Read more >>

Non-organized members can resign by emailing For Skilla's office.

Interested in becoming a member of Skilla?

Skilla ry is the only trade association in Finland that provides tailor-made support service specialists and acts as their trustee. Since 2024, the membership has grown from assistants to other professionals working in diverse tasks in office work and support services in various industries.

Become a member