A fresh perspective from outside the organization
I’m Janne Vainikainen, an alumnus of LUT University’s Master's Programme in Knowledge Management and Leadership. I graduated with a Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration degree in 2017. I currently work at ZEF Oy as the CFO and COO. ZEF is an Oulu-based SaaS company, and our main products are the Zeffi and Esko.AI artificial intelligence platforms.
I feel that I gained a lot from my business education, and therefore I want to support today’s students. I found Job Shadowing Day to be an interesting and novel concept. I’ve previously been involved in mentoring, and I felt this was a similar kind of opportunity to support students.
I feel that I gained a lot from my business education, and therefore I want to support today’s students.
During Job Shadowing Day, I presented our company’s business, processes, and products. The student and I also participated in our company’s regular weekly meetings with two of my colleagues, who shared insights about their roles. In addition to the company presentation, the student got a glimpse into an ordinary working day.
The visit helped me reason through and articulate both my own and the company’s operations. A perspective from outside the organization helped us view our activities with fresh eyes. The student asked many good questions and offered ideas, some of which may help us experiment with new ways of working.
The student also asked many good questions and offered ideas.
Since our company was originally spun off from the university, we’ve done a lot of academic research over the years. Currently, we don’t have any broader ongoing university collaborations, but we’re happy to participate in shorter-term initiatives like this.
Getting to know the everyday operations of organizations is a valuable opportunity for students. In turn, the new ideas and academic perspectives students bring provide food for thought. So, for us alumni, the day offers great ideas to reflect on.
The more students learn about employers, the better they can align their skills
I’m Marjo Santanen, currently working as the manager of Billerud’s Pietarsaari plant and as the CEO of Billerud Finland. I have a master’s degree in environmental technology and graduated from LUT in 2010.
I became interested in the job shadowing concept because students are the experts of the future and it’s important to maintain connections with them and educational intsitutions. The more they learn about us employers during their studies, the better they can align their skills with future needs.
Students are the experts of the future.
We started Job Shadowing Day by meeting in the city, where I picked the student up and brought her to the mill. Once on site, we began with some general information and a brief introduction to the plant and our company. Then, we participated in meetings on a range of topics, from safety work to projects. At the end of the day, we visited the production areas and the office to meet and talk with staff and have discussions with them.
We participated in meetings on a range of topics, from safety work to projects.
The student visit reinforced my belief that universities and employers should collaborate in diverse ways. At Billerud, we systematically work with educational institutions and universities. Our goal is to spark interest and curiosity among students so that, in the future, they learn to see us as a potential employer.
Overall, the entire day left a strong impression on me. I also understood how challenging it can be for international students to get started in the Finnish job market. A day like this also provides a new perspective on your own work. It costs nothing but can offer students valuable insights and a new direction or help refine their career goals.
