School of Business alumni stories
Here you can find School of Business alumni stories. Our alumni share their professional journeys and give advice and tips regarding working life. The stories have been sorted based on the alumni's majors.
Alum Liting Aalto: ‘I want to keep learning new technologies’
Liting Aalto studied Information and Service Management at Aalto University School of Business between 2018 and 2021. Currently, she works as a data scientist at Elisa.
What was it like to study at Aalto University School of Business? Why did you want to study at Aalto?
I think it was nice to study at Aalto. I consider myself lucky to have started in 2018 when the School of Business was still in Töölö, at its old premises. I think the atmosphere was very nice there. I wanted to study data analytics as it was very popular at that time. The School of Business offered the major I wanted to study and since the School and Aalto had a good reputation on its education quality, I decided to apply for a master’s degree there.
I also completed most of my studies before the COVID pandemic, and it was nice to physically be present and meet with classmates and teachers. My study experience as an international student was also very pleasant.
Did you study Finnish during or after your studies? Have you needed Finnish in your work life?
I studied Finnish already before my studies at Aalto. I completed my bachelor’s degree in Haaga-Helia, majoring in marketing and graduating in 2015. After graduation, I felt it was challenging for me to get a job in marketing without the knowledge in Finnish language. Thus, I learned the language already then.
How did you find your first job in Finland?
I was working part-time in a store when I was studying my bachelor‘s degree. Then, after graduation I got a job offer to be a full-time store manager.
What kind of observations have you made about Finnish working life?
Finnish working life has a very nice work life balance, and people respect each other.
How did you find your own professional direction? You can also talk briefly about your career development.
I am interested in data analytics, so I started working part-time in a consulting company while studying the master’s degree at Aalto. I got to see how data engineers and data scientists work, and this raised my interest towards a job as a data scientist.
After graduating with the master’s degree, I got a job offer from Ilmarinen, a pension insurance company, as a data scientist. I then joined Elisa in 2022 as a marketing data scientist, where I work currently.
What kind of tasks and areas of responsibility do you have and what are your working days like?
At Elisa, all data scientists are now working in one team, where we support different business units. My main tasks include analyzing data, building models, and helping others understand insights from data.
I also work with AI solutions to improve marketing performance. My working days usually include meetings with stakeholders, data analysis, and developing models or reports.
One of the biggest challenges has been adapting to the fast-changing field of data and AI. There is always something new to learn.
What are the biggest work-life-shaping trends that can be seen in your field? What do you expect from the future?
AI and automation are the biggest trends. More companies are trying to use data to make decisions, and there is a growing need for data-driven culture. Also, collaboration between technical teams and business teams is becoming more important.
I hope to continue growing in the data and AI field and to work on more impactful projects. I also want to keep learning new technologies and develop my expertise further. At the same time, I want to balance my career with my family life.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like swimming and going to the gym. In the winter I used to do a lot of downhill skiing, but I had a break since my son was born. I can’t wait to take him skiing for the first time the following winter and see if he likes it!
What tips would you give to current international students or those who are considering starting their studies in Finland and Aalto?
Don’t stress too much about the future. You will get to where you set your mind to. But in the meantime, enjoy the student life! I regret stressing too much about the future during my studies.
Information and Service Management, Master of Science (Economics and Business Administration)
Master's Programme in Information and Service Management is the most tech-savvy programme at the Aalto University School of Business. The ISM programme shapes students into future leaders of the digital era with a unique combination of leadership, business and technology. ISM provides students with in-depth expertise in developing, managing and leading data-heavy businesses, making graduates highly sought after in the job market.
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