What is your educational background, and in what year did you graduate from the Master’s Programme in Mechanical Engineering?
My educational journey has taken several different stages. I graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Naval Architecture from Turku University of Applied Sciences in 2014. By that time, I had already worked as a boat designer in Salo for a couple of years. I applied to Aalto’s Master’s Programme in Mechanical Engineering in 2015 and graduated with a Master of Science in Technology in 2017. In my master’s thesis, I studied space optimisation and spatial efficiency as a response to the future challenges of the cruise industry. My studies at Aalto did not end there, as I am currently also working on my doctoral dissertation.
What do you do for a living at the moment, and how did you end up in your current position? What has your career path looked like so far?
I started at Foreship in August 2026. The company specialises in passenger ship design and consulting. I work as Senior Manager, Head of Ferry Design, focusing on ferry projects and business development. I help ferry and cruise operators make strategic decisions related to newbuild projects, concept development and emissions reduction – from the initial questions all the way through to project implementation.
My career has developed through hands-on experience. I started working in the maritime industry in 2012 at Marine Alutech, a company that designs and manufactures boats for defence and security authorities. In 2016, I moved to the sales department at Meyer Turku shipyard, where my role evolved from concept design to project management and eventually to Head of the Product Development Department. A significant part of my work in different roles involved leading the development of the Net Zero Cruise Ship concept.
From 2020 to 2022, I also worked as Project Manager at FITech Turku. The initiative brought Finnish universities of technology together to create more flexible study pathways between working life and universities, particularly to address the shortage of skilled professionals and expertise in Southwest Finland.
How did you choose your field of study?
Ships are a combination of engineering, design, customer experience, practical functionality and business. A single vessel is an enormous system where everything affects everything else. I am a systems thinker, and ships offer an excellent opportunity to apply my skills and way of thinking. I want to do work whose results can ultimately be seen and experienced as part of society.
How have your studies at Aalto influenced your career and life? How have you been able to make use of what you learned and the networks you built?
Aalto gave me a strong theoretical foundation and, above all, a way of approaching large and complex problems. I have put these skills to use every day, whether working on concept development, emissions reduction or the requirements of future vessels. Aalto University gave me the confidence and skills to create something new rather than simply apply what already exists. The project work in marine technology courses also closely resembles real-life industry projects and their interdependencies.
Through Aalto, I have also built networks that continue to be valuable today. The industry is relatively small and close-knit, so you come across familiar faces at shipyards, shipping companies and in research. Learning does not end at graduation, either. I have personally progressed from a university of applied sciences to a Master of Science in Technology and now to doctoral research, and I strongly believe in lifelong learning. Collaboration between industry and higher education is valuable and creates agility, resilience and results.
What was the best part of your studies or student life?
The best part was being surrounded by people who were enthusiastic about what they were doing and eager to learn. It is easy to find like-minded people in Otaniemi. Laivanrakentajain Kerho (LRK), the student association for marine technology students, organised great events and excursions, and many of the connections I made during my studies have stayed with me throughout my career.
I also appreciated that our studies encouraged us to think, question and create, rather than simply learn the right answers.
What makes the field interesting from a career perspective? Who would you recommend studying and pursuing a career in this field?
The industry is changing faster than many people realise. New vessels must meet increasingly strict emissions requirements, electrification is advancing, and every ship has its own purpose and specific requirements. The work is technical, but it also involves a great deal of collaboration. Together with shipyards, shipping companies and designers, we work out how to turn strategic goals into ships that can actually be built and operated. Finland's maritime cluster is also world-class, offering exciting opportunities for skilled professionals.
I would recommend the field to anyone who wants to combine engineering with the ability to understand the bigger picture. You do not need to know exactly what you want to do from the start, as the field is broad and offers opportunities for many different kinds of professionals. The most important things are curiosity, a willingness to learn and the ability to work together.
In Mechanical Engineering Master’s Programme you can become an expert in Arctic Marine Technology, Engineering Materials, Marine Technology, Mechatronics, Product Development, Production Engineering and Solid Mechanics, or create your own combination. We empower students follow their interests in the field of mechanical engineering as their professional skills are needed for creating more effective and safe solutions for the society.
