No seniors without juniors

Riitta Silvennoinen, Chief Human Resources Officer at Aalto University:
'Where do tomorrow’s experts come from? From someone giving them a chance today.

I still remember my first boss fondly. I was doing a summer job in a care home in London and was keen to suggest that we might do things a little differently. She let me try and develop ideas. As I was leaving, she said: ‘You can be anything.’ Having someone believe in me at the very start of my career left a lasting mark.

Later, I was hired to lead HR for Nokia’s Networks business in Europe and Africa, with no prior HR experience. Once again, someone trusted that I would learn. And I did — and found the field I’ve stayed in.

Curiosity, initiative, and a desire to understand the bigger picture beyond my own role have carried me a long way. But alongside them, I’ve needed people who gave me responsibility and room to grow.

That’s why offering a summer job is much more than a hiring decision for a single summer. It’s a chance for a student to show what they can do, learn, and find their direction. For an employer, it’s an opportunity to develop tomorrow’s experts and gain fresh ideas.'

Esa Arola, Lead Engineer, Borouge International:
'Is a summer job just a summer job? For me, it opened up new ways of thinking.

I ended up in my field, chemical engineering, somewhat by chance, but a summer job at a petrochemical plant changed everything. I was hugely impressed when, in an optimisation meeting, my colleagues were sketching out feedstock usage scenarios on Post-it notes—what to do with which feedstock at given price levels.

In that moment I realised how engineering skill and business sit at the same table. The hands-on work reinforced the feeling: this is my thing.

How a young professional is seen at work is crucial. A senior researcher coached me to solve a process problem myself, even though he could have sorted it in fifteen minutes. With trust came responsibility as well, as my line manager asked me to update the emissions calculation for the environmental permit.

I built it almost from scratch, and the same model is still in use. When responsibility is given, confidence follows.

For me, the summer job wasn’t just a line on a CV—it was the start of a story!'

Vilma Paavola, President, Chair of the Board, KY - Aalto University Business Students:

'I was sitting in a lecture hall analysing the development process of a surfboard: how it progresses from fluid mechanics to a user-centred design process and ultimately to selling the finished product. In that moment, I saw how important it is in working life to understand broader processes and different ways of thinking, beyond one’s own speciality. That insight has significantly influenced what I expect from my studies and my future career.

I hope my future workplace will be a dynamic environment where I can work with ambitious and inspiring people. I want to help create genuine impact. Whether it’s for an individual, a larger community, or even an entire continent, I want my work to leave a clearly observable positive mark. The best part of being involved in student organisations has been precisely those moments when you understand you’ve been able to create meaningful experiences for the people around you.

My years of study have also shown that it isn’t always worth making plans where each step follows logically from the last. It’s better to head towards what feels right in the moment, and the rest usually falls into place. My sixth form headteacher summed this up well by saying that when thinking about your career, you should find something you love and are good at, and then find someone who will pay you to do it.

So it’s not worth fixating on a single dream job and building a polished path towards it. It may be that when the door to that dream job finally opens, you realise the goal was never worth pursuing. Instead, seize the opportunities that present themselves along the way. I would encourage everyone to approach their career with an open mind and confidence in their own abilities—everything will work out.'

Camille Fourié, Chair and International Relations, TOKYO Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture student association:
'One of the things that has stayed with me as especially encouraging came from a summer at Domaine de Boisbuchet, an international research centre for design and architecture. I led the media team there, a group of brilliant volunteer creatives who documented the summer workshops, and together we shaped content for the Domaine’s social media. What I remember most is how energising it is to work in a team of people who genuinely enjoy showing up.

That experience also shapes how I think about where I’m headed. I’m still exploring, but I see two paths that I hope will overlap. The first is textile and fashion design, which I’m discovering through my studies and which draws me in through the materiality of fabrics. The second is facilitating creative work: making cultural programmes and workshops happen, as I did when I assisted with workshop coordination at Boisbuchet. At Aalto, through student volunteering, I’m also drawn to roles that combine hands-on making with facilitating creativity and community.

If there’s one thing I’d share with fellow students about working life, it’s this: while you’re still studying, try volunteering in the areas that interest you. You’ll meet motivated people, do work you enjoy, gain valuable experience and learn a lot about yourself along the way.'

Laura Juvonen, Senior Vice President, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland:
"Do you know that feeling when something clicks into place and a new path suddenly opens?

I still remember the thrill when, as a third-year student, I walked into Aalto University’s computational engineering lab for my first summer job and realised that research can be done with computers. Simulations, modelling materials at the atomic scale — the natural sciences intertwined with new tools, and the world opened up in a new way.

Along the way, one person was especially pivotal: Academy Professor Kimmo Kaski. He saw potential, encouraged me out of my comfort zone, and pushed me towards opportunities I wouldn’t have known to seize on my own.

Kimmo also encouraged me to go abroad. I returned the following summer to do my master’s thesis, went straight on to a doctoral project — and soon found myself in Oxford and collaborating with the University of Georgia. I quickly learnt that real breakthroughs happen with people: collaboration, diversity, and the courage to seek partners beyond your own circle. Without that, my PhD wouldn’t have happened.

Curiosity and the urge to create new things have carried me forward — even when I left hands-on research after my doctorate and moved into roles that build, lead, and make space for innovation.

I believe those of us in working life have a responsibility — or rather an opportunity — to open doors for young people. From summer jobs to mentoring, from internships to that small bit of encouragement that helps you step beyond your comfort zone."

Anu Vanhanen, Board Member: Communications, External relations, Aalto University Student Union (AYY):
'Last spring, I had the chance to take part in the recruitment of AYY’s Head of Advocacy and Communications. I wish more people my age could experience something similar. It was particularly valuable to exchange thoughts with more experienced colleagues after the interviews and consider, in addition to competence, the cultural fit with our work community. The experience further increased my motivation to work for our community, as well as my confidence in myself and the future.

We students have a lot to contribute already during our studies, provided we’re given the opportunity to show what we can do. At Aalto, the desire to gain experience, take responsibility and get involved in demanding tasks is visible in the volunteer culture: there’s no shortage of doers, and at the same time skills from project management to budgeting, prioritisation and clear communication grow.

Although volunteering offers valuable experience, it does not replace the opportunity to gain work experience in one’s own field. For that, we need employers who are willing to give students their first opportunities.

Without juniors there are no seniors. Every seasoned professional was once at the start of their career. We cannot expect young people to have work experience if we do not also offer them opportunities to gain it.'

Junias Vasama, Freshman Captain, Teknologföreningen:
'When we talk about working life, I cannot emphasise enough how great an impact my time of study has had (and will have) on my skills. My time of study has, above all, been a period of personal growth: I have had the chance to delve into my interests and have also found entirely new subjects to explore.

What has prepared me best for working life is, nevertheless, the voluntary work I have done during my studies. I have been able to try out a lot of different tasks and undertake responsibilities that would require years of work experience to be entrusted with in work life. I have gained experience in project management, administration, communications, event planning and much more. Along the way, I have made friends and memories for life. I have, time and time again, experienced how enjoyable it is to work in a committed team and have ownership of the projects I work on.

With all these experiences and lessons, I'm eager to see what opportunities the professional world has to offer. I hope to be able to recreate my positive experiences from volunteering in working life and to make use of everything I have learnt during my time of study.'

Joona Lipponen, Chair of the Board, Aalto University Student Union:
'I found my drive to make things happen in Otaniemi. Our collective efforts showed me that my work and contribution mattered to others, not just to me. Without the community, I wouldn't have found tasks that interested me.

Working in student organisations has taught me how important encouragement is. No one forces volunteers to turn up, so what we do has to be meaningful. That often shows positively in the outcome. I've always hoped that in the future I will find a job that I genuinely like. That's when I develop best.

After my studies, I hope to find a place where I belong, where I'm valued and can grow, whether it's entrepreneurship or paid employment. For me, in everyday life, the best and most important things are solving problems, doing things together, trying new things and having flexibility.

Young people also seek the same sense of meaningfulness in working life. For many, workplaces are the main anchor to society. We young people don't always have the opportunities to build a career entirely on our own. If we don't get to learn on the job, we may end up entirely on the outside.

I hope employers will give young people a chance. It may feel unprofitable in the short term, but in the long run the whole society – and the employers themselves – benefits.

I wish students the courage to try things and follow their own path. In the end, it pays off!'