At the birthplace of Scorpions: international students at Ponsse’s factory
International students’ familiarity with employers in Eastern Finland relies on face-to-face encounters. That is why Ponsse invited the Talent Hub mentor group to visit its production facility in Vieremä. Among other things, the students were able to see how Scorpions, Cobras, and other forest machine champions are assembled from parts into finished products.
The visit coincided with a special anniversary, as Ponsse delivered its 22,000th forest machine to an Irish customer on the same day. As a result, two brand-new machines stood in the front yard of the factory to welcome visitors. They were greeted with sighs of admiration and the flashing of mobile phones.
The visit was organised by the group’s mentors, Sari Kiiskinen and Antti Siponen, from Ponsse’s People & Safety team. The mentor group includes students from various fields at the University of Eastern Finland and Savonia. Before the factory visit, the group had met twice, during which they discussed, among other things, job search skills and CV preparation.
Encounters help to find direction
This time, the students had the opportunity to talk to Chief People, Safety & Culture Officer Tiina Kautonen. She encouraged them to continue seeking mentoring relationships, as the support of an experienced colleague is invaluable, especially in the early stages of their careers.
Mechanical Design Engineer Joni Kauppinen from R&D and Team Leader Antti Haapalainen from Manufacturing Engineering shared their own career stories. As their skills and experience have grown, both have advanced to more responsible roles within Ponsse. They also described the skills expected of employees in such roles.
At the meeting, the students received helpful information about career options and the chance to ask questions directly about topics they were considering. Many of them also showed interest in the summer job opportunities provided by Ponsse.
In the picture from the left: in the upper row Johanna Taavitsainen and Minna Tarvainen, in the lower row Hozaifar Rozbul, Nikita Toporkov, Leslie Foncham, Akanksha Ahuja and Evgeniia Makhalina.
From Vieremä to the world: a glimpse into the production line
As a culmination of the visit, the group toured the large factory hall and saw the various stages of forest machine production. The students followed the professional work of welders, painters, assembly workers and quality assurance staff, for example, at close range – but from a safe distance.
The tour concluded in a history room that displayed Ponsse’s journey and the company’s founder, Einari Vidgrén’s, story from 1970 to today. The visitors were very impressed by how the company developed from a one-man workshop into a global market leader.
The visit concretised the students’ career opportunities offered by an international industrial company. For Ponsse, it was an opportunity to meet future talents already during their studies.
Mentoring also benefits the employer
Mentoring international students is a concrete way for employers to strengthen their talent base and establish a future recruitment pathway.
Mentoring provides employers with the chance to become familiar with students’ skills during their studies and to enhance a positive employer image. Simultaneously, the organisation’s experts improve their coaching and interpersonal skills while gaining new insights into different cultures and disciplines.
The programme lasts approximately 20 hours and can also be completed online, allowing participation from any location. Join us for the next period starting in autumn 2026!
Contact us:
Marko Pietilä, [email protected], +358 40 355 3039
Minna Tarvainen, [email protected], +358 44 785 6981
Sanna Jeskanen, [email protected], +358 50 462 2478
The University of Eastern Finland, Karelia, Savonia, Riveria, Sakky and YSAO support international students in integration and employment. We help local employers find skilled international employees – together we build a more international Eastern Finland. The project is co-funded by the European Union.
Text and photos: Tiina Weman
