Edit. Application to the mentor-program 2023-2024 is finished. Next application period will be held on September 2024.

Read from the mentors. Please note that the list for students applying in Finnish or English differs. These two experts are the ones that are willing to mentor in English. They have worked in international teams and have the knowledge to offer to international students. More information about mentoring, the schedule, and how to apply from here.

You may apply to the program if you are a member of the Mentor club and a full degree student of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry at the University of Helsinki. The program is designed for students studying food science, nutrition science, or food economics as their major or minor. Please note that we do not offer this program to exchange students.

Tuija Suvanto

Innovation & Project Manager, Suomen Nestlé/ Nestle Nordic 

I have worked for over 20 years in the food and kitchen appliance industry in marketing, sales, product development, and project management roles. I have experience in management positions and working in various corporate cultures in very different commercial roles. Learning and creating new things, getting things done, and well-being are things that motivate me, no matter what my role is. By education, I am a lecturer in food economics, certified business coach and mentor, and a job counselor. During my working years, I have constantly continued my education and also wanted to learn new things from my colleagues. Currently, in my work, I also help business units develop their business and consumer understanding. 

The content of the mentoring journey is formed according to the needs of the mentee. The language of the mentoring journey can be either Finnish or English. Based on my previous experience, the path often includes: 

• Summarizing your strengths and areas of interest 
• Mapping out your career path 
• Sparring on job search-related matters, etc. 

I look forward to our joint conversations and believe they will provide lessons and aha-moments for both of us. 

Here is a comment from one of my mentees about our joint mentoring journey: 

“Tuija has a really natural and inspiring mentoring style – she has the “right” questions that help insights to arise and the pieces to fall into place.” 

Anna Rauhanoksa

Project manager, Afry

Education:

• HAMK, Bachelor of Electrical and Automation Engineering
• University of Helsinki, Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Forestry, Food Science
• HAMK, Bachelor of Bio- and Food Engineering

Work experience:

I worked at Valio for 15 years in various positions in three different factories (Turku, Haapavesi, and Riihimäki). I started as a process assistant and was promoted to product developer as my studies progressed. I have produced snacks, milk, buttermilk, cream, cheese, plant-based products, and UHT products.

I worked in quality for the following year, performing sensory evaluation, testing employee sensory evaluation, participating in external and internal audits, and cooperating with authorities. I moved into management positions, where I was also responsible for process development.

I moved to project management at the early stages of the design of a new factory. I was responsible for process design, program descriptions and testing, risk assessments, laboratory design, and the preparation of food safety auditing. After the factory was put into operation, I worked in the development of new products and the implementation of new products at factory scale. I was also responsible for quality.

For the past few years at Valio, I have worked as a maintenance manager. I have just started working at Arff as a project manager, where I can use my accumulated expertise in various projects.

Mentoring goals:

As a mentor, I would like to tell the younger generation about the diverse opportunities in the food industry and help them find their own career path. I hope for educational conversations on both sides of the mentoring process!