When Lucas Martin packed his suitcase in São Paulo nine years ago, he did not yet realise that the journey would eventually take him to Kuopio, to the Savonia University of Applied Sciences, and from there to an international sales role in Finnish industry. Today, he works as a sales engineer at Junttan Oy, responsible for the company’s customer relations across Latin America, Spain and Portugal.

Lucas’s story exemplifies courage and bold decisions. As a teenager, he moved to the United States for his high school years, where he learned English. In 2018, with two citizenships – Spanish and Brazilian – he had more opportunities to study and work in Europe.

When searching for a place to study, Lucas carefully compared the quality of education, employment opportunities and quality of life across different countries. Finland emerged as the clear number one: the happiest country in the world, with high-quality education and promising career opportunities in the field of engineering. When choosing between Tampere and Kuopio, the capital of Savo drew the longer straw.

A home and critical networks were born in the heart of Savo

Lucas started his mechanical engineering studies in 2019. Settling in a new country was surprisingly easy. A room in the house soon replaced the student apartment, and the Finnish family who owned the house became an essential part of his daily life over the years.

In Kuopio, Lucas found precisely what he had come for: a peaceful environment where everything is nearby, a lively student community, and friends, many of whom have become a permanent part of his life.

“Kuopio already feels like home”, he rejoices.

At Savonia, Lucas had the chance to work with various regional companies on different projects and internships. He gained experience at Scandic, EID Robotics, POK Group, Refresco, FinVector, and Junttan.

A perfect match through Talent Hub

In February 2025, Lucas’s career took a decisive turn. Junttan was seeking a new international sales expert through Savonia’s business services. The company manufactures hydraulic piling equipment, and over 95% of its turnover derives from exports. They were looking for a student nearing the end of their technical studies with a strong command of Portuguese and Spanish, familiarity with the Latin American market, and an interest in sales.

The Talent Hub Eastern Finland team searched the Talent Pool for suitable candidates, and Lucas’s profile met the criteria. Within a few days, the information was forwarded, the first meetings were organised, and in May 2025, Lucas signed an employment contract with Junttan.

To the world as an ambassador of Finnish technology

The work began in August with product training. Just a month later, Lucas travelled with VP Sales Miika Eskelinen to the fair in São Paulo – back to the city where it all began.

During the autumn, the work also took him to Mexico to meet dealers and customers. In November, Lucas once again headed to Brazil to conduct audits of Junttan’s machines, strengthen customer relationships, and support project progress.

His role is vital: with his knowledge of mechanical engineering and language skills, he can facilitate smooth communication across Latin America and prevent potential misunderstandings caused by linguistic and cultural differences.

Mastering the Finnish language and giving advice to fellow students

Although Lucas is not yet fluent in Finnish, working at Junttan has increased his motivation to learn. Lucas is especially grateful for the services offered by Talent Hub and has already recommended that his fellow students utilise the network, particularly the Talent Pool.

“The support of Talent Hub was essential for my step into this opportunity.”

Lucas’s story is one example of how we can open doors to international talent and create new success stories in Eastern Finland.

Interested in learning more? Discover more about our services at https://www.talenthubeasternfinland.fi/?lang=en.

Talent Hub Eastern Finland is a cooperation network of the University of Eastern Finland, Karelia, Savonia, Riveria, Sakky and YSAO. The project is co-funded by the European Union.

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Authors:

Minna Tarvainen, Project Manager, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Talent Hub Eastern Finland, minna.tarvainen@savonia.fi
Tiina Weman, Communication Specialist, University of Eastern Finland, Talent Hub Eastern Finland, tiina.weman@uef.fi

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