Have you ever dreamt of broadening your horizons in working life outside of your homeland? Visioned how it feels to take a leap of faith and move across the world to find it out?

As a non-Finnish speaker himself – originally hailing from Vietnam – our Junior System Test Engineer Linh Nguyen can tell from his own experience.

Early months in Finland

Linh’s story in Finland dates back to 2018, when he first set foot in the country. Moving from Vietnam’s largest city to the quiet charm of Finland to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at LAB University of Applied Sciences.

You can imagine the contrast!

“At first, it was a cultural shock, I have to admit – the difference was huge. I didn’t know the language, and the culture of social distance surprised me”, Linh laughs.

Translating passion into a career as a non-Finnish-speaking graduate wasn’t the easiest task at first

During his studies, Linh spent every summer working to support himself, leaving a little room for internships or extra specialised training, that he would’ve hoped for. Hence why, after graduating he faced the challenge of translating his passion in engineering into a career in Finland.

“Despite my determination, job hunting post-graduation was an ‘uphill battle’, with countless rejections dampening my spirits – often hitting a wall due to my lack of Finnish”, Linh says.

However, during the autumn 2022 a job ad at Kemppi caught his attention.

“When I came across an open position for an automation engineer, I researched Kemppi and was immediately impressed by the wide variety of welding machines and the professional image of the company. I decided to apply for the role right away”, Linh says.

And not long after that, he got an invitation to an interview!

“I knew I wasn’t the most experienced candidate, but I made sure to show my eagerness to learn. I also presented my personal electronics project, which the interviewers really liked”, Linh says.

Although Linh didn’t get the job, as the company was looking for someone with more experience, he was informed that another manager from a different team might be interested in speaking with him.

“Another failure”, Linh recalls, assuming the interviewers were simply being polite.

Receiving an unexpected message right before the New Year

To Linh’s surprise, just a few weeks later, Kemppi’s Technology Manager, Kari Skyttä, reached out. He expressed genuine interest in Linh’s personal electronics project and invited him to an on-site interview at Kemppi HQ in Lahti.

For Linh, this was yet another reminder of one of the core traits he had come to admire in Finnish people: honesty.

“When Finnish people say something, they truly mean it,” Linh affirms.

A few weeks after the interview, just before the end of 2022, Linh received an email from Kari.

“He asked whether I would be interested in the role of a Junior System Test Engineer. It was an easy answer: I totally was!”, Linh says.

“I was really happy that Kari saw beyond my limited experience and wanted to nurture my potential”, Linh says.

Facing blend of feelings as an introverted non-Finnish speaker

So, Linh’s journey at Kemppi began in February 2023.

As we know, joining a new company is always somewhat nerve-wracking. The limited Finnish skills and naturally introverted personality only added to his nervousness.

“What if I’m not able to fit in?”, he recalls thinking.

However, all those nerves quickly faded the moment he set foot on Kemppi's grounds in Lahti:

I was lost, since our HQ building is so big, and I couldn’t find the right place. Luckily, everyone at Kemppi was ready to help and walk me to where I needed to be”, Linh says.

And as it turned out, not speaking Finnish wasn’t an issue at all.

“From the start, people used English in meetings, and I always received the important details in English on Slack – it made me feel really comfortable”, Linh says.

What made Linh feel at ease?

Talking about the supportive culture at Kemppi – when Linh first started, he had three seasoned engineers from his team, Petri, Heikki and Seppo, who acted as his mentors, guiding him through the onboarding process and introducing him to the complex world of welding machines.

"I was relieved to have people I could turn to for help," Linh recalls.

As a System Test Engineer, Linh’s role, along with his colleagues, is to ensure that each welding machine released meets the highest quality standards. This requires patience, precision, and countless test runs before the final product reaches the customer.

Coming in as a fresh graduate, Linh was eager to get things done quickly. But he soon realized that speed wasn't always the right approach when it came to system testing.

"Rushing things can easily lead to mistakes. Patience and attention to detail are crucial in this job — and that was something my mentors taught me very early on," Linh shares.

Embarking a new learning journey makes Linh feel lucky

Driven by ambition and a passion for growth, Linh is always on the lookout for new opportunities to learn and expand his skill set. A prime example of this is his recent decision start postgraduate studies at LUT University just a few months ago.

"I feel fortunate to combine my studies with work," Linh says, reflecting on the balance he’s been able to achieve.

He credits his manager, Jussi Sarén, who consistently goes above and beyond to accommodate Linh's academic schedule. This support allows him the flexibility he needs to thrive both in his job and his studies.

“Every day at Kemppi is a reminder of why I chose this path”

Beyond enjoying the stunning Finnish summers and winters in Lahti, Linh highlights how Kemppi has given him a remarkable chance to develop both personally and professionally as a non-Finnish speaker – something that he couldn’t even dream of when living in Vietnam.

“Thanks to Kemppi, my past two years have been the most fulfilling since I arrived in Finland six years ago,” Linh shares.

He reflects on his journey, stating, “Without this experience, I believe I wouldn’t have had the chance to pursue my passion for becoming an engineer and, one day, an inventor, and ultimately be accepted for who I am.”