UPM Graduates Life: Starting out

Olivia Lahtinen

UPM Graduate, Market Intelligence

Like many people at the start of their careers, I began my journey as a Graduate at UPM with a mix of excitement, ambition, and a long list of questions. What started as a thrilling opportunity to gain practical experience turned into a learning journey that challenged my assumptions, strengthened my skills, and shaped the way I see my future career. Here’s what my journey has looked like so far – and why I’d recommend this program to anyone eager to grow.

I graduated with a MSc in Data Analytics and Business Economics from Lund University in Sweden in June 2025, and only a few weeks later I had relocated to Helsinki and ready to start my Graduate journey as a market intelligence graduate for UPM Biorefining’s strategy team. My educational background already combined business, economics, and data science, so applying for the market intelligence role felt like a natural choice as it allowed me to combine my quantitative skills with business-related decision making. And why UPM? The sustainability and international worldview made UPM the right company for me. Knowing that I am contributing for a greener future by supporting the transition off fossils to biofuels and biochemicals made the biggest difference for me. Additionally, the international aspect of the company was something that I appreciated, as I had already lived in the Netherlands and Sweden during my studies and did not want to give that up when moving back to Finland.

And in my opinion the most important thing for me was that my thoughts and feedback were actually sought after, which made my job feel truly meaningful.

First rotation – Auf Wiedersehen Helsinki, Hallo Leuna!

After a few months, I had the chance to start my first rotation. I stayed at Biorefining, but had the opportunity to switch from our strategy unit to the commercial unit. I worked for two months supporting our Lignin business and had the opportunity to visit our new biorefinery site at Leuna, Germany!

Being able to witness something so large scale as our biorefinery left me speechless at times which, to be fair, does not happen often as an extrovert. During the course of my visit, I had a full schedule. I participated in a safety walk around the plant, chatted with multiple colleagues about their role in our biochemicals business, and supported my team with my data analytics skills. And as a bonus, I drove from Berlin Airport to Leuna and back through the German Autobahn. So yes, the Graduate program improves both your career and your driving skills!

What’s next?

Now that I have finished my first rotation, it is time to return to my home base at the strategy team in Biorefining. I have another rotation looming on the horizon, as I will be rotating to UPM Specialty Papers for another few months this spring, which will also take me to Shanghai. Being able to learn how the strategy and market intelligence processes work in another business area will allow me to network and learn from a new team and allow me to utilize my knowledge better in my day-to-day job after returning.

My time as a Graduate has shaped in ways that I couldn’t have imagined. From learning everything about the Biofuels and Biochemicals markets to being asked for advice by coworkers regardless of their job titles. This has been an experience that I would not trade for anything. I am looking forward to the second half of this program will teach me!

If you are considering applying, my advice is: be curious and open to your rotations, they will shape your career in ways you cannot even imagine. Cheers!

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