Johanna Lonnakko works at V.A.V. Group as our design and quality engineer, a role that combines technical design, practical work, and continuous development. Although her current job is strongly focused on technology, her background is quite different! She graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering in the fall of 2025. Before that, she worked in the social sector in mental health work for almost ten years:

“At some point, I felt like my previous job was no longer the kind of job where I could do things the way that would really serve the clients. During my maternity leave, I started thinking about what to do next, and I decided to study something completely new.”

A new direction in engineering

The change in field took some careful consideration for Johanna. She considered future job opportunities and ended up studying mechanical engineering at Lapland University of Applied Sciences:

“Mechanical engineering felt right, especially because it also allows you to work with your hands. I like designing, but also the fact that I get to implement and test things myself.”

During her studies, her focus shifted further to plastics technology, which she studied as a cross-curricular subject at Satakunta UAS. This eventually led to her applying for an internship at companies in the field, and is how she eventually landed at our doorstep.

From an internship to a permanent role

Johanna Lonnakko started at V.A.V. Group as an intern on a project related to new raw materials. Project work, thesis, and production tasks ran parallel for a long time. In her thesis, Johanna developed a tool for the TPE line that made it possible to streamline product manufacturing and reduce errors. The solution proved so effective that it was decided to keep the work as internal company information!

As graduation approached and a position opened up at the company, the transition to a permanent role came naturally.

A diverse role keeps the work interesting

Johanna’s workdays vary greatly. The work includes design, 3D printing, production work, quality assurance, and material development.

“Sometimes I can spend weeks on the computer designing and making reports, and other times I’m in production developing and testing new solutions. That variety is what makes the work meaningful.”

According to Johanna, one of the best parts of the job is the opportunity to take ideas from start to finish yourself:

“In many larger companies, the designer designs, and someone else creates the product. Here, you get to make, test, and develop things yourself until they are finished. It teaches you the process in a completely different way.”

Striking a balance between work and home life

The work community gets a special mention from Johanna. In a small organization, cooperation is smooth, and help is easy to get.

“It’s easy to be here, easy to come to work in the mornings. You don’t have to play any role; you can just be yourself. Everyone knows each other, and you can get help quickly since you always know who to ask.”

In contrast to work, her everyday life revolves around her family. Her two young children waiting at home make sure that the evenings are never boring. In addition, her free time includes agility practice with her dog, motorcycle riding, and 3D printing – a hobby that found its way home from her studies.

“I got into 3D printing when I was a student. Nowadays, the plastic printer is sometimes almost like a television for the kids, it’s fun for them to watch while the printing is in progress, especially if I’m printing something for them”, she laughs.

Welcome, Johanna, to your new position at V.A.V. Group!