New perspectives and opportunities: combining studies and work at Marioff

Professional growth happens over time, but it can also be actively pursued by developing your skills and studying for a new degree.

Marioff supports this growth by offering the chance to study and complete a degree alongside a full-time role. Sales Manager Isabel Díez Fontanet and Service Sales Manager Olli Heikkilä took on the challenge of combining studies and work.

Both Isabel and Olli have worked at Marioff for years. They share similar career paths at the company, as they both have backgrounds in engineering and have moved from more technical roles into sales.
Similarly, Isabel and Olli decided to pursue an Executive MBA (EMBA) at Hanken School of Economics while continuing their work at Marioff. Isabel is currently working on her degree, while Olli reached his goal in 2024.

Olli describes himself as a person with keen interest to learn new things. “During my time at Marioff, I’ve come to see how many opportunities still lie ahead. All the skills I’ve learned during my studies help me take on new challenges and grow into different responsibilities over time,” Olli explains.

Professional growth was also a major motivation for Isabel. “My technical background has helped me in my current commercial role. However, I felt that I needed a deeper understanding of how the business world works”, Isabel says.

The EMBA degree covers a wide range of subjects, from ESG and sustainability to marketing, strategy, and finance.
For Isabel and Olli, the value of the program lies in continuous development — building on their existing experience and deepening their understanding of the broader business landscape.

“Working closely with customers, you naturally focus on solving immediate challenges,” Isabel says. “The studies give me a breather from day-to-day work and help me step back to see how those challenges connect to the bigger strategic picture.”

Olli agrees and highlights the benefit of learning alongside work.“What made the biggest difference was being able to apply new ideas in practice immediately. It turned theory into something tangible and directly relevant to our daily work,” he says.

Combining full-time work at Marioff while studying for a degree is a wonderful opportunity, but not an easy path.
“Some of our colleagues have previously worked and studied simultaneously, so I knew it was possible. Even though I was able to keep up with all my deadlines, hard work was needed to complete all the study modules in time”, Olli reminisces.

For Isabel, a typical week at Marioff can range from desk work and document reviews to travelling across Latin America.
“Flexibility from Marioff’s side has really helped combine work and studies, but sometimes, I’ve had to get creative with my timetabling. I once had to do a group assignment while on a business trip to Mexico, so I had to rise at the crack of dawn to complete the work with other students,” Isabel laughs.

Based on their experiences, Isabel and Olli both recommend pursuing a degree alongside a full-time job – provided you have the motivation and organizational skills to manage both.

“I follow a very detailed plan for work, study, and downtime, often taking walks in nature to clear my mind. In the end, hard work pays off, and it’s incredibly rewarding to put what I’ve learned into practice and perform even better in my role at Marioff,” Isabel says.

Olli credits his success to strong prioritization skills and his habit of keeping comprehensive to-do lists.
“Without motivation and support of my Marioff colleagues, it would have been challenging to complete a full workday and then continue with my studies in the evening,” Olli notes.

When colleagues ask Olli about his experiences, he aims to offer an honest view of both the challenges and the opportunities ahead.

“Although the workload was occasionally a lot to handle, I’m proud to have completed my degree. I would recommend balancing study with work to anyone looking to grow their skills. To stay motivated, the drive to develop and embrace the change has to come from within,” Olli concludes.