Motivation and up-to-date technical skills in the same data professional are not a given – L&T found them through Skillio

Motivation and up-to-date technical skills in the same data professional are not a given – L&T found them through Skillio

In many organizations, data and AI capabilities rely heavily on external partners. This was also the case for at Lassila & Tikanoja (L&T). As data began to play a bigger role in developing the business, the company saw the need to strengthen its internal expertise and bring in additional talent to turn data initiatives into practical solutions.

CIO Edward Skärström explains the goal was to move toward a model where data competence is systematically developed within the organization alongside external partners.

“We traditionally had a strong outsourcing model, but we wanted to build more internal competence in the data organization.”

Skillio’s Data Engineers strengthened L&T’s data team

Through Skillio, L&T brought in two Data Engineers. Both were at an early stage of their data careers, and Skillio’s training program had equipped them with a strong foundation and up-to-date knowledge of modern data and analytics tools.

According to Skärström, it is precisely this combination, together with high motivation that makes Skillio’s professionals valuable:

• solid technical foundation and up-to-date competencies
• motivation to learn and grow
• ability to take ownership

Responsibility and the right environment accelerate further learning

Success as a data professional depends on more than technical skills. At L&T, experience has shown that the working environment plays an important role, especially when new professionals quickly become part of the team.

The best conditions for growth happen when:

• the professional becomes a direct part of the team
• there are experienced colleagues available for support and mentoring
• they are given both routine tasks and opportunities to work on larger, responsibility-driven projects

When these elements are in place, learning happens surprisingly fast.

“It’s always surprising how quickly Skillio’s professionals grasp the bigger picture. When you give direction, freedom and responsibility, they quickly start delivering and taking ownership.”

Data professionals must also understand the business needs

Technical expertise alone is not enough. At L&T, it is highly valued that data professionals understand why solutions are built and what value they are meant to create.

At their best, data professionals:

• understand the bigger picture, not just their technical tasks
• recognize challenges related to data quality
• identify problems caused by underlying processes
• help the business produce better data

According to Skärström, this kind of holistic thinking is also present in Skillio’s professionals.

Easy and transparent collaboration

From L&T’s perspective, collaboration with Skillio has been straightforward.

Skärström describes the partnership as direct, open and practical. Discussions are honest, issues are raised proactively and the communication is particularly active during the early stages of the collaboration.

Three aspects of Skillio’s model are particularly valued:

• proven and well-refined concept
• a proactive approach, solutions are brought to the table
• continuous feedback and development in both directions

Why choose Skillio instead of traditional recruitment?

For many companies, recruiting data professionals is challenging. According to Skärström, Skillio’s approach offers a lower-risk model.

Key benefits include:

1. Pre-selected professionals: Skillio has already screened and trained the candidates, so their baseline competence is known.

2. Up-to-date training: Professionals enter the role with modern data and AI expertise.

3. Ability to grow into the role: The role can evolve over time to support both the company’s needs and the professional’s development.

4. Lower recruitment risk: During the collaboration, companies can see in practice how well the person fits the team and the role.

“A major advantage is that Skillio has already seen these individuals perform in practice during the training program. That reduces the risk compared to traditional recruitment.”

What type of organizations benefit most from Skillio’s model?

Based on L&T’s experience, data and AI professionals coming through Skillio are particularly suitable for organizations that:

• want to grow their in-house data & AI capabilities
• are looking for motivated and fast-learning professionals
• value up-to-date technical expertise
• want to reduce recruitment risk

Skärström summarizes: “The professionals arrive with a strong foundation, but the most important things are motivation and the ability to learn quickly. With the right team around them and the opportunity to take responsibility, development happens surprisingly fast — and the expertise stays within the organization and grows stronger over time.”