A passion for learning which has not diminished

When Helsinki-based Berit Virtanen-Thewlis was handed her MBA by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Northampton in November, it was yet another milestone in a long career crossing geographical and personal barriers.

With 25 experiences listed on her LinkedIn profile, she’s had an impressive career, starting as a journalist in both Finnish and British news media, including the Independent and going on to feature senior executive roles in the marine and automotive sectors, before taking on entrepreneurship and voluntary roles with charities and positions on board of directors.

Berit’s story starts as a 16-year-old leaving Finland for the first time to study at the United World College Atlantic in South Wales, where she mixed with students from over 90 countries, including royalty and future state leaders.

Speaking little English and intimidated by the fast-talking elite from around the world, Berit said she learned to be outside of her comfort zone.

She thinks those early experiences led her to seek out roles where there were difficult transitions taking place and that academia gave her the skill sets to bring people together to form a productive consensus.

She said: “I’ve had the opportunity to experience transitions from one area of Communications to another throughout my entire career. I think it’s those experiences, being able to come in and conquer something completely new, something uncomfortable, but something where I can apply the skills I’ve gained so far, that I’ve enjoyed the most.”

She decided to do her MBA after learning about it from Mr Kari Jääskeläinen, CEO of the Helsinki Business School, which has a partnership with UON. Berit added: “I’ve always felt that there’s something more I should understand in terms of Business Administration, and specific fields within that as well, supply chains and finance for example.

“I’d never really gone into those areas properly, and I thought, why not just study them and deepen my understanding.”

Some of Berit’s work over recent years has been with digital learning technologies and predicts a change in how we manage learning and its outcome.

She said: “The key issue here to realise is that the traditional Learning Management Systems (LMSs) are more enclosed systems, where the student comes in, they’re given stuff to do and submit work. But when they leave academia or the place of study, they leave their learning materials behind and all their learning data.

“But if we’re going into learner centred platforms, the learning data follows you to your next learning experience and enriches it.”

Berit said her course was ideal as she could complete it remotely and her tutors were flexible and supportive. Even studying remotely, she was able to make connections with others on her course and described her time at University of Northampton as ‘challenging, enlightening, and fun.’

Berit turned 60 the same year she completed her MBA. Now she is considering further studies and even career diversions adding: “it is never too late to renew yourself professionally.”

Her advice to those just starting out in their careers is to be brave and open-minded. She said: “Never stop being curious. Be ready to go outside your comfort zone and be ready to get to know a new person or culture.

“Be ready to be challenged, and don’t think you know it all. And just don’t stop learning because life is a gift, and we need to use it in the best way we can.”