WorldSkills Champions forge their experience into mentorship and mutual support

Mikko Vepsäläinen and Aapo Paunonen belong to two different generations of Finnish machinists. At very different stages of their professional and personal lives, they share more than a passion for their trade. They are connected by a defining experience: each is a WorldSkills Champion, and their careers have been shaped by the WorldSkills community.

Having worked in industry as a machinist, Mikko’s journey took a turn after earning a Medallion for Excellence in CNC Machining at WorldSkills Helsinki 2005. He was asked to substitute for his former teacher at a vocational school. What was initially meant as a temporary role turned into seven years of teaching and coaching Competitors for both Taitaja – the Finnish national competition – and WorldSkills Competitions.

Over the years, Mikko also served as a Skill Manager in CNC Milling and CNC Turning for Skills Finland, and for several years as Chief Expert in CNC Machining at Taitaja competitions. Through these roles, he became part of a growing professional ecosystem that extends well beyond the competition floor.

“Mentoring and supporting Champions has been one of the most important and rewarding parts of my career,” says Mikko, as he reflects on the lasting connections formed along the way. “Many of the Competitors I have coached or met through the WorldSkills movement have later become customers, partners, or even friends.”

During this time, Mikko collaborated closely with Finland’s distributor of Mastercam – a Global Partner of WorldSkills – and built strong working relationships across both education and industry. Those collaborations gradually pointed towards a new direction: combining skills development, technology, and business.

In 2014, he received a call from Joni Lappalainen, the Competitor he trained for WorldSkills Calgary 2009. Joni was asking for help with a CAM, Computer-Aided Manufacturing, solution for his employer’s new five-axis machine. Thanks to his long-standing connection with Mastercam, Mikko was able to arrange it. What began as a practical request soon became a turning point. Joni helped Mikko acquire his first customer as a businessperson, leading him to start his company, Camcut Oy, which is now the largest Mastercam sub-dealer in Finland and is currently expanding internationally.

“Lifelong learning and education are at the very core of Camcut’s philosophy. Our company is not only a reseller of software and tools but, above all, a partner in developing expertise,” says Mikko. “We also train, mentor, and support our users across industry and education. This approach stems directly from my WorldSkills background, where I learned that sharing knowledge and developing skills are the keys to success.”

That same philosophy now feeds back into the WorldSkills movement. Mikko’s company organizes training for the majority of Finnish CNC Milling and CNC Turning Competitors in both national and international competitions, helping to support generations of young professionals not only in competitions but also as they move into working life.

Aapo Paunonen, currently the WorldSkills Champions Trust representative for Europe and a Competitor in CNC Milling at WorldSkills Lyon 2024, met Mikko in one such training. “He later served as Chief Judge at that same national competition, helped me train for WorldSkills, and even sponsored my EuroSkills journey through his company. We’ve stayed in regular contact ever since,” explains Aapo.

When Aapo was offered a job at Lastux Oy, a company run by WorldSkills London 2011 Champion Lasse Tuominen, he asked Mikko for his opinion. “I had seen on LinkedIn that Lasse was looking for talent and gave him a call. Apparently, he had been trying to get in touch with me but couldn’t find my number. He had seen that I had competed and the work I do, so he wanted to hire me!” explains Aapo.

Mikko and Lasse had first met in London when Lasse was competing and had kept in contact afterwards through Mikko’s company. “I didn’t even know they knew each other at the time. Mikko told me that Lastux was the perfect place to grow, challenge myself, and really develop as a machinist. That conversation connected all three of us – first through WorldSkills, and then through our work and shared professional ecosystem,” adds Aapo.

WorldSkills creates community across generations, Aapo says, one that continues to evolve as Competitors become mentors, employers, and partners. “Competitors and former Champions recognize the same mindset in each other, and that naturally turns into support, mentoring, and long-term collaboration.”

Both admit that competing at WorldSkills is just the beginning of a journey.

Mikko says, “Over the years, I have realized that skills competitions – whether Taitaja, EuroSkills, or WorldSkills – are always just the starting point of a bigger story. I have witnessed how many former Competitors have gone on to become industry professionals, vocational teachers, or entrepreneurs. That long-term journey is something I personally find very meaningful in the WorldSkills movement.” That story, he believes, is carried forward by the next generation of Competitors, coaches, and employers shaped by the same values.

Aapo adds that being part of WorldSkills is not just about competing, but becoming part of “a community where people help each other grow, challenge themselves, and pass on what they’ve learned so that others can go further than they did.”