| FACTS ABOUT SANNA | |
|---|---|
| Started in Wärtsilä: | In March 2007 as a Thesis worker/Trainee |
| Position now: | Solutions Manager, Environmental Solutions, Retrofits |
| Country of Residence: | Finland |
| Nationality: | Finnish |
| Education: | Bachelor of Science, Environmental Engineering |
What is your typical day like at Wärtsilä?
“My workday consist of phone calls, writing and answering e-mails. Then there are remote meetings where we discuss how different projects are developing. I also make presentations of our products (scrubbers) to our customers together with the customer’s Account Manager. Before a meeting I try to form a picture for myself about what kind of customer I am going to meet. I think it is important to do this and find that the Account Managers are a valuable help. I also try to keep up with industry news, especially if it concerns scrubbers.”
How did you end up working for Wärtsilä?
“In 2007 I was looking for a company where I could do my Bachelor’s thesis. Initially I wasn’t really looking for a job, but only for a suitable company to do my thesis for. Still, I soon found myself sitting in a conference room in Vaasa, Finland, together with a considerable amount of people discussing the future topic of my thesis! I liked Wärtsilä because the company had a reputation as a pro-environmental company. I started working as a trainee but already next year I was appointed Measurement Specialist.”
How has your career developed since?
“As a Measurement Specialist I mostly concentrated on emission measurements but also continued doing natural gas analyses. That job took me all over the world, making measurements on ships and power plants. Often emission measurements were also needed in the factory test beds, so I have really experienced different stages in the lifecycle of our products. At some point I started thinking of new challenges and soon found a job opportunity in Environmental Solutions. I have now worked in my new team since February 2012.”
What’s the most memorable thing you’ve experienced?
“I guess my most memorable experience was my first measurement assignment abroad. It took me all the way to a ship yard in South Korea to attend a sea trial. From day one I had obstacles in my way: cancelled flights and my equipment almost not making it to the vessel. Still, in the end the work was completed and approved by the customer. After the sea trial was over and all the people and equipment were disembarked, my suitcase was almost dropped into the sea! That would have been a suitable grand finale for that trip, but luckily the suitcase was caught in the last second, by the fast reaction of the customer’s big boss himself.”
What kind of possibilities do you feel Wärtsilä can offer you?
“There are opportunities to develop a career either the traditional way by progressing in the organization or becoming a specialist in a certain area. What is a career, anyway? To me it does not necessarily mean promotion after promotion until you reach the top. It can also mean working in the same position or same level and developing into a respected and recognized professional.”
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