Kaisa Poikela, Destia
“I really enjoy being a supervisor – the role suits me particularly well.”
What have you studied and what influenced this choice back in the day?
I studied electrical engineering at the University of Oulu. After that, I also studied landscape design and completed half of an engineering degree at a University of Applied Sciences. I originally chose electrical engineering purely out of interest in the field. I didn’t even consider other options.
How did you end up being in your current position?
I found my current career path while looking for a thesis topic for my landscape design studies. I ended up doing my thesis on the lighting design of the Merikoski hydropower plant. After that, I worked for several years as a lighting designer, until the past four years, when I have been working as a project manager in electricity distribution network projects and industrial electrical renovation projects. In addition, I lead a team of over ten electricians.
What is the best thing about your job?
The best part is the sense of purpose. I get to build and maintain critical infrastructure for society – the electricity grid. My work truly matters, and I know it helps improve people’s quality of life. I also really enjoy being a supervisor; I feel that the role suits me particularly well.
What have been the highlights and key lessons of your career?
The highlights have been moments when I’ve felt that our workplace truly values people. For example, the day we made four employees permanent at once – it was amazing, and I even shed a few tears. Other highlights are winning tough competitive bids or completing projects successfully and seeing satisfied clients.
The most important lesson has been that you don’t need to manage everything alone. Help is always available, and you must be able to trust your colleagues. When you also support others, you can be sure you won’t be left alone when you need help.
What do you expect from the future?
For the next four years, my worksite will be in Kainuu, and I expect to gain strong expertise in working with the alliance model. Also, the electricity distribution network in Kainuu is very different from Oulu’s, so I’ll become familiar with that as well.
For whom this is a suitable career option?
This work – the energy sector – is well-suited for someone interested in electricity and distribution networks. There are many rules and details to remember, since we are always dealing with people’s safety. On the other hand, the energy sector offers a wide variety of career opportunities – from electricians to designers, project managers to supervisors, and much more!
What message would you like to send to a young person pondering their career?
You should choose your field based on what genuinely interests you. Trends come and go. The energy sector has been at the heart of Finnish society for half a century and will continue to be so in the future. It may not be the “hottest trend,” but electricity will always be needed.