Maija Leinonen, Caverion Suomi Oy

What have you studied and what influenced this choice back in the day?

I studied mechanical engineering at the University of Oulu. Initially, I considered many options and applied to study, among other things, speech therapy, but I also applied to the Faculty of Technology because I had studied advanced mathematics and physics in high school. I ended up putting mechanical engineering as my first choice in the technical application, as my father had studied and graduated from there. It was a familiar option. My brother also studied in the Faculty of Technology. When I got into the mechanical engineering department, I thought I would spend at least a year seeing how studying there goes. The field seemed interesting, and the student life as well as the fantastic group of fellow students drew me in. Through summer jobs, I got to explore the opportunities in the field, and by the end of my studies, I was already quite involved in working life. 
 

How did you find your current job? 

During my studies, I worked summer jobs at the Nuottasaari industrial area as a mechanical maintenance technician at a factory service company. From the same factory, I secured both a position to complete my thesis and a permanent job as a maintenance development engineer. My work tasks have changed over the years, but I have continued to work for the same employer for nearly 17 years.
 

What is the best thing about your job?

The best aspects of my job are the diverse and interesting tasks, as well as great colleagues. The industrial work environment is challenging, and the scope of operations is broad. This offers many opportunities and makes the work engaging. 

What have been the highlights and most important lessons of your career?

There have been many wonderful moments. Acquiring new clients, continuous learning, and training and onboarding new staff are always great experiences. The most important lesson in the industry is that the people doing the work, their skills, well-being, and job satisfaction are crucial to the overall effectiveness of the work. 

What do you expect from the future? 

I look forward to the growth of our operations and new people joining the work community, whether they are clients or colleagues. I also anticipate the advancement of technology and its impact on maintenance, as well as the continuous development of my own skills.