Kaisu Toivonen and Enni Hautamäki both study environmental technology at Vaasa University of Applied Sciences. Crimppi was not familiar to either of them when they applied the first time.
“But the job sounded interesting, so I decided to apply,” Kaisu says. For Enni, visiting the factory sealed the deal; she felt more confident applying somewhere she’d actually seen, compared to places where the interview had only been online. Both enjoyed their first summer enough to return for another.
Learning new skills – and gaining confidence
Both work in assembly, although in different teams. Their tasks range from crimping and connector assembly to sleeving and soldering. With many different products in production, there is plenty of variation.
“You rarely get to do exactly the same job again. There are so many different products and different types of work, and that’s what makes the job interesting” Kaisu says.
Learning new tasks can sometimes be challenging, but both see that as part of what makes the work rewarding. Enni remembers struggling with a semi-automatic crimping machine during her first summer. Today, using it has become routine.
“I’ve become much more confident. You learn to trust your own work and realise that yes, I actually know how to do this.”
This summer, Enni has gained confidence working with the semi-automatic crimping machine.
The learning goes beyond the technical side, too. “You also learn to get along with different kinds of people, and you make new friends along the way. We also have colleagues with different backgrounds, so you end up picking up a bit of other languages too.”
A team that has your back
For both Kaisu and Enni, the people are a big part of why they enjoy working at Crimppi. Their teams are small, and help is always close at hand.
“If you have a question, it’s easy to ask. Everyone is helpful. And if you make a mistake, you just tell someone and we fix it together,” Kaisu says.
Kaisu appreciates her helpful and approachable team members.
That support is what makes the job approachable from day one, Enni adds.
“It’s easy to start here, even if you don’t know anything about wires or cables. Everything is taught hands-on, and you’re never left on your own. Then suddenly, a couple of months in, you notice you can actually do things yourself.”
It’s not all serious business, either, as both point out – there’s always room to joke around with your colleagues.
The small things that make a difference
Not all memorable moments happen on the production floor. Both have enjoyed Crimppi’s summer events, and they greatly appreciate the new covered outdoor terrace, where the team spends breaks and lunches whenever the weather allows.
Sometimes it’s the small things that mean the most. “Last week was Work Friends’ Day. I had the day off, and when I came in on Monday, someone had left a card for me. Small things like that brighten your day,” Enni says.
As their studies progress, both hope to eventually gain experience in environmental technology as well. For Kaisu, the commute has become considerably longer after moving during the summer, so next year she may look for something closer to home. But another return to Crimppi is certainly not ruled out.
“It has almost become like a second home – a place that feels easy to come back to.”
