“The Kainuu work culture is communal and productive.” Niina Ahtonen, Director of the CEMIS Research and Education Center
I am Niina Ahtonen and I am currently the Director of the CEMIS Research and Education Center (see www.cemis.fi). CEMIS is a center for measurement technology and data expertise formed by five RDI organizations operating in Kainuu. I am also involved in the implementation of the Kajaani Region Innovation Ecosystem Agreement (see https://innokaupungit.fi/) and in the development of the Kajaani Data Center Ecosystem. I am originally from Kainuu and am therefore a returnee to the region. I enjoy cottage camping, hiking, skiing and walking. I am a big consumer of audiobooks and current affairs programs.
My educational background is Master of Science (Geology and Mineralogy) and Master of Science (Computer Science). In addition, I have completed a specialized professional degree in management and an approved board member degree. Before joining CEMIS, I worked for almost 20 years at the Geological Survey of Finland and have extensive experience working with data, information, digitalisation and digital customer solutions as well as spatial information systems. At GTK, I worked as a project manager for the development of geoinformation systems and web services, as a head of profit centres and most recently as a director responsible for information management and geological data resources. I have experience in supervisory work, stakeholder cooperation, information ecosystem development, management team work and international projects in, for example, Ruanda.
Before working at GTK, I worked in teaching and research positions at a university and a university of applied sciences. My first jobs were summer jobs in Kuhmo, managing park areas and at a camping lodge.
When my children were small, I worked a lot of part-time. It was a functional solution, because after a working day I still had plenty of time to spend with my family. It has been important to be able to influence vacation times so that they have suited life situations, including school vacations.
“The opportunity to work remotely has been important in my career.”
The opportunity to work in hybrid and multi-location work and to choose the way of working according to the work tasks is important to me. When there is so-called writing work, preparations, planning, etc. that requires concentration, I succeed best in remote work. Multi-location brings the variety I sometimes miss to the work environment and increases my creativity.
The best thing about face-to-face work are meetings and discussions that move tasks forward. Free-form discussions during breaks are also important. Multi-location and hybrid work bring opportunities to get employees who are not ready to move and/or be fully present at work. It brings opportunities to live in Kainuu, for example, and work elsewhere in Finland or internationally.
“The Kainuu work culture is communal and productive.”
The fact that different actors know each other is a great advantage. The work culture is communal and productive. I am part of an RDI community where development, renewal and innovation are a central part of the work. If you find an interesting job, moving to Kainuu can bring an interesting and good life, where everyday life and comfortable living are easy to organize and there are meaningful things to do in your free time.
The best thing about Kainuu is the people who are easy to collaborate with and the positive spirit of doing and achieving. I really appreciate the Kainuu attitude and courage, great things are being done. Of course, in the old Kainuu style, we are still quite quiet about them.
Kainuu has diverse leading industries and the arrival of data centers in Kainuu will bring new kinds of job opportunities. Outdoor activities and other hobby opportunities are good in Kainuu. I think that taking care of everyday matters is smooth and time is not wasted in traffic jams. It is safe to live in Kainuu and outdoor trails, forests and waterways are nearby. Overall, the area has a diverse cultural offering. I have been satisfied with the services, at least so far.
Text and photos: Niina Ahtonen