“You have to trust your own expertise.” Annika Hämäläinen, CEO of Teollisuustaito Oy
My name is Annika Hämäläinen and I am the CEO and entrepreneur of Teollisuustaito Oy. The company was founded in 2013, before which I worked in process design and management positions in the mining industry. I am from Helsinki and have lived in Kajaani since 2012. I studied chemical engineering at Otaniemi University of Technology, majoring in plant design. I did my master’s thesis for Outotec, where I got a job as a process metallurgist after graduating. After that, my path took me to design and management positions in Talvivaara, Sotkamo. We founded Teollisuustaito Oy with another industrial professional in 2013.
Highlights and challenges
The highlight has certainly been that we at Teollisuustaito Oy have been able to employ ourselves, i.e. entrepreneurs, and also hire employees. Highlights are also all the moments when we are able to solve a customer’s problem or resource need. The most challenging moments in working life have been unexpected, new situations in which I have not been prepared to act due to lack of experience. My supervisors at both of my post-graduation jobs have been invaluable supporters. I have received support from them in both technical and design-related matters and in difficult project situations. Building a career path after entrepreneurship is completely dictated by my own choices and, on the other hand, the situation in the industry. Remote work also became more common in the mining industry, which is considered quite conservative, due to the corona. It has greatly reduced travel to routine meetings. On the other hand, face-to-face meetings are still necessary. I have not sold a single project without meeting the client in person. Kainuu has surprisingly good and diverse opportunities for hobbies and work. I don’t see Kajaani as being very different, even compared to the capital region – we work in the same Finland and in the same culture here. Of course, there is less choice, but that is no problem if you can find your own job here. It is also quick to get to know a small town.
“I don’t see any big differences in the work cultures of Kainuu and the rest of Finland.”
When it comes to women in the workplace, it is also very similar in the work cultures of Kainuu and the rest of Finland. You have to trust your own expertise, you have to dare to express your own views and you also have to boldly point out gender-related discriminatory practices or word choices. The short distances in Kajaani increase your free time. There is never a rush, and most of the time you can get to all the restaurants without an appointment. When something happens in this village, the whole town participates – in bigger cities, this kind of community is different, perhaps less so.
Text and photos: Annika Hämäläinen