Raine Ruohonen started working at Pemamek 12 years ago, yet he feels like there are things he still hasn’t seen. The Project Engineer describes his job as diverse and enjoys seeing different cultures during work trips. 

In the interview, Raine also reminisces his first workday and talks about the various reasons to apply for a job at Pemamek.

Hello Raine and thank you for sitting down for this interview.

Could you start by telling a bit about yourself – what is your educational background and how do you like to spend your free time?

Hello! I was born and raised in Hirvikoski, which nowadays is part of Loimaa. My education background is a vocational upper secondary qualification in metal – I graduated in 1998 and have been working since then.

Work takes a lot of my time, so outside the working hours, I like to spend time with my family as much as possible.

Raine Ruohonen has worked at Pemamek for 12 years now.

Walk us through your working career. What did you do after graduating, and how long have you been working at Pemamek?

I have worked at Pemamek for twelve years now!

Before joining Pemamek, I worked for over nine years at my previous job. First, I was an Operator for automatic saws most of my time. Back then, the job description included much more since the organization was a lot smaller. I moved within the company to work as a part Manufacturer, and from there I moved to assemble.

I continued as an Assembly mechanic when I started at Pemamek and worked at production for eight years. The past four years I have worked as a Project Engineer. 

„As a Project Engineer, I get to be in closer contact with the customer

and I get to coordinate at the site – my job is very diverse.“

– Raine Ruohonen, Project Engineer at Pemamek

So, your job title has changed during your time in Pemamek. How have your tasks and job description changed?

To a certain extent, the basic idea behind both jobs is very similar. When installing at a site, there were two or three Pemamek employees, and we were sort of directing the local workers. Everything had to be organized with the locals and the job required thorough planning with the customer. That’s also where my interest in the Project department started. As a Project Engineer, I get to be in closer contact with the customer and I get to coordinate at the site – my job is very diverse.

I feel like I have a different way of thinking sometimes when it comes to organizing at the plant or practical matters since I worked in production first. As a department we have a lot of open conversations, which is really good – we hear things from different perspectives as well.

Raine gives credit to Pemamek’s work environment and enjoys having colleagues from different backgrounds. 

Let’s take a trip down memory lane – how was that first workday 12 years ago?

I actually remember it quite clearly. I was a bit nervous since this was only the second place I had ever worked at!

I got my work clothes and other small practical things and was then taken to the workshop.

They were assembling a Membrane Wall Panel Welding machine; I was introduced to Pekka Rusi who I was going to work together with. After greeting each other, the first question was: “Can you work at weekends?”. I answered “Of course!” – that is how it all began. Already after the first month, I travelled to Germany for my first installation job.

Could you share some of your good memories from Pemamek?

I reflect back on memories a lot. When I talk with someone about a specific year, I think about the project that we had then and where I traveled.

Of course, I remember my first work trip to Germany really well. The site was next to an old brown coal power plant and it had nine huge towers that reminded me of the place in the Simpsons opening credits. When I saw them at the arrival, I thought to myself “What have I gotten myself into.”

It is interesting to me how cultures can be so different from each other. For example, India was an interesting one: the people are very friendly, but their way of living is so different compared to Finland. 

Russia is one of the countries with a great number of personal memories. In 2011, my time at home and the time spent at the site in Russia were almost 50/50. We had a good group and we stayed in Russia for long periods of time. Projects like that, you form tight friendships – you become kind of a family. During that year, Russia also hosted the Ice Hockey World Championships. Our client had booked a cabinet with catering, and our whole group watched the game there. When the Finland versus Russia game was on, it was fun to watch how we share the same passion for the sport.

What has made you stay at Pemamek for so long?

Let’s just say that I have never even thought about leaving. As a workplace, I like Pemamek a lot. We have good people working here and as the team is growing, we will have people from so many different backgrounds.

Changing jobs often might give you more perspectives but jumping from job to job is not for me. How does one know what the job has to offer if you only spend a short amount of time there? I have been here 12 years and I still feel like I haven’t seen everything we do here.

„I have been here for 12 years 

and I still feel like I haven’t seen

everything we do here.“

– Raine Ruohonen, Project Engineer at Pemamek

Why should someone consider applying for a job at Pemamek?

I could use some of the same arguments as in my previous answers. The work environment is pleasant, modern and the basic conditions are at a very high level.

If you want to travel, you can: the company’s export rate is somewhere around 90%. Somebody needs to go and install the equipment to the customer’s facilities. If traveling is not something you necessarily want to do, there are plenty of other positions that don’t require traveling at all.

One of the strengths of this company is that we aren’t stuck in our ways: everyone has plenty of control over their own work.  

The amount of different occupations and professions is countless, and one’s chances to go further within the company are excellent. I say that from my own experience; even though I might not have the highest educational background, I have proceeded from my original position to now being a part of the Project Department.