Lauri Kyttälä: Environment for continuous learning and support

Lauri Kyttälä is a Software Automation and Testing Engineer based in Espoo, Finland. His role in the Trainee program included test automation and continuous integration concerning a new device. “I was assigned to this project along with another student. We had a 6-month traineeship which included combination of working together on this test automation project, and 25 lesson days."

Before joining Etteplan, Lauri had been searching for a job in his field of ICT and Testing. Having a long work history in this sector should have been regarded as an asset, however, Lauri believes that his age may have been a factor in making it difficult to find the right place for him. Prior to joining the company, Lauri was approached by a recruitment specialist at Etteplan who encouraged him to apply for a role – and luckily for Etteplan, he did.

Regardless of his age, Lauri is always keen to learn and continue to develop his skills, which is why he decided to approach his new manager regarding a new opportunity. “About 1-2 months into my new job, I sent my manager an email with all of the information on a study path that I could take at Etteplan, my manager encouraged the idea and I applied to the training program”, the rest is history. 

Having been with the company for a short while, Lauri outlines the top three aspects of working at Etteplan, 
1.    Low hierarchy
2.    Possibility to work remotely
3.    possibility to learn new tools

So far, Lauri appreciates what he describes as low hierarchy,

“It’s easy to contact people. From the very start of the project the communication to us from all departments was very helpful,”

The level of support from various departments and levels of management has played an important part for Lauri’s success in his role. At the beginning of the study path, each department at Etteplan was presented with a helpful protocol in giving all the new trainees a good idea of Etteplan as a company. 

“You have to be active in making acquaintances, building a network, and getting to know the right people.” Lauri explains that knowing the right people will help you in getting the information that you need quickly. The hierarchy being low makes it easier to speak amongst professionals at all levels in the company. 

For his second point – For the first time in his career, Lauri is experiencing the ability to work remotely. Which so far has been a positive experience, “the only thing that I need is a laptop which means I can work from almost anywhere. Having the choice to also come to the office some days is also nice.” An ongoing project that requires some face-to-face interaction has also been a motivator to be more social with colleagues. 

And finally, Lauri appreciates not only all the tools – both in software and colleagues – but also the experiences so far. “We had the opportunity to attend a robot convention event to learn and talk about this robot framework via a livestream that we could follow from any office.” Some of the upcoming stages of the projects such as writing up an offer to a company, the reviews, and proof of concept phase are also invaluable experiences for his career. 

While Lauri enjoys spending time on his computers, with a passion for his expertise and line of work, some of the hobbies that Lauri enjoys really fuel his motivation. Along with cross-country skiing in the winter and rollerblading in the summer, Lauri has a talent for ballroom dancing.