Both hailing from Porvoo, Kasper Nyman and Milla Vierikko are happy after getting a summer job in their hometown. At ABB, Milla focuses on the sustainable development of electrical installation products while Kasper works three shifts in production.
“Physics studies can lead to a wide range of tasks. This summer, my goal is to gain a good understanding of production operations, because it provides you with a good basis for understanding the operations of companies,” says Kasper.
“I work as a machine operator in three shifts. We make switches, sockets and electrical installation products, and my job involves managing equipment, which also includes robots. I also pack products.”
Personal orientation to summer job in production lasted two weeks and Kasper also attended occupational safety training. “We have exact safety instructions to follow,” says Kasper emphasizing the lessons learned from summer job so far.
Kasper Nyman and Milla Vierikko have summer jobs at ABB Porvoo’s factory. The carbon-neutral factory uses 100 % renewable energy. “During the first year, total energy efficiency improved by 21 % and carbon dioxide emissions decreased by 636 tons,” Kasper and Milla know. 
Kasper, who studies physics, is working this summer in the production of electrical installation products. 
Milla, who is studying environmental engineering, is focusing this summer on the life cycle and environmental effects of electrical installation products. At the Porvoo factory, box lids, box supports and adapter rings are made from recycled plastic collected from households. 
“As a machine operator, I make sure that production runs smoothly during my shift. During the shift change we tell what the day has included up to that point,” says Kasper. 
“My summer job is related to my studies and supports learning,” says Milla, who is studying environmental engineering. 
Milla and Kasper view at the future with confidence: “Technology can solve many of earth’s challenges.”
In her summer job, Milla works at the office in the Sustainability team and collects data on the various stages of the factory’s installation products. “Based on the data, we prepare LCA and EPD documents, which are required both for the company and the customers, because they describe the product’s life cycle and environmental effects,” says Milla. “The use of recycled plastic in the production of Porvoo’s installation products is a model example of the circular economy as it is based entirely on local processes,” explains Milla.
“My summer job corresponds well to my environmental engineering studies. A lot of these issues are covered in my extensive studies as well.” Milla believes it is useful to be able to work at a location where you can also see the production. “We got to know the factory during the ABB orientation. Many types of work tasks are clearly required for everything to work,” she says. From the orientation, Milla also remembered the gathering place where they were instructed to go in the event of an alarm.
Values are implemented in practice
As part of the ABB Group’s Mission to Zero™ program, the Porvoo factory, among the first ABB factories, has implemented carbon-neutral production solutions. Both Milla and Kasper mention carbon-neutral factory in their speech. “The possibilities of technology to build a better world are talked about a lot in our studies. The exemplary achievement of ABB’s Porvoo factory is a good indication of how the company’s values and sustainable development goals are used in practice,” they say.
The best thing about summer job has been learning new things and getting to know new people. “Everyone has been easy to work with and we have been treated well. The factory manager Marko has also come to say hello,” add Kasper and Milla, who both encourage other young people to make contact with their colleagues. “Everyone is happy to chat and help us move forward.”
Milla also highlights ABB’s internationality. “Already in the first week I met German colleagues and we cooperate closely with many parties. It’s cool to be able to participate in different meetings and see people from different parts of ABB as well as get to know their activities.”
“ABB feels like a big company where you can find interesting tasks for the future,” continues Kasper. “And it would be nice to be able to work abroad someday,” Milla says, when considering her possible future prospects at ABB.
