Teemu Mäkinen, Project manager: Respecting traditions but going forward

“When I first came to work at the Rauma shipyard in 2005, it was still owned by Aker. I then moved on to work at the Turku shipyard for a couple of years but came back to Rauma in 2015 – and this time to work for RMC. RMC is still a young company, but as an employer it is very flexible. Here people trust in each other’s expertise.

I graduated in 2003 as a Master of Science in Technology from Lappeenranta University of Technology. I specialised in mechanical engineering. Right after graduation I worked for a year and a half at a machine shop, but since then I’ve always worked in shipbuilding. I don’t have an actual education in shipbuilding, but my degree prepared me well for different roles in manufacturing. I have actually had the chance to work with tasks that match my education. At RMC, I’ve worked as a project manager in steel construction. With ships, I have overseen steel and section manufacturing.

Section manufacturing takes place in halls, but most of my time is spent in the office and conference rooms. Of course, I also visit production sites, but with 15 years of experience I can read the situation quite well from reports and numbers. There’s a lot of experienced people working for RMC who have been at the shipyard for a long time. I think it is important to respect the traditions of shipbuilding, but also to look ahead because the work environment is constantly evolving.

Depending on how you count them, I have dozens of subordinates. I strive to lead with common sense and facts instead of by mere gut feeling. As a manager, I want to treat everyone equally and with rectitude. When I started at RMC, I got mentoring from people who were more experienced than me. The manufacturing process itself is familiar to me but I received help, for example, with project management and the financial side of projects. My mentors knew which things should be paid more attention to, and I was able to turn to them when I needed help. These days, I too try to share my knowledge with younger employees and act as a mentor when needed.”