Marjo Keturi

What do you remember fondly about your studies and student life?

University of Vaasa was a natural choice because I had a bachelor's degree in international business. I had dreamed of pursuing a master’s degree and applied for the Master's Programme in International Business. I was working full-time at ABB throughout this period.

I enjoyed working on group projects. Being usually the oldest and most experienced, it was nice to collaborate with younger students and be impressed by their skills and thinking. I found almost everything very meaningful as I could apply a lot of what I learned to real-life situations.

What's your job like?

I work at ABB with the title Health, Safety, Environment Manager. My responsibility covers Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. I get to work on things that matter to me: health, well-being, and sustainable development. My job is highly independent. I travel somewhat to the factories within my responsibility and assist in developing safety cultures locally. My work involves a lot of collaboration, dealing with new issues, implementing solutions, and researching.

Securing my current position is definitely one of the highlights of my career. I progressed quite quickly after deciding to change fields. Seven years ago, I started in health, safety, and environmental matters as a complete novice, and my decision to move into work aligned with my values has paid off.

What was the most important thing you learned at university?

Undoubtedly, it was increasing my academic knowledge. I now use various sources extensively in my work when seeking information, and I've learned to approach them critically.

I'd advise current students to tackle "unpleasant" tasks head-on. Personally, working on my thesis could have been a bit quicker, as I tended to postpone it, and my graduation was delayed by some time.