A new profession – an apprenticeship for the meat sector
– When I turned 30, I decided to change my career. I have dreams in life, and I wondered what my future profession would be, says Outi.
Outi graduated from upper secondary school in 2018. After that, she got a summer job from Lassila & Tikanoja as a cleaner but ended up working there for 11.5 years. She also worked as a cleaning supervisor before changing her career.
– At TE Services, we mapped out different options together with an occupational psychologist. As a result, it became clear that the food industry could suit me, Outi says.
Outi contacted Riveria’s food industry lecturer Marja-Leena Hirvonen. In January 2021, she started training with an apprenticeship contract at HKScan’s meat cutting/packing station.
– That’s where it all started. I completed my vocational qualification in the food industry in the meat sector competence area in May 2022, says Outi.
At the moment, Outi works as a work supervision trainee at HKScan in Outokumpu.
What are your thoughts about the studies?
– I have been happy with the amount of contact instruction. My workplace has been flexible and supported me in my studies, says Outi.
– Since I’m a career changer, everything has been new to me. I was only somewhat familiar with the meat sector because of my hunting hobby, says Outi.
I am currently completing one more qualification unit of the same qualification, because I need competence related to the Council regulation on the protection of animals at the time of killing to work in a supervisory position in the slaughterhouse.
Outi Purmonen
– My previous cleaning job involved a lot of supervisory duties and managing a large number of people in the field. Now I work in one place and have many colleagues around me. This has been the best part of the job, Outi says.
What about the future?
– My main goal was to learn how to cut meat. When I successfully completed that part of my studies, I was open to everything, says Outi.
– At the beginning of 2023, I am planning to continue with the specialist vocational qualification in the food sector to work in supervisory duties. We’ll see what kind of opportunities HKScan offers in the future, Outi says.
Greetings to all those interested in the field
– You have to be ready to face all kinds of things in this field, but the work is really interesting and challenging, says Outi.
