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Janne Cederlund manages the vehicle assembly team in Patria, where the combination of a supportive team and careful orientation welcomes the new experts on board.

Patria’s armored wheeled vehicles are in high demand, and they are being manufactured at an increasing pace at Patria’s production facility in Hämeenlinna. The success of vehicle projects can also be seen in the team lead by Janne Cederlund, which has hired new talent.

– We are constantly recruiting new experts for vehicle assembly.

Cederlund’s team of 12 people is working on the assembly line where the necessary parts are installed in a welded and surface-treated basket. 

– Assembly work may sound simple, but it is in fact extremely versatile. You must install hundreds of different titles before it is ready for a test run. 

A good orientation is a great way to start

Cederlund emphasises the importance of orientation when a new person starts on the team.

– Every new mechanic is supported by an instructor with whom the various steps are reviewed. That is how I was introduced to the job when I started it myself. 

In the beginning, the knowledge of the new employee is surveyed in order for them to be placed in tasks that match their earlier skill set. 

– New employees come from diverse backgrounds. Many have experience in mechanical work while others have acted on the assembly side, says Cederlund.

After carrying out vocational qualification in vehicle mechanics, Cederlund began working in Patria in 2018 as a trainee. After completing his military service, Cederlund got a permanent position and, at the beginning of 2023, he started working as a team leader.

– The transition to the position of team leader has gone well thanks to the support from his team.

This is a great example of the team spirit which Cederlund values highly.

– We have an open dialogue in progress. You can always ask for help from your colleagues. As a young person, it may seem harder to ask more experienced colleagues for help, but in Patria this is not the case.

– Everything works and people enjoy coming to work even when there are more challenging tasks at hand. 

Accumulating expertise is pursued

At the beginning of a workday, Cederlund goes through emails and handles unfinished business from the day before. 

– I carry the smaller development projects forward that improve production daily, for example, standardising various procedures and processes.

As a team leader, Cederlund collaborates a lot with other functions involved with vehicle production, for example, procurement, design, and quality control with other Patrians.

– The work requires good planning and cooperation in order for the entity to work and deadlines to be met. 

Cederlund appreciates a workplace which offers opportunities to accumulate your expertise and climb the ladder. Three years ago, he started studying mechanical engineering at Tampere University of Applied Sciences. Only his final thesis has yet to be completed at this point.

– I have recently started a training provided by Patria for production supervisors. It is a specialised professional degree. 

What kind of person is suited to work in Patria’s vehicle assembly?

– A person should apply to work with us if they value flexibility and openness. The work is suitable for a person who enjoys working in a team since all of it is done in teams or pairs.

– Genuine interest in vehicle mechanics, mechanics and hydraulics is a definite plus in addition to proper education.