Meet our People of Solita. We have over 1 100 employees in different locations with different skills and backgrounds – each with a story to share about what they do and what inspires them.
This is Mikko, our Data Engineer working in our data community.
It’s motivating to solve problems that have a broad impact
I’ve worked as a data engineer for about three years at Solita. One of my colleagues once described our job like being data plumbers. I think it was quite a good comparison. We enable the data flow and make sure that it’s located in the right place. In addition, we try to make sure that the data is high quality. In my role, I’ve been planning and building data platforms in Azure. We aim to build solutions that benefit people around the customer organisation and meet real business needs.
What inspires me most in my job are those situations where we can help the customer from the start and define the best way to move forward and develop solutions that will serve the needs. It’s motivating to see the big picture and solve problems that have a broad impact. It’s really rewarding when customers listen to our recommendations and trust us. The best solutions are always developed in collaboration.
In my recent project with Ponsse, we built a modern cloud-based data platform and integrations to different data sources. We bring data from ERP, sales, services, IoT Edge computing, and other sources to the platform. Together with the API team, we are creating completely new possibilities to use data for Ponsse. As a result, Ponsse can leverage data that cuts through all functions and business areas. It brings efficiency and larger impact; more economical use of forestry machines, and minimised downtime with predictive maintenance.
I enjoy learning new things
I like the fact that we have a lot of freedom to influence the projects we want to work with. I’ve never had a situation where I was forced to take on a certain project. We can also change projects if we want, and nobody will ask around. It’s part of normal rotation and flexible working arrangements here. The flexibility is also visible in our job roles. They are not fixed or limiting; we can develop our roles depending on our interests, and they kind of evolve with us. Data Engineers at Solita might end up doing very different things depending on their work history and desires.
While I enjoy solving challenges and doing my job well, I also like to learn new things. I’ve had the opportunity to learn and develop in the projects. By exploring new technologies and having the courage to dive into new areas, I’ve grown a lot.
I’ve also felt supported in my pursuit of growth. My team lead has always encouraged me to develop new skills. When I started here, I didn’t have any experience in Azure. Now I’m pretty good at using the technologies and components related to data processing in Azure. I also use Snowflake, DBT and Terraform. Learning new tech keeps us at the forefront of the industry.
In general, it’s nice to work in an environment where people are courageous and passionate. We are not “yes yes people” – we challenge the customer when needed. We believe in our work, and we want to do great stuff together. And most importantly, we learn also by helping each other. People always find the time to help; that’s one of the best parts of the culture at Solita.
Mikko Sulonen is a Data Engineer in our Data Community. We are looking for new talented co-workers. Join Mikko and our Solita Community; check our open positions here!
