Last modified 15.3.2011 at 13:19

Luck and success go hand in hand

Text: Laura Myllykoski Photos: Milan Kolarovic

Vadym Kramar was hired already during his studies. He studied in the Degree Programme in Information Technology in Raahe and now, after graduating, is still working for the same company that hired him years ago.

Tiivis yhteistyö Raahen tekniikan ja talouden yksikön ja raahelaisen elinkeinoelämän välillä auttoi Vadym Kramariakin työllistymään.

The continuous co-operation between the industry of Raahe and Raahe School of Engineering and Business has offered employement also to Vadym Kramar.

Vadym is originally from Kiev, Ukraine. When he moved to Finland he couldn't get a job with the education he had got in his homeland, so he decided to get another education.

In the year 2000 Vadym applied to Oulu University of Applied Sciences’ school in Raahe and was admitted to study information technology.

Early stage recruitment

Currently Vadym is working as a computer engineer at the Per Brahe Software Laboratory in Raahe. He got the job when he was studying for the second year and has worked there ever since.

- I was working at the UAS lab and talked with the lab manager about my studies.

Vadym had opened his mouth in the right place and at the right time. The manager had already heard about him and after a while he was interviewed and got the job. Vadym praises the job culture in Finland which differs a lot from what he was used to in Ukraine.

- The job culture is based on trust and the human factor is considered highly, Vadym explains.

Workers are not just machines but members of a team with faces. Vadym also notes that the resources for education in Finland are good.

- All of the hardware and software needed in studies are available.

Especially in Raahe there is also a lot of co-operation between the industry and the School which enabled Vadym to get his job, too. Aside from his main job at the software laboratory, Vadym also teaches at UAS. The human factor shows in teaching as well.

- Teachers in Finland aren't superior compared to the students but more like supervisors who are there to help and advice.

Vadym, who's originally from Kiev, Ukraine, tells that there are a lot of cultural differences between Finland and Ukraine, but along the years he has adjusted himself well into the Finnish society.

The new home

Vadym plans to stay in Finland in the future, too. He has a house with his family in Raahe.

- My whole life is here now.

The only difficulty for Vadym is that he doesn't speak any Finnish but that hasn't stopped him from getting to know the country.

- In Ukraine you can't survive without lying. We call it 'the ability to solve problems'.

Vadym thinks that in Finland the whole system is different and he actually had to change a bit to get used to the new society. He had been told that people in Finland are reserved and only care for their own problems. As he got to know people he realised that he had been told wrong.