The software industry still needs young talent – Sami Kukkonen relocated to Oulu for work
The software sector, which once seemed destined for eternal growth, has started to stutter over the past couple of years. Large consultancy firms have reduced their workforce, and it has become almost impossible for students in the field to find internships or that crucial first employer to start gaining experience.
Fortunately, there are exceptions. Specialising in healthcare materials and pharmaceutical logistics, the software company OneClinic Oy has grown steadily in recent years. With this growth, the company has hired new employees again this autumn.
Building the future with youth
”We have assembled an experienced team that possesses both technical maturity and deep industry knowledge,” says Veli-Matti Pietilä, CEO of OneClinic. ”This allows us to recruit younger professionals, as they can grow into the experts of the future under the guidance of our veterans. We intend to continue growing and developing for decades to come. I would find it strange if we only hired seniors, as many companies seem to be doing these days.”
OneClinic’s flagship product, OC Logistics, has established a strong role in both the private and public sectors in Finland. ”We are fast becoming the market leader for logistics systems in healthcare organisations, although there is still plenty to do. At the same time, we are also looking abroad,” Pietilä explains. ”Finland has a good reputation for preparedness in threat and crisis situations, which includes pharmaceutical logistics chains. Many may have missed the fact that during the Covid-19 pandemic, Finland’s vaccination chains were on a completely different level compared to some of our neighbouring countries.”
Growth attracts talent
OneClinic’s recruitment advertisement caught Sami Kukkonen’s eye almost by accident. Having completed his Bachelor’s degree in Joensuu and his Master’s in Computer Science in Jyväskylä, he had already noticed that finding a job was not quite so easy. ”Even though I had previous work experience, there were no positions available in the sector in the Jyväskylä area. When I broadened my perspective a bit, I found OneClinic.”
The recruitment process was swift. ”Thank you for that! The interest was immediately mutual, so the decision was easy to make. I told my partner that there was now an opportunity to move to Oulu,” Kukkonen says. ”Neither of us had any ties to the city, but now we have a lovely flat near the centre, in Karjasiilta. We were surprised by Oulu’s good housing situation and reasonable price level. It is funny to see what kind of surprises life can offer.”
Constantly improving quality
Active rinkball player Janne Kurunsaari arrives at work at OneClinic’s new premises in Oulu city centre at seven in the morning. ”I always start the day around this time. The first hours of the morning are good for concentrating and planning the day’s work,” says Kurunsaari. ”Correspondingly, after the workday, there is plenty of time left for anything, such as hobbies.”
In addition to rinkball, Kurunsaari says he also plays football and floorball. ”Not forgetting casual hockey without helmets [”pipolätkä” in Finnish],” he reminds us. ”It’s a great sport.”
Kurunsaari started working at OneClinic at the same time as Kukkonen. ”I am responsible for software testing. I enjoy finding bugs immensely because every time I find something unusual and it gets fixed, the software improves. That means a higher quality system and a better user experience for the customer,” describes Kurunsaari. ”I think that is just the best.”
