Kati Rontu works as a warehouse worker on the premises of one of Alfaroc’s customers in Renkomäki in Lahti. She is part of a team that is responsible for logistics related to the customer’s online retail operations.
Her work involves shelving incoming stock and picking, packing and shipping orders by Finnish and international customers. To carry out her duties, Kati needs to be able to drive a forklift.
“I’d worked for Alfaroc for a year before attending forklift training. To start with, driving a forklift seemed a little daunting but I’ve gotten pretty good at it,” says Kati, smiling.
Before transferring to Alfaroc, Kati worked as a nanny for six years. Her work at a daycare center was mentally straining and she felt like a change.
“The best thing about my job at Alfaroc is that I get to work independently with a great bunch of people. The work itself is rewarding because you see the results immediately when the number of items on the retrieval list goes down and products move on from the warehouse. Even though things can get busy, I’m always happy to come to work in the morning. The atmosphere’s great!”
The characteristics required of a warehouse worker include attention to detail, organizational skills and, during busy periods, the ability to work under pressure. Retrieving products and lifting heavy boxes onto shelves on narrow corridors also requires a certain level of physical fitness. Regular exercise in free time helps with that, and the company promotes physical fitness among its employees by paying for half of the costs arising from fitness activities.
“I start work at 7:30 a.m. and clock out at 3:30 p.m. Regular hours leave me time for leisure activities in the evenings. I can also plan my weekend activities well in advance, which is a huge bonus.”
Apprenticeship in logistics
Kati completed a vocational qualification in logistics as apprenticeship training offered by Alfaroc. The training, which lasted a year, also included written assignments and tuition at an educational institute.
“Studying while working was occasionally tough but definitely worth it. Training provided me with a better knowledge of the field and helped me understand logistics processes and how they are connected. Thanks to the qualification, I also moved up to the next pay grade.
Kati enjoys working for Alfaroc and she is certain that the expanding company can offer work in the future as well.
Her employment contract will be made permanent at the beginning of 2020.
“I’m really happy at my current job. I don’t have to worry about work at home, and in many ways I feel happier than I did a couple of years a go,” explains Kati.