Meet Supervisor Enna Ruonala & Quality Manager Hanna-Kaisa Vesa
26.03.24NYAB’s Supervisor Enna Ruonala and Quality Manager Hanna-Kaisa Vesa have much more in common than just their employer. Both are civil engineers from Oulu University of Applied Sciences, originally from Haukipudas, and they are siblings. Enna, who had a summer job at NYAB already during her studies, has been in a permanent employment relationship since 2017. She first persuaded Hanna-Kaisa to study construction, and later to join NYAB. The siblings’ younger brother is also a future expert in the field, so there is still new potential in the same family to join NYAB’s team.
What got you interested in NYAB?
Enna: “I got a recommendation from a friend who had a summer job at NYAB. Traveling jobs and contracting tasks appealed to me, and I enjoyed working with my colleagues already during my summer job. So, after graduating, it was natural for me to return to NYAB, where interesting tasks were offered.”
Hanna-Kaisa: “Enna had praised NYAB as a good and fair employer, and when the position of Quality Manager became available, it immediately felt appealing. I had performed similar tasks in my previous job, but now my responsibilities expanded.”
What are your current duties?
Enna: “I am responsible for overall project management, including project progress and communication with our clients. I participate in project tendering and initiation. Currently, I work as a site engineer at ongoing construction sites in Kalajoki, as well as in bridge repair projects in North Ostrobothnia and Kainuu. The projects include diverse work phases. Last summer, we built an underpass and cycle paths, but also removed invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed.
Hanna-Kaisa: “My goal is to develop NYAB’s operations to ensure high-quality standards and smooth workflow. I monitor quality-related data, develop reporting methods, and share information with the company’s management and all construction sites. My partner is Minna Vartiainen, who is responsible for occupational safety.”
What aspects of NYAB’s operations do you appreciate?
Hanna-Kaisa: “I’ve been at NYAB for one year now, and I can say that there is an excellent attitude towards development. Quality work is taken seriously, and both management and employees are committed to quality development.”
Enna: “There is an excellent team spirit at the worksites; everyone truly pulls together, and there is a strong sense of community, with everyone treated equally. Thanks to the team’s diverse expertise and experience, we can handle projects well and solve even challenging issues. Also, the cooperation with clients is very close and smooth. Meetings and communication are regular, and we have achieved a good mutual trust.”
Hanna-Kaisa: “I also find internal collaboration and communication very positive. Development projects progress here at a good pace. Civil engineering is a rapidly changing industry, and we must be able to better account for environmental factors in the future. That’s why I’m developing my own expertise by continuing my studies at the university.”
Enna: “As Hanna-Kaisa mentioned, at NYAB, you can influence and develop operations; our ideas and thoughts are well received at all levels.”
How do you spend your free time?
Enna: “My family, which consists of my spouse and two daughters, gets most of my free time, but I also enjoy cycling, fitness and skiing in winter. Sometimes there is also time for drawing.”
Hanna-Kaisa: “We are living the everyday life of parents with two boys, and we keep in close contact with our childhood family. With studies taking up part of my time, there’s not much time left for anything else.”
Where would you take your guests in the Oulu region?
Hanna-Kaisa: “Oulu is a beautiful seaside city, so I would take my visitors on a picnic to a lean-to shelter by the Bothnian Bay or to Hailuoto Island.”
Enna: “The Toripoliisi statue and Nallikari Beach are well-known attractions, so I would suggest something different, like the Poikkimaantie Bridge spanning the Oulujoki River. NYAB was responsible for its construction a few years ago.”
