Katri Rientamo had just begun a welding course at the Jalasjärvi Adult Education Centre, when she came across a job ad by Relicomp, looking for an apprentice welder. The idea of vocational studies, combined with work and strong practical training, sounded good.
Katri was interested in developing herself right from the start. Her enthusiasm was noted at Relicomp, where she was given quality-related responsibilities in 2009. In 2010, Katri was also temporarily team leader of the press brake section. Since Katri’s interest in quality development continued, it seemed natural to support her own development: she has been Quality Manager at Relicomp since 2012. “I felt a very clear orientation towards quality control and its development. When in charge of quality, I loved the broad scope of the job and the opportunity to be involved in interesting projects,” says Katri Rientamo.
A quality manager has a very broad set of tasks, including both external and internal quality monitoring, and pushing development projects forward. Ensuring that customer requirements are met is another key element of the job. “As the world rapidly changes, we at Relicomp are looking towards the future. One way of ensuring that we meet customers’ quality expectations, and that our processes work accordingly, involves knowing our customers well and following the latest innovations and changes through means such as training provided by customers.”
In addition, Relicomp sponsored Katri through 1.5 years of Green Belt training, which had a special focus on examining and improving processes, and acquiring various analysis tools. Alongside her work, Katri is studying to become an industrial engineer. “Relicomp provides secure and interesting work. The company is constantly evolving and fully supports its employees in developing alongside it.”
Working on quality is a long-term but rewarding task. “The best part of a quality manager’s work is being at the customer interface and involved in project-based process development, in which the end result is clearly measured. Another key element of my job involves working closely with Relicomp’s management and other workers.”