June 8,2021

Each year, the Kittilä mine offers a wide variety of summer jobs and internships to students from various fields. This summer, there are approximately 70 summer workers in total at Agnico Eagle Finland. Our environmental department employs two interns this summer: Nella Hietanen and Lilja Ojala. It was important for both of them to find a summer job in their own field and learn about environmental matters related to mining.

“I really wanted to get employed in my own field even though I’ve only been studying for a year. Mining wasn’t covered that much in my studies yet, so it’s fascinating to come here and learn new things while working for the good of the environment,” says Nella, an environmental engineering student at the University of Oulu.

For Lilja Ojala, an environmental science student at the University of Eastern Finland, this is her second consecutive summer in Kittilä. The Kuopio-born Lilja enjoyed her time at the mine the previous summer, and her main task this summer is to make progress on her master’s thesis, a collaborative effort with the mine. Lilja considers the northern location of her summer job more of an opportunity than a challenge.

“To me, the opportunity to live somewhere else for a few months is a positive thing. It really helps with your professional confidence when you realize you can do well outside your familiar sphere,” Lilja muses.

Both summer interns are very positive about the friendly and healthy work atmosphere at the mine.

“Even though it says intern next to your name, here you’re still an employee among others and everyone is equal. Here, interns also get responsibilities and suitably challenging tasks,” Lilja says.

The job description for the environmental department’s summer interns may include, for example, environmental status monitoring, reporting within the company and to authorities, and diverse tasks in the area surrounding the mine.

Nella has felt welcome in the community and encourages others to apply for a summer job right after their first year of studies: “No need to be scared to apply! You don’t have to know everything beforehand. As long as you’re interested and eager to learn, you’ll be fine.”