Oona Huovinen started her career in human resources in 2022 as an HR trainee at the Port of Helsinki. Her first job in her field of study opened the door to a career in HR and set the course for her future career. In autumn 2025, Oona returned to the Port of Helsinki as an HR Coordinator.

“During my first traineeship, I was given responsibility for renewing onboarding materials and developing career development discussion forms. My tasks were surprisingly independent, which gave me a good sense of how much the working community trusted me,” Oona recalls.

“When I came back to the Port, I continued developing the onboarding materials. It was nice to return to the projects I had started,” she continues.

Oona graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and is now pursuing her Master’s studies in Modern Management at the University of Eastern Finland.

After her first internship at the Port, Oona went on to work as an HR Generalist at Aalto University. Returning to the Port felt like a natural and positive step to the right direction.

“The people here were a big part of why I came back. The atmosphere is warm and the team is supportive, which makes my work easy. As an employer, the Port of Helsinki offers great perks, as well as opportunities to develop your skills.”

Diverse tasks and learning from doing

The tasks of an HR Coordinator are highly diverse, including advisement on employment matters, administering software, developing onboarding processes, and supporting staff with everyday work-related questions.

“I am also involved in cooperation with higher education institutions. The Port of Helsinki collaborates with Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. The work covers everything from A to Z, which is what makes it so interesting.”

Oona notes that working at the Port provides valuable practical experience you simply cannot get from the books.

“Perhaps what surprised me the most is how significant the Port’s role is for Finland’s functioning. When goods and food are transported through the Port, you really see how the work done here affects everyone living in the country,” says Oona.

The Port as an employer

Oona describes the Port of Helsinki as an approachable and warm work community, where you trust each other’s skills and are given responsibilities.

“I recommend the Port of Helsinki to everyone who is interested in learning and development. Here, you get a bird’s-eye view of the Port’s operations. Plus, you get to work with a multidisciplinary and highly skilled team.”