Petra and Sudar found their calling as service technicians

The trainees, Petra and Sudar are both career changers. Petra previously worked as a nurse, while Sudar has a degree in business administration.

Both trainees first heard about Kalmar at a recruitment event organised by their school, which sparked their interest in the field and the company.

"I've always been interested in hands-on work and even worked as a carpenter in my home country, Nepal, so the job description caught my interest," Sudar explains.

Since the field was new to both of them, they didn't have many expectations about the nature of the work beforehand. However, Sudar was surprised by the physicality of the job. Petra, on the other hand, was initially nervous about working at heights, but says she has overcome her fear.

"Now we've even gotten to drive straddle carriers and cranes ourselves," Petra says.

The diversity of tasks is inspiring

The tasks of a service technician are very diverse. Although every day is different, common tasks include machine maintenance. The internship and summer work period have taught Petra and Sudar a lot, as they have only done small welding jobs at school.

They find the most memorable moments to be when they have successfully solved challenging machine faults. "It's a great feeling when I can solve a problem independently," Sudar says.

The port area is an interesting work environment, in Petra's words, "a world of its own."

However, the Kalmar team has been very supportive of both of them from the start. Help is always available for all tasks. All employees are cared for and well looked after. Both trainees received Kalmar work overalls with their name labels soon after starting the trainee period. This created a feeling for the trainees, right from the first day, that they are part of the team.

Service technician work feels meaningful

For Petra and Sudar, it is important to feel that they are doing meaningful work. The machines must be efficiently maintained so that they can be kept running and so that the stevedores can do their job. In addition, efficient machine maintenance ensures the movement of the supply chain. 

Aiming for a future as a service technician

Both Petra and Sudar feel that they have found their own field.  After completing their studies, they both want to continue working as service technicians.

"I've never once felt like I don't want to go to work at Kalmar when I wake up in the morning," Sudar says.

Tips for future applicants

Petra and Sudar encourage those interested in the work of a service technician to participate in various recruitment events where there is an opportunity to hear more about potential employers. In addition, they emphasise that at Kalmar everyone is ready to help and give advice. Also, mistakes are met with understanding, and workplace safety is taken very seriously.

"It's also good to be prepared for the fact that in this job you have to get used to dirt," Sudar laughs.