Olli Bergström works on large projects – but in the US, everything was even bigger

Olli Bergström started at Fira as a Site Manager and has enjoyed his first months at the company, where people are close to each other and the work feels good.

Originally, Olli planned to become a pharmacist, but that path ended already at the entrance exams. Looking back, it might have been the wrong choice. Ending up in the construction industry by accident has felt right, and he does not regret it. His career has moved forward step by step, and the projects have kept getting bigger.

– I stayed with my previous employer for 16 years. Roles and titles changed, and we kept moving forward. The biggest project was worth five billion, Olli says.

Wait, five billion?

– I worked in the US, where I got to see how truly large construction projects are managed, Olli explains.

So how does American construction differ from Finnish construction?

– At first you chat for a while, and then you work very hard, all the way into the night, until wives come to pick their husbands up. In the end, the actual construction work is quite similar, but the projects are bigger. There are also differences. For example, concrete is often made on site, Olli says.

– But I learned a lot about occupational safety, which was emphasised in everything, he adds.

Olli brings strong experience from large and international projects to Fira. He has worked as a Production Engineer, Project Manager and Development Manager. More important than titles is that he has done almost everything you can do on a construction site. His projects have ranged from schools and hospitals to commercial buildings and data centres.

The first months at Fira have felt positive. After 16 years in one company, changing jobs could have felt like a big step, but the move has been surprisingly easy. Olli especially appreciates how close people are to each other. Fira Café has quickly become a favourite place. Working there, it is easy to talk with colleagues and get to know new people naturally – without American small talk.

Free time means baking and building dragon chairs

In his free time, Olli enjoys working with his hands. Baking is one of his favourite hobbies, but he also likes building and crafting. His latest project is something a bit different: a Viking-style chair that looks like a dragon’s head.

– I like doing something concrete after a workday, especially with my child, Olli says.

– Working with your hands is a good balance to knowledge work. And I like challenges. I saw a picture of the chair and built it through trial and error, he continues.

Olli is motivated by the chance to challenge himself. He applied to Fira as a Site Manager because he had been thinking about both Fira and the role for some time.

– In my role as a Development Manager, I learned to look at construction from big picture to details. The same thinking shows in how I approach new things. If I don’t know something yet, I can learn it. That applies to my free time too – the dragon chair came from a sudden idea and the wish to try if I could build it myself, Olli explains.

At Fira, Olli is especially interested in the fact that people do not work alone. In his view, construction is a team effort, and that shows in everyday work. He values a culture where ways of working are constantly improved, but they also need to work in practice.

He is keen to develop operations and find better ways of working. For example, he sees many opportunities in data centre projects to work faster.

– When a project starts, the pace is high and progress is steady. It is like a train that does not stop. As a Site Manager, I make sure the tracks are in good condition and there are no speed limits, he says.

– I see myself above all as a team player. The role is much more than managing work, but you have to be yourself. I’m calm and straightforward, Olli says.

That sounds very much like the Olli I have gotten to know at Fira Café.