Blog: Designing with People at the Center – An International Consultant’s Reflections from Finland
I arrived in Finland a little over year ago to complete a master’s degree in Sustainable Urban Mobility Transitions at Aalto University. For years, I’ve been passionate about transportation, and a few years back, I decided to move to Europe to deepen my knowledge of public transportation systems. It wasn’t just because I find buses, trams, trains, and bike-sharing systems fascinating and innovative, but because I deeply believe in their power to promote social equality and improve quality of life. So, I have a special passion for the topic, and with passion I move forward and I took on this challenge.
Related to my background, it is pretty international. I’m originally from Uruguay and hold Italian citizenship, which has made my journey to Europe quite smooth. At the age of 13, I moved to the United States, where I lived for five years with my family. This was the first time I lived abroad and learned so much about gaining new perspectives and how enriching that is for one’s development. I also participated in academic and professional exchanges in Canada and Armenia and spent my first year of my master’s program in Barcelona.
Yet, despite all the different places I have been, I found some unique and inspiring things in Finland, and I am not really referring to the weather. First, I was amazed by the high value placed on education, and the student support. I think Finland has mastered the importance of education, not seeing it as an individual need like most other countries do, but as a country’s need for prosperity. Then, with the quality of public services, and particularly the extraordinary level of service of public transportation. For example, it is amazing to see how the rail reaches so many small communities and the opportunity it brings to them—and of course …. HSL continues to amaze me every day! Beyond these systems, I’ve been deeply amazed by the values of the society, I want to highlight the kindness, respectfulness and humbleness of Finns and the horizontality of society. The level of honesty and social equality I’ve witnessed here is unlike anything I’ve seen before, and I will say this is one main reasons I decided to stay in Finland.
”I think Finland has mastered the importance of education, not seeing it as an individual need like most other countries, but as a country’s need for prosperity.”
But of course, it hasn’t all been easy on this journey. I’ve faced challenges along the way. While it’s remarkable how accessible Finland is in English, finding a suitable master’s thesis opportunity in English was a real struggle. I had from August to December to find a project and those four months of searching were tough — attending every job fair, sending countless messages online, and facing the language barrier when trying to get involved in projects. By December, my energy for searching was low and I was ready to leave for an opportunity abroad. And then, at the last moment, the opportunity at WSP came up, and it was one of those opportunities that I really felt was meant for me and sure it was. The opportunity involved working for Itärata, the high-speed rail project in the East of Finland, and the aim was to understand how the speed shaped the infrastructure and rolling stock in the harsh context Finish weather conditions and uniqueness of Finnish rail infrastructure. I really liked the idea of working for this mode of transport that was new to me in the working field. Also, I liked the method of research which focused on conducting interviews and having to think in systems. I also connected immediately with the WSP team, and that opportunity allowed me to stay in Finland. During the study I learned so much about rail, and Finnish railways, I met incredible experts in the field and became passionate about this mode of transportation, from its planning to the design and its operations.
And this is a bit how I got here today, and I want to thank everyone who supported me on this journey, because I think I have done a lot to make it where I am, but it has also been possible because of the support of the network that surrounds me, my family, friends, professors, colleagues and WSP.
As we continue our journeys as consultants, let’s continue doing great things in Finland, questioning the status quo of today, and looking outside to understand trends and bring the best innovative solutions for tomorrow, while always remembering to keep people in the center.
But additionally, I want to strongly encourage you to realize just how exceptional things are here. From the way you work — with a healthy work-life balance and respectful discussions — to the way you plan and design, Finland sets an example for the world. Let’s show the world how things can be done with equality and humans in the center. I encourage to take pride in what Finland has to offer and to export this incredible Finnish knowledge to every part of the world. Trust me — the world can learn a lot from it.
Writer: Florencia Bigatti, SKOL Young Consultant of the Year 2024