Umicore is a global advanced materials and recycling group. Every day, more than 11,000 professionals around the world contribute their expertise and help us develop and share knowledge across borders. This spring, a four-person team from Umicore’s Kokkola plant headed to Poland on a work assignment, with the aim of supporting the launch of the new CAM plant by sharing Kokkola’s strong expertise. I spoke with Matias, Mico, Ilari, and Krzysztof to hear how their first months abroad have been.
How did the move and settling in abroad go?
We’ve been welcomed very warmly – thanks to our colleagues in Poland! Settling in and starting work went smoothly, as we received help with the move, and our apartments and cars were ready and waiting here.
At the factory in Poland, everything has been designed with future requirements in mind, and it has been fascinating to see how the industry is developing. We all have lunch in the workplace cafeteria, and the factory has its own gym, which is available to all employees. Shared moments during lunch breaks or after work help everyone feel part of the team, even in a new environment.
What is Poland like as a place to live?
There are many similarities to Finland, but also plenty of differences, and it has been really nice to get to know a new culture. Traffic is busier and faster-paced than in Finland, but it works well here. Polish people are excellent bakers, and a wide variety of cakes and pastries can be found almost everywhere.
English is not widely spoken, so we’ve also been trying to learn some Polish. Despite the language barrier, we’ve always managed to get by in every situation. We really enjoy living here, and Poland offers great opportunities both professionally and in everyday life.
What kind of experiences have you had in your free time?
We visited the large zoo in Wrocław, which has an impressive variety of animals as well as huge tropical aquariums. Part of the team also went on a skiing trip to the Czech Republic together with our Polish colleagues. The nature in Poland is beautiful, and bike rides and short trips to the mountains are great ways to spend weekends and recharge after work.
We are all really glad that we took on this opportunity offered by Umicore. Working abroad has enabled us to learn a great deal and, most importantly, to collaborate closely with colleagues and build strong connections across sites.
