Every summer Steerprop offers students the opportunity to merge their theoretical learning with practical application. In the summer of 2025, Lotta Saari, a 21-year-old geography student from the University of Eastern Finland, joined the company to gain hands-on experience and explore the maritime industry.
Originally from Rauma, Lotta now lives in Joensuu, where she is about to begin the third year of her studies in physical geography, with minors in geoinformatics and sustainable development. “After my second year at university, I hoped to find work that would connect to my field of study,” she explains. “I heard about the opportunity through my father, who had worked at Steerprop, and decided to contact my former supervisor. Luckily, there was a position available.”
Lotta joined the QHSE team, where her summer assignments included many tasks related to quality, health, safety and the environment. A significant part of her work involved manual calculations for carbon footprint assessments, giving her a chance to apply her university knowledge of sustainable development in practice.
“I hoped to be able to put what I had learned at university into use, and I definitely had the chance to do that,” she says.
While the maritime sector was not familiar to her beforehand, the summer opened her eyes to its complexity and importance. “I was positively surprised to learn how long-lasting the equipment is. The fact that the very first propulsion units are still in use and serviceable, even after operations in very challenging conditions, was really impressive.”
She highlights that the comprehensive onboarding and supportive team culture made adapting to new tasks easier. “In our QHSE team everything worked smoothly, communication was good, and it was always emphasized that you can ask whenever something is unclear.” One of the most memorable moments of the summer was attending her first Factory Acceptance Test. “Seeing the assembled machines in operation was fascinating.”
For Lotta, the summer was both rewarding and inspiring.
“The best part was learning completely new things and meeting professionals from different fields. And, of course, having fun colleagues who made sure there was never a dull day.”
The experience also sparked new ideas for her future. While she plans to continue her geography studies and graduate with a bachelor’s degree in spring 2026 and continue on with her master’s studies, she is now considering pursuing an engineering degree as well. “My interest in technology really grew during the summer, and I could definitely imagine returning to the maritime industry.”
Reflecting on her time at Steerprop, Lotta adds a final note of gratitude: “A special thank you to my supervisor and my colleague for the great opportunities and smooth cooperation, and to all my co-workers for making this summer such a valuable experience.”
Are you looking for a summerjob?
Check out our open summer job positions for 2026 here and apply!
