Caroline Ruohonen Sundberg

Caroline found her place in the industry

For a long time, Caroline saw herself as someone who would always work with people. But life took a different turn. After a few years in childcare, she decided to try something completely new – the industrial sector. What started as a step toward more balance in life led her to discover an entirely new side of herself: the joy of operating large machines. Today, Caroline works as a Production Planner at Proplate, and she describes her days as both eventful and full of challenges.

When did you start at Proplate, and what attracted you to the company?

“I started at Proplate in December 2019. I had always thought of myself as someone who should work with people, and I was working in childcare with very young children. The problem was that I never mentally stopped working, and in the long run it became too much. That’s why I decided to try something completely different – which led me to the industry. I got to drive tuggers and forklifts, with the goal of focusing on my own well-being and actually feeling finished for the day when the workday ended. But I discovered a side of myself I didn’t know existed: I really enjoyed driving large machines. So when the temporary position ended, I searched for other places where I could do something similar. I found Proplate’s website and sent in an open application. That led to a position here. I started out in logistics and shipping.” “I’ve realized that I still get to work with people – just in a different way than I originally thought. And that suits me perfectly.”

Jag upptäckte dock en sida av mig själv som jag inte trodde fanns och det var att jag tyckte det var så roligt att köra stora maskiner. Så när vikariatet var slut letade jag för fullt efter andra platser där jag kunde jobba med ungefär samma saker. Jag hittade Proplates hemsida och skickade in en intresseanmälan. Och den ledde till en anställning. Jag började min tid på Proplate på logistik och utleverans.

Jag har landat i att jag får jobba med människor på ett annat sätt än jag tänkte från början och det passar mig utmärkt.

What does a typical day look like for you?

“My days in planning are incredibly varied, so you really have to keep up with the pace. It’s an eventful job where a new plan may be needed several times a day. A lot of time is spent at the computer, but you also need to be very present in production. You can’t always plan your days down to the last detail, because things rarely turn out exactly as expected and urgent issues often arise.”

What’s been the best thing about working at Proplate?

“The best thing is that Proplate sees potential in people beyond their education or what’s listed on their CV. For me, that meant I was given the chance to try production planning even though I had no previous experience. I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

Is there a project you particularly remember?

“One project that was really exciting was when we worked on two bridge projects at the same time. There were countless details, from steel parts over 21 meters long to small pieces only 25 centimeters. When I saw the project plan, I thought: how is this going to work? It required a lot of hands-on involvement and close monitoring, but it was a lot of fun.” “And I’m still waiting for the day when a customer orders something in pink. The industry could definitely use a bit more color!”

Sen väntar jag fortfarande på den dagen som någon kund ska beställa någonting av oss som är rosa. Det behövs lite mer färg i industrin. 

What do you do in your free time?

“In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family. I also love baking.”

What’s something people might not know about you?

“Oh, I don’t think there’s much that nobody knows about me, I’m not very secretive. But I really enjoy singing. Unfortunately, I suffer from severe stage fright, so I don’t perform in front of people.”