With Ombrelossa, you can go from business administration graduate to occupational therapist – with your employer’s support

Sanna Kuusisaari has worked at Ombrelo since 2015. A self-proclaimed eternal student, Sanna has already had several careers. She worked for a long time as a laboratory nurse at Seinäjoki Central Hospital before studying to become a business administration professional. In 2015, Sanna started at Ombrelo in administration, where her duties included invoicing, payroll calculation, and other administrative tasks.

“In that role, I took part in Ombrelo’s weekly meetings, where I heard about interesting client cases. I often found myself thinking about how the clients could be helped. Eventually, the idea of going back to studying started to take shape,” Sanna explains.

Sanna went on to study occupational therapy. Because of her previous studies and work experience, she was able to get some courses accredited. This meant her studies lasted 2.5 years instead of the usual 3.5.

“I studied alongside my full-time job, and Ombrelo was incredibly flexible. For example, I was able to attend lectures held during the day, as long as I got my actual work done. Our work community was also very encouraging. I’ve now worked as an occupational therapist at Ombrelo for about a year.”

Listening is an occupational therapist’s superpower

Sanna mainly works with child clients. In her work, she supports clients with various challenges that can make everyday activities difficult. These can include things like eating, washing, or getting dressed. Occupational therapy is also beneficial for people who have difficulties with emotional and social skills or challenges with concentration.

“Clients’ challenges are very diverse. The most important skill in client work is listening. Sessions are always planned in advance, but those plans may change, especially when working with children. So flexibility is an asset, and it’s important to go into each session with an open mind, ready to tune in to how the client is feeling that day.”

When the client is a child, collaboration also involves the family and the daycare center or school. Strong collaboration skills are therefore essential in occupational therapy work.

Ombrelo gives employees both responsibility and freedom

Over the course of her career, Sanna has worked for both public and private employers. The biggest difference between her previous employers and her current one is the level of freedom.

“At Ombrelo, you have a lot of flexibility to organize your own schedule and to work remotely if your role allows it. I also appreciate our low hierarchy. It’s great to be able to quickly discuss ideas with Nina (Ombrelo’s founder) as soon as they come up. Information also flows faster in a smaller organization. I’m happy to give my best when I know that I’m trusted,” Sanna concludes.