Henrietta, the story of a lengthy path to Woodworking
Woodworking has always been an area that I’ve been drawn to, but the path to pursuing it hasn’t been straightforward. It started as an admiration for the aesthetics of things made of wood and making and repairing wooden furniture by hand. Over time, it developed into a keen interest in wood as a material, its many benefits and possibilities and future wood machining technologies.
After earning my master’s degree in political science, I had studied woodworking in Omnia as a mere hobby alongside my job. However, I had to pause my studies when I had my first child. Returning to my old job after spending a couple of years at home taking care of my firstborn made it clear to me that I wanted to pursue a career in woodworking or the wood industry.
At that point, I still didn’t know how to transition from being an executive assistant in the investment sector to a professional in the wood industry. The thought of leaving my secure job at an investment company for something so uncertain seemed daunting. Moreover, job opportunities for even experienced carpenters and cabinet makers appeared limited in the Helsinki region. My perspective changed when, a week before my second child was born, I came across a magazine article about wood technology engineering. Intrigued, I immediately researched the field further and realized it was exactly what I wanted to do. At the same time, I worried it might be too late to embark on a new career path.
Fast forward a year and a half: I had turned forty and no longer had my secure job. I was at home with my second child, working part-time. Feeling lost in my professional life—or rather, because I didn’t really have one—I decided to visit my alma mater Omnia’s website to explore opportunities to continue my studies. To my surprise, I discovered a program that allowed students to complete courses in wood technology engineering at LAB University of Applied Sciences while earning a basic vocational degree at Omnia. After years of self-reflection, I decided to apply to Omnia to study woodworking, finish the studies I had started years earlier, and possibly pursue further education in the field.
With two small children and a mortgage, the decision was not made lightly. However, the staff and facilities at Omnia’s wood department are wonderful, as are the fellow students. Studying as an adult with like-minded people is such a privilege, even though it means living on a very tight budget. In addition to the encouraging atmosphere, Omnia has a modern five-axis CNC machine, one of the factors that drew me back to study woodworking. While I enjoy crafting and creating things by hand, I am also passionate about incorporating modern technologies into woodworking.
My vision became even stronger when I had the opportunity to do my internship at Wooden Oy, a company that strongly believes in advancing woodworking automation—not only in serial and custom production but also in restoration work. Wooden Oy was the same company I had discovered years earlier when I felt stuck at my old job and dreamed of one day working there. My experience there did not disappoint. I knew I was in the right place, surrounded by a visionary team also committed to sustainable development and educating future professionals.
Although I now know I’m on the right path, I also recognize that I still have a long way to go. I hope to graduate this year from Omnia, but it will take years to become a true professional in this field. I find great joy in doing what I love and studying subjects that genuinely interest me, but there are also moments of uncertainty. Will I succeed in this industry, and will I find my place in it? Despite these doubts, inspiration is everywhere: from beautiful wooden interiors to scientific research on the benefits of wooden materials, from CNC machining YouTube videos to news articles about innovative uses of wood-based materials to replace harmful ones. These inspirations keep me moving forward, even when self-doubt creeps in.
@Henrietta Wikström-Masar
