Janika Ohtonen leads an active life in Kajaani. A rewarding job and the inspiring activities of the Youth Chamber of Commerce have inspired her to settle in Kajaani, where she has plenty of time for self-improvement through her studies alongside her job.
Janika grew up in the village of Otanmäki in Kajaani and moved to the city centre as a young adult. In upper secondary school, she went to Oklahoma, USA, as an exchange student.
“It felt really good to come back to Kajaani. Being an exchange student was a great experience, but it made me see how well everything works here – all the services, schools and health care.”
Janika has enjoyed living in Kajaani. Everything is conveniently close by in the city. Janika’s commute is only a couple of hundred metres and takes just a few minutes a day. But the most important reason she has stayed is having a rewarding job. Currently, Janika works for Rainmaker at Finnair’s customer service centre in Kajaani, where all the airline’s customer services have been centralised. Janika has enjoyed her job very much.
“The work culture is fair, and the team is very friendly. We have a say in how we do our work, as long as we get the job done.”
The Youth Chamber of Commerce activities anchored Janika to Kajaani
Kajaani has an active Youth Chamber of Commerce. Janika acted as its Chairperson in 2021. The Kajaani Youth Chamber is education-focused: its award-winning training activities include local, regional and international training and a wide range of instructors.
A good example of the Kajaani Youth Chamber’s activities is the Kainuu Sustainability Week (Kestävä Kainuu). The members of the Chamber organised a week-long programme and got to learn about project work and event organisation at the same time. Sales and establishing partnerships were an important part of the practical arrangements for the event.
“We aim to have a positive impact on society. The Kainuu Sustainability Week highlighted how sustainability can be incorporated into everyday life in Kajaani, without assigning blame and by looking for alternatives. Kajaani offers a lot of opportunities, and it really feels like you can make a difference here.”
There is also an active political scene in Kajaani, but the politically independent Youth Chamber of Commerce has been closer to Janika’s heart.
Living and studying in the heart of the city
Janika lives in the heart of Kajaani. Life downtown is comfortable – the city’s offerings are right on your doorstep: all the cafés and restaurants are nearby, as are the cinema and other venues. It’s easy to go out and spend time with your friends and partner.
Even though there is no university in Kajaani, it is still easy to take university courses. Janika is a distance student of administrative sciences at the University of Eastern Finland.
“Kajaani has an absolutely fantastic open university and a summer university at the Kainula Learning Centre.”
Through Kainula, you can study a wide range of subjects from management to nutrition. Thanks to the wide range of courses on offer in Kajaani, you can make headway in your studies even before you get a study place.
“In Kajaani, I have time to develop myself and my skills.”
Kajaani has everything you need. Janika praises the city’s winter sports facilities, but she is particularly proud of the people. The atmosphere in Kajaani is comfortable and natural.
“From experience, I can say that the people here are conscientious and honest. They get things done, and being dependable is a given.”
The well-managed and welcoming city is constantly evolving. The urban environment has been improved in recent years with lighting and park improvements. “There’s a real focus on residents’ enjoyment in living here, you can tell.”
Janika OhtonenKajaani offers a lot of opportunities, and it really feels like you can make a difference here.”
