Janne-Pekka Mäkinen’s Journey to Becoming an Energy Technology Expert – Serendipity, Lessons, and Life Realities

Sometimes career paths are shaped by carefully planned choices, and other times they evolve through a series of coincidences. Janne-Pekka Mäkinen’s story is a mix of both. Today, the 46-year-old Master of Science in Energy Technology has built a long career at Platom, and the journey to his current role has included international experiences as well as important insights into working life. 

From Student Years to Working Life 

Janne grew up on a farm in a small town, and from his high school years onward, he progressed quickly along his educational path: he completed upper secondary school in two years and graduated as a Master of Science in Engineering from the Helsinki University of Technology (now Aalto University) in three and a half years. Graduation was delayed by a year when he went to Switzerland for an internship. 

It was an eye-opening experience in many ways. I got to see how things are done abroad and how cultural differences influence working life. Even the way people talk about themselves and their work was very different compared to Finland, Janne recalls. 

By Chance to Platom 

After graduating, Janne looked for a job matching his education in the Mikkeli region and first ended up at Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences. He moved to Platom in 2005 when the company’s then-CEO, Miika Puukko, learned that Janne had done process modeling in Switzerland using the Apros software. Coincidentally, Apros and its applications had come up in a meeting between Miika and Fortum, and Fortum decided to try process modeling at Platom through a small project—trusting Janne’s expertise. 

Process modeling had never been done at Platom before, so this was a new business area. Just a couple of years later, Fortum offered a large modeling project in Sweden, and Janne ended up carrying out the work with support from Fortum’s experts. Fortum showed courage and confidence in Janne’s skills, even though he still had limited experience. 

Janne also tried leadership roles and even served as a member of Platom’s board, but quickly realized that wasn’t the right place for him. 

I understood that I enjoy working on customer projects more than administrative tasks. What motivates me most is the desire to help the customer to the best of my ability, Janne says. 

Lessons from Working Life and the Importance of Free Time 

Janne has largely stayed in the same role—working on tasks related to the operation and safety of nuclear power plants—throughout his 20-year career at Platom. He sees this both as his own choice and partly as a result of business decisions. Customer relationships bring depth and meaningful content to his work. 

Sometimes I wonder if I’ve settled into a familiar and comfortable role, but on the other hand, maintaining customer relationships shows that something has been done right. I’ve had the privilege of working with top experts who have supported and guided me. Almost my entire career at Platom, I’ve worked on projects where both the client’s side and my own team have included highly skilled professionals who also value human factors. I’ve always received support, advice, and understanding selflessly. I should always remember to thank those who deserve it, he reflects. 

There have been challenges too, especially in balancing work and free time. When younger, work easily took over, and other areas of life paid the price. The constant uncertainty of consulting work has also been something to get used to. Over time, balancing work and leisure has become easier, and hobbies provide a good counterbalance to expert work. 

I’ve learned that in working life, nothing is ever quite what it seems. Too often things are seen in black and white, and in the moment, you don’t fully grasp the bigger picture behind a decision. It’s better not to cling to everything or point out every flaw—selectivity and discretion go a long way, Janne laughs. 

In the big picture, using industry jargon as a bit of dry humor, you could say the spent fuel pool is getting full, so we either need to expand the pool or shut down the plant. More seriously, there are some interesting job opportunities possibly coming up, and my own future plans at Platom are closely tied to them, Janne reflects on his career outlook. 

In his free time, Janne enjoys hands-on tasks. His new motorcycle hobby and other motor vehicles in the household—from tractor to ATV—always require a bit of maintenance. The family’s three dogs make sure he doesn’t stay indoors for too long. 

We live deep in the countryside in Kangasniemi, and with our Alaskan Malamutes, Lara and Luna, and Australian Shepherd, Lumi, we spend a lot of time outdoors. Growing up on a farm taught me to do things myself. Working with my hands clears my mind and helps me recover so work thoughts don’t linger. My spouse and I also love traveling abroad, which is a great way to break away from everyday life, Janne says. 

A Realist’s Message to Those Dreaming of the Industry 

For young people aspiring to work in the field, Janne’s message is encouraging—without ignoring the realities. 

At the moment, employment prospects in the nuclear power industry are fairly good, and the sector is not very sensitive to economic cycles. On the downside, a single major mistake somewhere in the world could, in the worst case, mean a long halt for the entire industry, which would also affect new projects and job opportunities. There is, however, a lot of positive discussion about the future of the industry in public, he says. 

Maybe I’d tell that twenty-something engineering student not to stress and strive for perfection. Success in working life won’t be based on that. I’d probably say something else too, but let’s not write that down here, Janne adds with a smile.