Interview with Wirnida, Joshua and Trevor – our new team members for the summer

What made you interested in working in Northern Europe?

“When I was told by my boss that there was an opportunity to work in Northern Europe for the summer, I replied straight away that I was interested. I worked with Juuso from CT Finland when he was in Australia, and he was telling me all about Finland. I expected to work, learn and see how they do things on this side of the world as well as do some exploring on my down time.” – Joshua

“I was stoked and jumped at the opportunity to travel across the globe and work on jobs where I believe I can learn a lot from. I have not had the chance to travel to Finland before and I was excited to explore a new place and see how different it is from working in Australia. I did expect to face some challenges in terms of not understanding Finnish. However, the crew have been helpful and I have managed to get through the various jobs at the same time, learning how the system works over here.” – Wirnida

What has your work included in Finland?

“Working in Finland has been amazing and l have been more than happy to be here. l am part of the video department as an LED system technician and l have been part of a few shows/festivals, for example the Apulanta concert in Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Sauna Open Air and Ilosaarirock.” – Trevor

“My work included building the LED backdrop in the stadium and operate the robo cameras on show days. I have had the privilege of working on a few big concerts at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. I was excited when I arrived at the stadium as it was massive and I have not had the chance to do any event at such a huge scale. I was excited to be there and got into the role straight away. In Perth, the department I work in, does a lot of sporting events. I have not been part of a production team that does large scale concerts. It was definitely an amazing experience! One of the best things would definitely be operating three or four robo cameras for three different stadium sized concerts.” –Wirnida

How did the event technology and events differ from your home country?

“The Finnish crew were friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Everything was well organised and I was given a lot of information and told what was expected each event day. In Finland the warehouse and procedures are obviously better setup for colder weather. Also with CT having different branches in Europe and it all being so close, they can pool the equipment together which makes the amount of gear available and the speed it can move around hard to beat.” – Joshua

“One of the things that l love is the chance to work with new equipment, a whole different system on how to do a set up and load out. The new equipment has always got me feeling like a kid in a candy store, for example with the new ROE products we work with. My eyes literally light up when it all comes together and the show is up and running.” – Trevor

How have you spent your time outside of work?

“After our first show we were treated with a traditional sauna which was a great experience. In Helsinki we also visited the local event tech bar that is a bar full of old equipment. I tried local food including moose and reindeer. I plan on going to see the countryside on my next break.” – Joshua

“I love exploring new places every time I get an opportunity. I enjoy getting a cup of coffee in the city centre and walking along the market square. I have also had the opportunity to visit Suomenlinna in Helsinki and it was just breathtaking.” – Wirnida

“I take occasional walks around just to see the nature or better yet l try out local restaurants to taste new meals. I have been enjoying the fact that the sun hardly sets and it’s just magical for me as in Africa the sun sets very very early. l experience new things everyday from the rich diverse culture, and how they accommodate people from different backgrounds.” -Trevor