Fresh home furnishing ideas and affordable furniture - IKEA
Samuel Blom
Operator, IKEA Industry
“I see how working and learning bring people together.”
How did you get started in IKEA and what have you done so far?
I started with a summer job. From that I was offered a permanent contract. They taught me about the production line in more detail and now I run one of the big presses. That’s a lot of responsibility. I have to make sure everything is working well and ensure safety.
Why did you want to work with IKEA?
I was interested in IKEA because of the opportunities. For example, I’ve had the chance to get training and education in safety and security and then share that knowledge with my colleagues. It was really fun to train other co-workers.
What are the most inspiring responsibilities or tasks you have in your current role?
I think that I get the most energy from knowing that we are at the heart of the operations in our company. We are in the middle of it, so we have to be able to identify any problems. I started without much knowledge about machinery, but now I get to learn about it. I’ve learned very much from the people around me. I’ve learned about mechanics and how things work. Lots of days I learn new stuff. We operate a very large scale. It’s a lot to take in because it’s so much.
What advice would you give someone thinking about this job?
The best advice is that if you are willing to work and if you want to make a good effort you can learn and grow a lot. The co-workers are inspiring and helpful. They want to teach you. They take the time for you. If you want the answers they will show you and tell you. That was a good thing for me. I like to ask questions and they took the time.
What is your favourite aspect of the IKEA culture and values?
I want to develop. I want to be a better operator than I was yesterday. I’m still really new, but I’m starting to understand and know more. And I get to train people. I also have opportunities to develop in other ways. My dream is to work with security and training people is one step. It’s a big company, so you have a lot of opportunities. Human resources is very open to show different jobs. Even if you start as an operator, you can expand. You can try different things. Managers are not above us. They treat us as equals. That’s a new experience for me.