Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Jero Miettinen and I work as a production supervisor at Posti. I have 16 years of experience in managerial positions.

What made you interested in studying at the Open University?
When I was younger, I didn't experience studying as my own, but rather learned more through practical work. It wasn't until I was around 40 that I started trying out studying, first completing a specialized professional degree in management and business administration. It sparked a new spark for studying.

After this, I ended up going through many twists and turns to get a basic degree in security. The education itself was good, but it no longer offered me enough challenge or new things to learn. At the same time, I received a message from my trade union, Pro, that they support the studies at the Open University.

Why did you choose to study psychology?
In my working life, I have learned a lot about people through practice. I have always been interested in human behavior and have wondered why people act the way they do. After receiving good results from my team in personnel surveys, I started thinking about how I could understand people more deeply and at the same time develop professionally.

Psychology is the result of long reflection and at the same time the sum of coincidences. When I saw psychology in the Open University's study offerings, it felt like the pieces had fallen into place.

How have your studies been going?
The study has been smooth and exciting, as I have always known what I was doing and why. It has been rewarding to see how many things I had observed in my work and about which I had already “knew” are now supported by a theoretical basis and explanation.

The course is well structured. I felt that there were enough tutoring hours, and they covered everything that was important in an understandable way. Special mention and warm regards to my tutor Venla, who is an absolute top expert!

What goals do you have regarding your studies?
My trade union Pro made it possible for me to start my studies by telling me about the support of the Open University. I originally set out to test whether my own skills and “bits” were enough for the university world. Today, I study both with a goal in mind and from a professional development perspective.

My employer has also been positive about my studies, because I can apply what I have learned directly to my everyday life. I want to develop into a better supervisor and understand people more deeply. At the same time, my future plans include delving even deeper into psychology, and I don't think completing a degree is an impossible idea.

Give five encouraging tips to someone who is considering starting their studies!

• If you notice that your evenings are spent scrolling through your phone or watching TV and the thought creeps into your mind that you could be using your time for something more meaningful, I recommend trying studying.
• I can promise that studying at 40 is, in a positive sense, completely different from studying at 20. The motivation is different, the learning is deeper, and things are directly connected to your own life, experience, and work.
• You may find that you already know the correct answer to many questions, even though you didn't previously know what the question was.
• It won't always be easy, and schedule pressure can get in the way. But remember that anything is possible when you make conscious choices, such as limiting your screen time a little and grabbing a real book instead.
• Perhaps the most important realization is that it's never too late to start. What once seemed like a distant idea can, at the right moment, become a completely natural part of life. If the subject interests you at all, that's enough to go a long way.

What new things have you realized thanks to your psychology studies?
I have learned and been able to utilize, for example, emotional regulation and emotional intelligence in my work. I have learned to understand the meaning of stress – what it is and where it comes from. Realizing these things has benefited not only myself but also the entire work community.

The way the world is going worries me greatly, but at the same time I also see something important in it. People are much more aware of their emotions these days than, for example, in my own childhood. Young people in particular are talking more openly about their own experiences, stress and moods these days. That makes studying psychology particularly exciting.

Although young people have a better ability to identify and verbalize their emotions, they have not yet accumulated the same amount of life experience. Understanding emotions is built through both knowledge and experience, and this is where studying brings depth. When recognizing emotions is combined with understanding why they arise and how they can be regulated, we begin to understand human behavior more holistically.

I believe that small actions have a big impact. If someone feels they can help someone even a little, it's worth doing. Often, it's those small actions that can have a surprisingly big impact. Through actions, we can together challenge the "big monster", i.e. mental health challenges, which affect more and more people.

Jero Miettinen

jero.miettinen@posti.com

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Author: Kristiina Hentunen