Laura Tikkanen
Competitor in Skill: Restaurant Service
Country: Finland
How did you get interested in your skill?
I graduated from comprehensive school and wanted to work with people. Also I wanted to go upper secondary so I choose them both. Also my mother has been in same school when she was young. But it wasn¨t the main reason why i choose this school more like a coincidence.
Where did you do your training for your skill?
I´m working and training at several restaurant in Kuopio. Also I participate every restaurant service competition in Finland. I practice my technical skills for example carving and bar skills at my vocational school 3 or 4 time a week and I use my spare time to do research and for example fold napkins.
How did you first find out about your Member organization and its programs?
My teacher asked me to train to the national skills competition Taitaja and i wanted to try. After that she asked me and my classmate to participate to pair competition and little bit later i found myself middle of WSC training team.
Who influenced you to pursue your skill as a career?
My mother has graduated from same school as me but it was my own choice to study hotel-,restaurant- and catering area. Of course my coach/teacher and my expert are so supporting and nice persons without them I probably would not be going to Brazil
What is your experience in participating with your Member organization?
Everytime competitions are exciting and gives me new opportuniteis to be better than before. I have noticed that i challenge myself over and over again and my ambitiousness grown slowly.
Describe your most memorable moment so far with WorldSkills?
Moment when I realized that I´m the one who represent Finland in restaurant service and I´m doing that in Brazil. It was little bit of shock but good one.
Describe what your experience has been since your involvement with WorldSkills.
3 to 4 time a week in school only technical training, 3 time a week at work usually on weekends and self-reliant practice almost every night before i go to sleep I fold my 10 napkins or do mental training. My training has been very open and nobody has not told me how to do self-reliant practice so I can affect to my training project.
Did participating in the skills competitions and training for WorldSkills help you progress in your skill? Please describe.
Yes it does all the time. Now i understand better how everytihing is began. And I can learn those thing whitch are very rare in restaurants nowdays. For examble flaméeing, carving and assebling etc. are usually already done in kitchen but this training gives me opportunity to learn it even if i dont´t use it in work.
What do you currently do? Where do you work?
I graduate from Savo Vocational college Hotell-, restaurant- and catering and Siilinjärvi´s upper secondary school in May 2015. I´m working at restaurant Kummisetä in Kuopio
What are your future career aspirations?
I want to travel so I´m looking for a job abroad. Also I continue my studies and spring 2016 I could be graduated from specialist qualification for bartenders.