Santeri Katainen advocates for awareness of adult learning difficulties in Finland’s workforce

Santeri Katainen, an automation engineer, was diagnosed with reading difficulties during his elementary school years. Despite this challenge, he has excelled in both his studies and professional life. Katainen is among the estimated 600,000 working-age adults in Finland whose inadequate foundational skills hinder their ability to learn new things, according to data from the Association of Different Learners (EOL), which is based on OECD research.

In his role as a support service specialist, Katainen helps clients in the packaging industry troubleshoot issues with packaging automation. Given the variety of systems developed over different eras, his work requires familiarity with diverse setups. He discusses receiving phone calls during problematic situations, emphasizing that much of his work involves navigating various text documents.

When applying for his current position, Katainen wrestled with whether to disclose his reading difficulties to potential employers. Ultimately, he decided to be upfront about it, believing the matter would inevitably arise. He notes that some employers may still harbor outdated views regarding learning disabilities, which can prevent affected individuals from fitting the mold of an ideal employee. However, he argues that learning difficulties do not inherently affect a worker’s abilities or efficiency.

Over the years, Katainen has developed strategies to assist him in his work, such as using visual aids and color coding to organize information. He also utilizes search functions in lengthy documents to better digest key contents.

Riikka Marttinen, a specialist in learning tools at EOL, states that learning difficulties—such as dyslexia—are often mistakenly viewed as concerns relevant only to children or students. In reality, these challenges persist into adulthood and can surface, particularly in more independent work or training environments. Marttinen stresses the importance of recognizing individual strengths and accommodating different learning styles within the workplace.