Construction Manager Jussi has a knack for leadership – “The Jokeri Light Rail project was unique”

The practical nature of the work is one of the many things Jussi Silvo finds fascinating about the construction industry. He also feels that the construction industry offers an excellent opportunity to make a difference. 
 
Jussi has now worked for us as a Construction Manager for a few months. He is in charge of the project as a whole, in other words supervising the procurement of the project and the implementation in line with the objectives. 
 
“At the moment, I’m learning about the tendering and procurement phase. My previous experience includes working on and managing the implementation phase.” 
 
As a Construction Manager, Jussi leads a team of 15 specialists, including site engineers and foremen. 
 
“I ensure that they are able to manage their duties and that they know what is expected of them. I monitor the realisation of the objectives, maintain and update a coordinated view of the project and carry out the necessary, site-related measures accordingly.”

A knack for leadership

The title of Construction Manager is perfect for Jussi as leadership comes quite naturally to him. His strengths include great communication skills. 
 
“I’m strongly oriented towards project management in my work. I enjoy working with people. I focus on listening and understanding. I try my best to communicate my message clearly,” says Jussi. 
 
As a manager, Jussi wants to be consistent and dependable. He also wants to treat his subordinates fairly, be worthy of their trust and promote open discussion.

On the other side of the table

Jussi is a construction engineer by training. 
 
“I graduated from the university of applied sciences in 2015. If you include apprenticeship training, I’ve already spent a decade working in this industry,” he says. 
 
Before his career in YIT, Jussi worked for a consultancy firm, developing a tram project for a client organisation. 
 
He ended up at YIT in the autumn of 2018 as the company was searching for workers for another major tram project: the Jokeri Light Rail. 
 
“It felt natural to join the project. I was able to apply the skills I’d learned in the tram project on the other side of the table, working for the constructor. The Jokeri Light Rail was an interesting project that gave me the chance to learn new things, try my hands at all kinds of work and meet new people,” says Jussi. 
 
Initially, Jussi worked for us as a project engineer. 
 
“I worked in that position for about six months. After that, I worked as a site manager for three and a half years. Then, I took up my current title of Construction Manager.” 
 
Jussi enjoyed working as a site manager, as the job description and area of responsibility were clearly outlined.

Wide-ranging competence with Jokeri Light Rail

Jussi describes the Jokeri Light Rail project as unique, and explains that it contained an abundance of new information, competence, different design disciplines, jobs and people as well as multiple client organisations. In the Jokeri Light Rail project, he worked in a total of three roles. 
 
“First, I worked on the contract documentation in the development phase, then directed one of the construction sites as the area manager and then took over an entire section. The Jokeri Light Rail project was an excellent learning opportunity because there were so many people above and below me as well as at the same level, meaning that there was much more peer support compared to smaller projects,” says Jussi. 
 
He wants to emphasise that light rail and tram projects are nationally significant and that the inconvenience of their construction phase is very brief compared to the positive long-term impact. 
 
“The Jokeri Light Rail, for example, has made the lives of half a million people trickier during the construction, but in the end, it will make the lives of hundreds of thousands of people easier for decades and centuries. Infrastructure provides the foundation for a truly functional society,” explains Jussi.

Great supervisors and opportunities

At YIT, Jussi has been particularly pleased with the extremely clear roles and duties at construction sites. 
 
“I’ve always had great supervisors at YIT who have encouraged open discussion. YIT really listens to the workers and trusts people’s competence. They also offer opportunities and chances to prove yourself, which has been a big plus,” says Jussi. 
 
In his free time, Jussi engages in hobbies to balance out his working life. He spends time with his family, enjoys nature, likes to cook and plays various instruments, such as the piano, drums and guitar. 

 
His sports hobbies range from jogging to floorball and boxing. 
 
“I also travel a lot, both in Finland and abroad. I like to see the world and meet people.”