Micah Laban’s internship at Ponsse

Originally published in PONSSE NETWORK BULLETIN 30/2015, reposted with permission

Micah Laban from Finlandia University, Michigan, USA is completing his Ponsse internship in Vieremä. Einari Vidgrén Foundation granted scholarship to Finlandia University in May 2015.

Finlandia University, named Suomi College at the time, was founded in 1896 as a place for Finnish settlers to educate their children, maintain their culture and religion, and to provide work opportunities in America. Finlandia is located in the small city of Hancock in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The Upper Peninsula has a long history of mining and lumber camps that over the past centuries have attracted immigrants from all over the world, especially from Finland.

Micah enrolled at Finlandia University in the Fall of 2011 and chose to concentrate in Business Management and Entrepreneurship. During his time at Finlandia, Micah has met many wonderful people from around the world, including many from Finland, played 4 years of college soccer, and had an overall experience that has shaped him into the person he is today.

Micah first met Juha in 2014 when he gave a presentation about Ponsse at Finlandia University. He was excited to learn about Ponsse and how it started. Soon after the presentation, Micah heard from the Dean of the Business School that an internship with Ponsse is opening up and that they are now accepting applicants. He applied for the internship because of how great of an opportunity it was. What was most exciting for him was the opportunity to go to Rhinelander WI and to finally travel to Finland and learn more about the country, visit friends and family, and become a part of the Ponsse Family.

His internship started in Gladstone, MI where he began researching for a customer map and also assisted with a film project for Ponsse. For the second week, Micah was in Rhinelander, WI where he finalized the customer map.

Micah arrived in Vieremä on May 27th and has decided to work with the marketing and communications team at Ponsse. He will continue his work with the customer map but will also be experiencing all aspects of the company, including traveling for a week to Sweden for the SkogsElmia logging fair in Jönköping.

Micah is greatly enjoying his time here at Ponsse and has experienced wonderful hospitality. He is excited for the upcoming weeks of his internship.

• Learn more about Ponsse
• Read about the Ponsse chairman Juha Vidgrén’s visit to Finlandia in September 2015