In last year’s sustainability report, we wrote about our approach to leadership training. Since then, we have hired a dedicated People Development Manager who is responsible for overseeing competence mapping and development in the organisation. Sustaining and developing Brunvoll’s learning culture supports our strategic goals as well as individual professional development goals.
For this year’s report, we would like to share Erik Evensen’s story. Erik started his Brunvoll career as an automation apprentice in September 2020. In 2023 he was appointed Supervisor of Brunvoll’s Electrical Assembly Department. Aged 21, he was our youngest manager ever. How did this remarkable story unfold?
“I originally wanted to become a Service Technician”, Erik explains, “and that is how I became interested in working at Brunvoll. It sounded exciting to have a job that involved a lot of travelling and varied workdays. So, when considering various professional options after high school, I was offered a work placement opportunity at Brunvoll. After that experience, my ambition was to become an apprentice. I was offered an apprenticeship, and at first, I spent a year and a half in the Electrical Assembly Department where I earned my trade certificate as an Automation Technician. I really enjoyed my time there. It was a good learning environment, and I made a lot of friends.”
It is not uncommon to combine two certifications in one apprentice period at Brunvoll, and Erik started working on obtaining his second trade certificate as an Industrial Mechanic right away. At this point, he no longer wanted to become a Service Technician but had started playing with the idea of continuing his education at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). But after he sent in his application, a position as supervisor of our Electrical Assembly Department was vacant.
“I talked to my managers, and they agreed I should apply for the position. So, I applied and at the end of the recruitment process I ended up getting the offer. Becoming a supervisor wasn’t really my plan, but when the opportunity came, I decided to take it and invest in a career here at Brunvoll. In the beginning, I had a two-month overlap with my predecessor and I was closely followed up by my manager. We mapped out a plan for my onboarding and had weekly check-ins, but I quickly realised that the best approach was to carve my own path and find my own way of doing things. After all, not everything can be taken from a template—you must find your own footing. So, I set up most of it independently, but of course, with solid support from my manager.”
At this point, Erik was 21 years old and responsible for over 20 employees—many of whom were his friends. He says he was aware that people might have had various thoughts and opinions about his success but was relieved to experience nothing but support and positive feedback. The overall impression was that both acquaintances and colleagues found it exciting and positive that Brunvoll dared to bet on someone so young.
You might think that this is the end of the story, but Erik never abandoned the idea of pursuing further education, and Brunvoll did not want to stand in his way.
“It was tempting to continue studying and build on the foundation I had from my trade certificate. So, after spending a year as a supervisor, I started looking into the possibility of attending a Technical College and pursuing additional education without becoming a full-time student. I enjoy my job and want to continue working while also expanding my education. So, I decided to apply for a part-time program in Automation at a Technical College, which I’ll be doing over the next three years. There are online lectures all day every Thursday, along with a lot of assignments and self-study. I discussed the matter with my manager when I applied, and we agreed that since the lecture schedule is fixed every Thursday, it would be very predictable for Brunvoll. We sat down and made a plan, and now I have a leave of absence every Thursday to study.”
“Ever since Erik started as an apprentice with us, we saw him as a great individual—keen, capable, and dedicated to his work. He has consistently received positive feedback from his supervisors. Regarding recruitment, Brunvoll focuses on finding the right candidate for the role. In Erik, we saw potential and leadership qualities that we truly believed in. The fact that he didn’t have 20 years of experience and wasn’t already moulded into a set way of thinking was something we found exciting. His maturity, combined with his youthful drive, makes for a fantastic combination. In an innovative environment like our electro assembly division, having a young, skilled, and ambitious leader like Erik is incredibly inspiring,” says Knut Ola Tverdal, COO at Brunvoll.
Erik’s journey is a testament to what can happen when talent, ambition, and the right opportunities align. At Brunvoll, we take pride in fostering an environment where employees can grow, take on new challenges, and shape their own careers. Whether it’s through hands-on experience, leadership opportunities, or further education, we believe that investing in people is the key to long-term success—for both the individual and the company. Erik’s story is just one example, but it reflects a core part of our culture: when you’re willing to learn and take initiative, the possibilities are endless.
