1. Please briefly introduce yourself and your current job
Hi, I am Soila Lemmetty, an adult educator and researcher at the University of Eastern Finland, within the Department of Education and Psychology. My research focuses on adult learning, creativity, and innovation in the workplace. I lead the "Continuous Learning in the Workplace" research group and the EDLI (Employee-driven Learning and Innovation) research project funded by the Academy of Finland. This project aims to enhance understanding of the connections, prerequisites, and consequences of learning and innovation processes in the contexts of technology and police work. I earned my PhD in Adult Education from the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the University of Jyväskylä in 2020. My doctoral research centered on self-directed workplace learning in technology-based work environments. Currently, I am visiting the University of Stuttgart and ENI for two weeks with the aim of learning more about innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as working on joint research articles with my collaboration partners.
2. How did you get involved in innovation research?
Adult education is a broad and multifaceted field, where adults are seen as developing, learning, and creative agents in various contexts. Studies indicate that workplaces are a central learning environment for adults. I have been intrigued by the question of why and how adults learn at work. A key observation is that learning often occurs in the workplace, particularly in creative problem-solving and development situations. Therefore, innovation activities in everyday work appear as a crucial platform for the continuous learning of adults in their jobs.
I approach innovation as processes and outcomes constructed through human activities, attitudes, and skills. I particularly see group-level diversity, knowledge sharing, and collaborative learning as essential foundations for sustainable innovations that also produce social and human value. Developing such innovations is a process that spans the entire organization, requiring workplace pedagogy, appropriate support, guidance, and leadership.
3. What tip would you give to students who are enthusiastic about founding a company or who have already got some creative idea and would be interested in leading it to innovation?
All people are inherently capable of learning and being creative. In the right environment, through constructive interaction with diverse individuals, and with belief in your own capabilities, it is possible to create something significant and useful. Small ideas can evolve into substantial concepts, and the more perspectives you can gather or view these concepts from, the more multifaceted, impactful, and sustainable the outcomes can be. Innovation is about learning, which involves self-efficacy—belief in one's abilities and the capacity to develop them—as well as the support and opportunities provided by the environment. Courage, willingness to take risks, and the joy of learning are excellent foundations for harnessing creativity into innovation.
Contact
Hanna Dewes
Research Associate