Logistics – new Abilympics skill showing excellence, competence, courage and industry understanding
Logistics is one of the three new skills in the Abilympics competition. In Finland, Logistics has been part of the Taitaja national skills competition for several years as a TaitajaPLUS skill for students with special needs. Henry Mäkinen, an experienced logistics professional who has been involved in organising skills competitions, shares his insights into the Logistics skill, his experiences in organising competitions, and what participating can offer competitors.
Henry Mäkinen
- Warehouse and Customer Relations Manager, retired (47 years in working life)
- During the career worked as employee representative, health and safety representative, and trainer in safety, forklift operation and company induction. A total of 36 years in logistics at Fazer Confectionery.
- In TaitajaPLUS Logistics skills: judge, organiser, and partner in 2023; judge in 2025; and member of the jury in 2026.
The Logistics skill in brief
The Logistics skill covers the reception and storage of items, collection and shipping of items, inventory and stock management and forklift driver tasks. A professional in logistics should understand about storage economy and its effects on company economy, as well as the basics about international material distributions.
Logistics, together with the two other new Abilympics skills – Property Management and Business – represents an expansion of the competition’s scope and reflects the evolving demands of modern industries and vocational excellence.
Entering the world of skills competitions
“Hello, Henry Mäkinen. What? Me?” Of course – there’s always something new to learn.
That was my reaction when I was contacted about writing this blog post. Thank you for trusting that this old-timer in the logistics world could be brought out to write his first-ever blog.
My personal involvement in the Logistics skill as a vocational skills competition discipline began in 2023, when I learned more about the annual Finnish national skills championships Taitaja. They serve as a showcase for vocational education and excellence. My memory was hazy at first, but my eldest son, Tino, reminded me he had competed in Autobody Repair. Sorry, Tino!
The TaitajaPLUS Logistics skill moved me deeply, as I have worked in logistics for a long time and because TaitajaPLUS skills are designed for students with special needs. The competition tasks are made as clear as possible, and the competition duration is slightly shorter. In TaitajaPLUS skills, competitor’s special needs are taken into account, yet the tasks still aim to meet qualification and working-life requirements.
Logistics in competition settings
In 2023, I had the opportunity to organise the TaitajaPLUS P5 Logistics semi-final and final in a real working environment. That year marked a historic milestone: for the first time in over 30 years of Taitaja, a competition was held in a genuine workplace setting. We did not suspend warehouse operations for the competition – instead, the competitors completed their tasks while real forklift traffic moved around them.
To me, it is important that future or already experienced logistics professionals have the chance to compete in as authentic an environment as possible. This way, they see how logistics truly operates during the competition itself. Even skilled individuals may struggle to land their first job without experience, but I hope the Abilympics encourages everyone to believe in themselves and take part – proving to themselves that they can succeed in any field.
Courage, commitment and learning
Although competing is one motivation, we are not only looking at the results. Above all, we value the work, courage and learning that competitors demonstrate. The competitors are the heart of these events. Each of them has accepted the challenge, trained, focused, and is giving their very best.
The Abilympics Helsinki 2027 competition features more than 40 different skills, showcasing a wide range of talent, and every competitor has both the right and the opportunity to demonstrate their strengths in their chosen field.
In the skills competitions where I have served as a judge or organiser, I have witnessed successes, learning new things, and also moments where stopping, rethinking and moving on has been necessary. Mistakes happen, but they are human. “A mistake is a gift”, and those moments often offer the richest learning.
Why should you take part in the Abilympics?
By participating, you build your professional identity for the future, demonstrating your skills on an international stage. You also promote equality and show the value of your professional expertise in logistics.
So why not? Could this be your opportunity to shine and prove that your talent and competence have no limits? It is worth thinking about, and even more worth trying.
Encouraging words to all potential competitors: take on the challenge – you can do it!
