Three perspectives from Tieto Summer Trainees

What will you do in 4 months and 17 days on June 1, 2017?

Exactly a year ago, the three of us were in the same position as you. Based on our shared experiences, we’ve put our brains together and listed the main highlights of the past year.

Tieto is not only the largest domestic player in the Finnish IT sector; it’s also a truly global company, with branches as far afield as India. You’d probably be surprised at how often you use our services. So, what have we been a part of since last summer?

TUOMAS (Facility management)

Project Keilalahti

The job ad leaped out at me. The chance to work on Tieto’s new head office project sounded awesome, and I knew I had to apply. I’d heard that Tieto were moving their HQ to Espoo, but I never dreamed that I’d be involved in the heart of this move by summer. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell from a job description exactly what the position entails, but in this case my responsibilities were clearly outlined. Even so, I was surprised by the sheer breadth and complexity of such a large project.

My role

Firstly, I attended different meetings with various streams (such as Way of Working, ICT, Design, etc.). The approach was totally agile and responsive. The idea was to get involved in areas that I had expertise in – and also the areas that interested me the most. This was great, as I could genuinely impact what my role in the project would be. I ended up being heavily involved in planning and managing the installations and logistics of furniture, AV, and ICT.

In hindsight, it feels like I’ve been involved in nearly every aspect of the project in some way, which of course is a great experience. I’ve learnt so much. In the final stages, a hard hat and safety shoes became part of my work wear, as I spent most days at the construction site.

After the move was finally completed and my contract was coming to an end, I got the opportunity to extend my stay at Tieto and take a larger role in the expansion project to the neighbouring building. This project is currently moving at full steam ahead – and I’m enjoying every minute of it!

Work culture

The work culture here is actually very relaxed. It all boils down to what I’m doing or what phase of the project we are in. Days can sometimes last over 10 or 12 hours, so when I have a chance to get off early it’s smart to take that opportunity. I can plan my days and weeks based on what I need to accomplish, and how I do this is totally up to me. The project’s short and long-term goals really determine how I work; this requires flexibility. And the flexible approach goes both ways, which in my opinion is key.

JUHO (Sales)

Mentoring is crucial

Having a good mentor can make all the difference to your traineeship. I was very fortunate to be connected with not one but two mentors with unique skillsets (shout-outs to Bid Manager Johanna and Senior Sales Manager Leo). I can certainly say that they have had a lot to teach a junior sales person like myself.  Hopefully one day I’ll be able to share with others some of what I’ve learnt.

Increased responsibility, responsive leadership

My first month was spent learning the tools we have in use and getting to know the team. In the second month I got to assist the team in formatting the sales material. By the third month, I was offered a clear plan for the next six months. This was comprehensive, and included first sales cases and responsibilities. The method of gradually increasing the trainee’s responsibilities, while simultaneously giving support from multiple fronts, makes for a smooth transition to your full-time role.

When I expressed my interest in the area of software robotics, my supervisor Tiina took a note of this. Just two weeks later, I found myself in a related sales case, getting valuable hands-on experience and insight into the features and concepts that we’d been developing in-house.

Tieto Office standard work desk configuration

Modern working environment

I once came across this quote: “You spend most of your time in bed or wearing shoes – so invest in both.” I’d like to add a third part to this – working in an office. Your workspace can make or break your daily routine. So it’s reassuring that Tieto has invested a considerable amount of resources into its new HQ at Keilalahti. The standard workspace in Keila is pictured above. In addition, we work in a multi-purpose space. Here, you’re able to switch location to an area that best suits your needs. Complimentary fruit can be found in the lounge area – so no more donuts!

BIOGRAPHIES

Juho Salokangas
A tech-savvy digital native, Juho started his journey at Tieto as a Summer Trainee in May 2016. His prior studies in the area of International Business were spent at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Leipzig Graduate School of Management, and a home base at the University of Vaasa. Taking a train trip from Helsinki to Shanghai via Russia and Kazakhstan taught him how closely we are all connected, despite the initial perception of vast distances.

Tuomas Hakonen
Tuomas Haikonen joined Tieto as a Summer Trainee in May 2016, after returning to Finland from a semester in Aachen, Germany. Now in the final stages of his studies at Lappeenranta University of Technology (M.Sc. in Supply Management), he has been heavily involved in the Keilalahti head office project. He is currently focusing on the second phase of expansion to the AB building in Keilalahti.

Editorial note 7.3.2017: Outdated information removed.

Step 1: Graduate and start looking for a job. In a happy scenario your employer will support you to finish your studies while working. However, do graduate!

Step 2: Get the job. Your dream job? I looked for many aspects, and with Capgemini’s YPA program I was able to tick many things off my list. I didn’t choose my role, but the role was matched for me based on my characteristics. It turned out that the role I was the most interested in happened to best match my profile as well. So happy me! With YPA you can skip the traditional interviews and participate in a workshop instead.

Step 3: Start working. So now starts the interesting part. Is my life going to be nine to five, waking up to the same day, day after day? After student life it might feel horrible to wake up to an alarm clock every day and only have five weeks off per year. On the brighter side, you also get paid for it! If you like your job, you don’t even feel bad waking up and going to work to see your colleagues. I have a bunch of friends pursuing their careers and still maintaining that lifestyle they want, so it is possible.

Work itself has brought more responsibilities than I had in my previous summer jobs. This time I feel that I can really improve and develop my skills further. At work you have to be able to tolerate uncertainty and that the world is not black and white. Things taught at school might work or not work at all depending on the situation. One thing is sure, you will learn so much more than when in university. For me this was the best part: to move from theory to practice.

Step 4: Do have a life outside of work as well. I spent three years ticking things off my bucket list before I started my thesis and applied for a permanent job e.g. snowboarding one winter in Canada. It’s never too late or never too early to do things you like!

Marianne is finalizing her studies in the Information Networks degree programme at Aalto University and started working at Capgemini as a project manager in November 2016 through the Young Professionals Academy.

Kauppakorkeakoulun ura- ja rekrytointipalvelut keräävät opiskelijoilta jatkuvasti kiitosta, niihin ollaan hyvin tyytyväisiä. Palvelut toimivat esimerkillisesti: ne ovat monipuolisia ja resursoitu hyvin. Palautetta opiskelijoilta kerätään ahkerasti, ja sitä hyödynnetään toiminnan kehittämiseksi. Näillä perustein Kauppakorkeakoulun ura- ja rekrytointipalveluille myönnettiin joulukuussa 2016 opiskelijoiden Seal of Approval merkiksi mahtavasta käytännöstä Aalto-yliopiston sisällä.

”Sain töitä!”. ”Kiitos – valmistuin ja sain työpaikan, jonka hakemisessa preppasit ja autoit minua!” Tällaista palautetta saavat BIZ:in ura- ja rekrytointipalvelut opiskelijoilta. Palvelupaletti on laaja ja siihen sisältyy esimerkiksi: rahallisesti tuettua harjoittelua, henkilökohtaista neuvontaa, koulutuksia, laaja kattaus työelämätapahtumia, partneritoimintaa, Aalto CareerWeb ja paljon muuta.

Kauppiksen ura- ja rekrytointipalvelut on aloittanut toimintansa jo vuonna 1991. Toimintaa on kehitetty koko ajan. Uusia juttuja kokeillaan paljon, osa todetaan toimiviksi ja otetaan osaksi toimintaa, mutta ei-toimivat ideat uskalletaan hylätä. Opiskelijoilta kerätään palautetta kootusti, mutta myös jokaisen koulutuksen ja tilaisuuden lopuksi. Palautetta hyödynnetään, siitä viestitään asiakastyytyväisyyskoosteella ja kehitysehdotuksiin otetaan kantaa. Opiskelijaääntä kuullaan myös opiskelijaraadin kautta. Viestintään panostetaan paljon facebookissa, instagramissa ja sähköpostitse. Se on tavoittavaa. Koko Aallolle on Kauppiksen kautta tullut käyttöön CareerMail. Ura- ja rekrytointipalvelut toimivat samassa ulkoisten suhteiden yksikössä yritys- ja alumnisuhteiden kanssa, ja yhteistyötä tehdään myös mm. muiden yliopistojen kanssa verkostomaisesti. Riittävä resursointi ja koulun johdon tuki mahdollistavat ketterän toiminnan.

Lopulta hyvät urapalvelut mahdollistaa kuitenkin hyvät tyypit. Opiskelijat otetaan ura- ja rekrytointipalveluissa sydämellä vastaan. Neuvonta on henkilökohtaista. Toisaalta BIZ:in ura- ja rekrytointipalveluilla on hyvä alakohtainen tuntemus, ja läheistä yhteistyötä tehdään paljon kauppatieteilijöitä palkkaavien työnantajien kanssa. Työ on merkityksellistä, koetaan että sillä on merkitystä, minne ja miten oman koulun opiskelijat työllistyvät.

Ura- ja rekrytointipalvelut on laaja, pidetty ja toimivaksi todettu kokonaisuus. AYY kannustaa myös muita korkeakouluja benchmarkkaamaan rohkeasti parhaita käytäntöjä. Opiskelijat siirtyvät opintojensa jälkeen työelämään, joten uskaltanen väittää, että niihin resursointi on investointi, joka maksaa itsensä takaisin. Eikä vähntään tyytyväisinä ja työllistyneinä opiskelijoina.

Elli-Noora Kaurila

Tämä teksti on osa Työelämäblogi -sarjaa, jossa AYY:n yhteistyöyritykset kertovat toimialoistaan, toiminnastaan ja työllistymismahdollisuuksistaan.

The application period is now on for Vaisala’s summer internship program – Vaisala Giant Leap. We wanted to give you some insights about how those working closest with the Giant Leapers – their supervisors – feel about Giant Leap. We interviewed Vaisala’s Chief Strategy Officer Hannu Talvitie and Research & Development Manager Riku Hakala to share their Giant Leap memories.

The Giant Leapers’ supervisors Riku Hakala (on the left) and Hannu Talvitie.

How many projects have you managed in Giant Leap and what were they about?

“I have had two Giant Leap projects”, Hannu says. “One was about digitalization as a megatrend. In this project the focus was on understanding what digitalization really means, and what our status as a company is regarding it. The other one was about mapping the market and growth potential for weather-impact information services.”

“I have also guided two Giant Leap projects so far”, Riku continues. “Both were more or less related to software. The first one was about studying new communication protocols that we were not familiar with, and the second one was system testing development for our Controlled Environment products.”

How would you describe the real-life business and research importance of the Giant Leap projects?

“In our case, the Giant Leap projects have given strong directions for our future development plans. They have also helped us to see what kind of competencies we need in the future. In addition, both of my Giant Leapers stayed on to work at Vaisala after they finished their Giant Leap projects, so we also benefit from getting qualified people to join our team”, Riku explains.

“The projects we choose for the Giant Leap Programme are really in the core of Vaisala’s strategy and development focus”, Hannu says. “The Giant Leapers bring in fresh viewpoints with high level of energy and talent.”

What is your favorite Giant Leap memory?

“There are so many that it’s really hard to pick just one!” Riku says. “I guess it could be related to the final presentation events, where all Giant Leapers get to present their work to the management and everyone else interested in the topic. They summarize all the hard work done during the summer in a nice way.”

“One of the best memories for me as well has been to hear the whole group of Giant Leapers present their project outcomes. The presentations are full of new ideas and passion”, Hannu adds.

What have you learned through Giant Leap?

“I have learned that today’s students are really well educated, talented young people who are ready for any demanding project that is well enough specified”, Hannu says.

“I have learned that impressive results can be achieved in a short time when there is a clear task, enthusiasm and special talent involved!” Riku concludes.

Interested in becoming a Giant Leaper for summer ’17? Read more and apply here before February 5^th!

Vaisala has been predicting the unpredictable for over 80 years. We are a global leader in weather and industrial measurements, and our technologies can be found in demanding environments from hospitals, national parks and data centers to airports and wind farms all over the world– and beyond! Even the Mars Rover Curiosity is equipped with our sensors. We offer you a career with a clear purpose and a chance to create observations for a better world. Innovation is at the heart of our company and we believe in developing cutting-edge technology. With our 1,600 professionals worldwide we intend to stay on top of our game and this is where you come in. At Vaisala you’ll find plenty of opportunities to pique your interest and create your own path throughout our business. 

Benedicte Aas Glad
Business Analyst, Tieto

Read more about the Generation-T trainee program.