Our journey got an action-packed start as, after just two days in the office. we left for the GenT kick-off in Helsinki. On arrival we met up with all the other trainees at a cool restaurant, Pjazza, where we got the chance to get to know each other better.

Then the three day trip got fully started with our participation in the Tieto Take-Off days; we were joined by almost 80 other new Tieto employees, and we had an incredibly inspiring and informative time in Helsinki.

Companies often tell students how much they prioritize and value new employees. The Take-Off days showed us that this is definitely the case with Tieto, as top management figures took the time to give presentations. As a fresh graduate I found this kind of holistic introduction to a global business like Tieto invaluable in getting a true idea of the bigger picture. It really helped me to understand the key areas within the company.

In the evening we were shown around an old prison called Katajanokka where we took part in a prison quiz directed by a very strict prison guard. This was followed up by a lovely three-course meal and some great conversation with the other new employees.

Walking back from the dinner we passed a large white cathedral where we had a lot of fun trying to form Tieto’s name using our bodies.

After the Take-Off day the trainees were called to a somewhat unusual meeting room – one of the saunas at the office! We were met with delicious food and during the night four Finnish guys and one Norwegian even took up the challenge of trying out the sauna. The rest of us had an awesome time bonding in the late summer sun on the terrace.

For the third and final day in Helsinki all the GenT trainees gathered to really kick-off this trainee experience. We were introduced to the layout of the program as well as being met by a former trainee who shared some valuable tips to prepare us for our time as Tieto trainees.

It’s great to be part of such a varied team. There’s so much to learn from each other, and I’m looking forward to sharing our experiences of different countries, cultures, and trainee roles. We’re a group of welcoming, inquisitive, and ambitious young professionals, eager to start super exciting careers within IT. I’m so glad that I’ve embarked upon this new journey.

Text was originally published on September 23rd, 2016 byt Tieto: https://perspectives.tieto.com/blog/2016/09/a-journey-begins—life-as-a-tieto-trainee/

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