“The best education a clever person can find is on travels.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 

For many trainees, an internship abroad is a unique opportunity not only to expand their professional skills, but also to immerse themselves in a new culture. Finland, known for its excellent education system and innovative work culture, was the destination for a group of interns who shared their experiences in a survey. Here are the key findings of the survey based on 103 interns feedback:

Welcomed and Integrated  

The majority of trainees felt welcomed in their host companies. This feedback is valuable because it highlights which things are good and where there is room for improvement. It is important to listen to these voices and take action to ensure that future interns have an even better experience. A warm welcome is the first step to successful integration and creates an atmosphere where learning and collaboration can thrive. 

Job-Relevant Tasks  

It was reported that the assigned tasks largely matched the trainees' job profiles. This is crucial as it allows trainees to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice and gain valuable work experience.  

Feedback Culture  

Constructive feedback is an essential part of the learning process. Apprentices indicated that they received regular feedback on their tasks, which helped them to reflect on and improve their performance. There were also voices that wanted more feedback on their tasks. A stronger feedback culture could help trainees feel more supported and valued.  

Easy Communication  

Communication with host company employees was mostly described as easy. An open communication culture promotes the exchange of knowledge and contributes to a positive working atmosphere. English is widely spoken in Finland but it doesn`t mean that all professionals are capable of speaking English or they just might be too shy use it.  

Increased Confidence  

After the internship, many trainees felt more confident in their professional skills. It can be said that the quality of the supervision is good and that the trainees were able to try out a variety of tasks which built their confidence in their own skills.  

A Valuable Experience  

The internship period was perceived as enriching by most. The opportunity to work in an international environment, learn new ways of working, and develop personally was highly appreciated.  

Open Feedback  

The open feedback from the trainees provides valuable clues for the further development of the program. Praise and constructive criticism help to make future internships even better.  

“The company where I've been placed was full of extremely nice people always ready to help. This context made me feel at home even over two thousand kilometers from my country.”  

“I had a great time in the company, I was able to improve my professional skills and learned a lot about myself too. I´ll miss their calm and stress-free way of working but I try to always keep that way in mind.”  

“At the beginning I missed the fact that I was briefly introduced to all employees and that I got a rough overview, which made it very difficult for me to get in there.”  

“The company reached all my expectations. Super nice and friendly guys who likes to provide and teach you something. Sometimes the English skills on both sides require body language. But this doesn`t matter.”  

“The tips of my coworkers to visit important places were helpful. I saw some cool places in Turku and learned many new things of repairing old computers.”  

Conclusion  

The survey results show that an internship in Finland can be an exciting learning experience for interns. The combination of a welcoming environment, job-relevant tasks and an open feedback culture creates ideal conditions for professional and personal growth. It offers the opportunity for Nova Talent to learn from the feedback and to continuously improve the internship programs. By addressing the less positive aspects, we show that we are willing to improve and create the best possible experience for future interns.

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” - Benjamin Franklin  

written by intern Jana Ehrhardt