Most interns who have come to Finland through Nova Talent have really enjoyed their stay here. Some of them even stayed in Finland to continue working after their internship period ended. We interviewed one of these interns, David from Germany, and asked him a few questions about Finland and what made him decide to stay here after his internship.

David grew up in a village located East of Stuttgart, Germany, and worked as an electrician trainee for an automation machinery manufacturing company in Rauma, Finland. The following are his words and his reflection based on his experience from one and a half year ago.

What motivated you to choose Finland for your internship?

“Originally, I wanted to go abroad during my apprenticeship in Germany, because my old employer had an exchange program. Unfortunately, it didn't work out due to the COVID epidemic.So, I decided to organize a stay abroad and use the opportunity that ERASMUS+ offered during the year after I completed my apprenticeship.I got in touch with exchange organizations, in my case IHK Oldenburg, who suggested a list of countries where they were able to help me to get a partner firm. 

I had a few options but decided to go to Finland as it has the same electrical standards as Germany, and I knew little about the country and wanted to try something new.Also, the reputation of northern countries, as well as the nature of Finland favoured the country for me.”

 What made you decide to come back to work in Finland after your internship?
“When my ERASMUS+ officially ended after 9 months in May of 2023, I knew I would go on to study electrical engineering. University started during October and therefore I still had some time left during the summer. They asked me a few weeks before my stay was over if I would like to continue working at the company. And because the relationship with my partner firm was quite good, I really liked my stay so far and had made some friends, I didn't hesitate to agree to keep working during the summer months. Additionally, I liked the prospect of seeing Finland during summer, too.”


What do you think about Finnish culture? Did you have a culture shock about something the first time you were here?
“When I came to Finland I had no real big culture shock, it coincided in some ways even with German culture, e.g the importance of punctuality and direct communication. But the coffee culture was indeed quite strong and small-talk was often about Ice-Hockey or dogs, as many of my coworkers owned one. It is hard to generalize but I would describe the Finnish people I met as being very down to earth, tranquil and oftentimes connected to nature.”


How is the work culture in Finland compared to your home country? What are the main differences?
“From my experience, the Finnish work culture is much more individual than back home. It is a very relaxed atmosphere with low hierarchies where people almost always talk on eye level. You are supported individually and can change things. Everyone is trusted that they do their best at work and act in good faith for the company. I liked this balance of responsibility and freedom quite much.


What do you think makes Finland an attractive place to live and work long-term?
“I would say a high standard of living, good social security as well as the natural environment with less urbanization than elsewhere, would be objective reasons to move to Finland long-term.”

What kind of advice would you give to someone doing an internship in Finland who hopes to get employed in Finland?
“If you can contribute something to the company, try to adapt a little and you show interest in the onboarding process, which may be the biggest hurdle, I think any company is willing to prolong your stay with them. And like in my case, a good partner firm will try to adapt as well and make the onboarding easier for you. From my experience many companies are actively scouting for new talent.”  


How do you see the job market in Finland? Is it competitive, do you think there are opportunities for foreigners?
“During my time there, I think that Finland was actively trying to attract foreign professionals to come and work in the country. So, there should be opportunities to access their job market. However, it may be a challenge for smaller companies to hire people from abroad, especially those who often cannot speak Finnish yet. Smaller companies are often reliant on each employee and may not always have the resources for a lengthy onboarding process. Therefore, it can sometimes be difficult to compete with Finnish job seekers in such situations.”



What do you wish you had known before coming to Finland for your internship?
“In a perfect world I would have tried to learn some more Finnish beforehand to make the most of my time there, even though English was enough for most of the time. "