Once Trainees, now in Working Life

Having made a long carrier in the field of professional Traineeships the one needs to get to know the concrete results about one’s work of 2,5 decades. Or what do you think? I have thought already for some years that it should be studied in the more complete way if for our former trainees it has been useful having made the EDUFI-Traineeship (former CIMO-Traineeship).

As in recent years or already during very many years I meet our former trainees all the time in receptions and happenings of all kind. And now I am in very thinking of what has become of them, and especially the usefulness of their Traineeship periods at work or in the situation they once were looking for jobs for themselves.

Money talks or does it? Well…after me having been sent 2 000 or more Finnish students or recent graduates during 25years for Traineeship periods to Europe and outside Europe, the problem seems to be that for studies about Traineeships there always seems to be too little money available or at least they say there are more important things to do right now.

Well…On the contrary to the researching the issue of studies abroad or to the researching the issue of incoming international students. Which are very important sectors too. No doubt. Well…our unit could at least couple of years ago carry out together with Lauri Tuomi and his crew a study about “Finland’s hardworking and confident experts abroad” . That I point out. And it was a good beginning. No doubt. But not enough I think.

Just grab the case and begin to work or is it that simple? Well – something must be done. This work must take the first steps in some way or another. That is why I chased, if I may use an expression like that, I chased about 11 of our former trainees to ask from them short questions about their thoughts. And up to that to know where they work now. Although it was for me known, but I think for you not. At least that they are our former trainees.

So please check the thoughts of our former Trainees below – May be for you very interesting as it was for me too…

Kasper/Brazil – 2015 CIMO-Traineeship Solyos Tecnologia – Traineeship in English - Was working: Tokyo PwC Japan (PricewaterhouseCoopers) - Now working as Consult/Japan

"Internship in Brazil through CIMO changed everything for me in a very short period of time. Just six days after returning to Finland, I was already boarding on the next flight for Tokyo where I ended up moving a year or so later."

"I would say the biggest lesson I learned was to be bold and take risks. This is also what most employers were curious about in the interviews both in Finland and Japan. After all, not all candidates are willing to fly 7500km just take an interview."

Veli-Matti/China- 2016 CIMO-Traineeship World Green Design Organization (世界绿色设计组织in Chinese) - Traineeship in Chinese - Was working: Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai - Now working as Programme Manager/China

"For me the internship was most importantly language practice – I was the only foreigner in the organization, so the working language was Chinese. It was a valuable opportunity to dive in and gain first-hand experience from the local working culture, which otherwise would not have been possible."

"After the internship I returned to Finland but as it turned out, only for a brief moment. I started my work at the Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai later that year. Since then, as the “Finland Promotion Officer”, I have been responsible for coordinating Finlands country branding, cultural promotion and communications for an area covering almost 300 million people."

"Its difficult to say whether or not my internship had a direct effect on landing the job in Shanghai, but having past work experience in China was definitely a positive factor. In short, the CIMO internship undoubtedly played a role in my current (and future) career)."

Heikki/Chile – 2012 CIMO-Traineeship + 3months employment Fundación Chile – Traineeship in Spanish - 6 month internship at Gaia Consulting in Helsinki through SYKLI Environmental School of Finland - Has worked 6years SITRA - Now working: Senior Specialist/Ministry of the Environment of Finland

"The CIMO internship had a vital role in helping me to steer my work career towards the various topics on sustainable development. After the CIMO experience it was relatively easy to find the next steps on my early career. Also vital role in building my professional Spanish skills. For example in 2017, I made a presentation in Spanish for a bunch representatives of Latin America."

Anne/Chile/Spain – 2002 CIMO-Traineeship Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaiso/Finnish Cultural Institute Madrid - Traineeship in Spanish - Now working: EDUFI Finnish National Agency for Education (earlier in CIMO) - Now working as Project Manager

"For me, both internships offered a great opportunity to gain practical experience in an international environment and broaden my thoughts on future career options while also learning new professional skills. I would also like to believe that international experience did increase my employability, especially as I had just recently graduated and was looking for my first job in the field of international cooperation."

"Working in the Spanish language naturally improved my language skills, but also allowed me to gain an understanding of a new cultural context, learn to cooperate with colleagues from other cultures and manage daily life in a new environment."

"An international internship is a unique opportunity to improve intercultural competencies, that set of skills and attitudes so essential in today’s increasingly globalized world. Lastly, I would mention personal development as well, for example, increasing the self-confidence to survive in unexpected situations, enhancing problem-solving skills and improving understanding of different ways of thinking."

Ksenia/Peru/Chile - 2013 CIMO-Traineeship Universal Student Exchange Peru Also as trainee Finnish Embassy in Chile – Voluntary work APRODEH Peru - Traineeship in Spanish - Was working: Embassy of Argentina in Finland - Now working from time to time in Finnish consulates abroad or as Spanish/Russian teacher

"Traineeship has helped creating contacts as Finland is a small country. In my actual work my contact persons in other organizations are the same as eg. when making a traineeship in the Finnish Embassy in Chile. It is easier to contact people when you have met them already earlier. The knowledge of Latinamerican culture/Professional Spanish."

Maija/Chile - 2009 CIMO-Traineeship CholChol-Foundation/Mapuches - Traineeship in Spanish - Have also done an internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland Helsinki - Now working: University of Helsinki Research

"The experience gained in Chile widened my horizon and gave me confidence and cultural competence in working in Spanish and with people from various backgrounds, and helped me in a concrete way in a project work conducted at the University of Jyv?skyl? where there were Chilean and Argentinian partners involved."

"Although I had lived a year in Spain and studied Spanish as a major at the University of Turku, in Chile I had to learn a new language. By language I do not only mean vocabulary and grammar, but also manners, ways to communicate and live everyday life. I returned to Chile in 2015 to continue research among the Mapuche and the contacts created in 2009 supported my return."

"My journey to Chile that started with the CIMO internship, has given me new perspectives and understanding on human behavior and cultures. It has enhanced my adaptability, respect one should always have on local cultural practices and people, and critical thinking over what is taken for granted or what is considered as normal or truth. I find these skills very important in working life in general, in addition to excellent language skills and networks that the CIMO internship helped me to build and to improve upon."

Marjut/Argentina - Spain is on the way to the working life – 2018 EDUFI-Traineeship NGO Vaso de Leche in Argentina – Made 2020 Traineeship Finnish Cultural Institute in Madrid - Now working as Communication Specialist/International Relations in a Finnish organization

"I worked together with local people to improve opportunities for people who are in a vulnerable position. That was a very valuable experience. In my current internship, I have gained a better understanding of the project management, since I have got experience in the different phases of project management in the cultural field."

"The periods that I have lived and worked in Spanish speaking countries have improved my knowledge of Spanish.Currently, I am looking for new challenges and believe that these international internships open up new opportunities to work abroad. With my background in Theology and Gender Studies, I would like to work to make the world a better place for all and I think that my experience would be valuable for NGOs or other organizations that work for human rights and development cooperation. Those worrying trends of nowadays or are they worrying?"

Hanni/Ukraina/Russia – 2002 CIMO-Traineeship Embassy of Finland Kiev - Also as trainee in Paris/London some companies – CIMO-Traineeship in Russian - Now working: Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Communication (earlier Cultura)

"CIMO traineeships were extremely useful for my employment. I found my first contacts, who either recommended me when I was applying, or employed me later. The traineeships were also the first possibility to get work experience from the field I wanted to work in. Both viewpoints were essential in finding a job."

Henna/Romania Transsilvania-Hungary – 2000- CIMO-Traineeship Babes-Bolyai - University Cluj-Napoca Romania – Studies in Hungary - Traineeship Teaching Finnish for foreigners Speaks also Hungarian up to some other languages - Was working: Music Finland/Exporting Finnish Folk- and Worldmusic - Now working as Production Manager/Arts and Music

"The Traineeship and studies abroad have brought to me for broad networks abroad as well as in Finland. Stays abroad have been been a very natural way for internationalization."

Liisa/Germany – 2014 CIMO-Traineeship International Office of the University of Heidelberg - Traineeship in German/English - Now working and since 2007: University of Turku/International office/Head of Mobility Team - Now working as Project Manager/International Affairs

"I already had a Master in Education, but I wanted to make an internship abroad and CIMO traineeship made it possible. I chose this place because I was dreaming of working in an International Office in the future. My dream has come true, since I have been working at the International Office of the University of Turku since 2007. Currently I am the Head of Mobility Team."

"This internship offered me the kind of experience I could not have from anywhere else. I had versatile tasks. I had also a project on my own: Organising a Scandinavian Information Evening. The evening was a success and I learned among other things how Germans see Finland as an exchange destination and that we have still lots of marketing to do."

"My language skills improved tremendously during my internship because I could only use German language. I could actually understand better than Germans those foreign students German accents. I also learned a lot about German higher education system and about German society in general. I was truly a part of the team at the International Office in Heidelberg and now, because of my current work, I meet some of those colleagues in the international conferences. Then we often think about how we originally met, even it was 16 years ago!"

"I would recommend an internship abroad to anyone who wants to gain working experience outside Finland. I truly believe that employers appreciate that kind of experience and excellent language skills. It tells that you are a person who is not afraid of challenges and a person who is ready to take steps forward in order to develop yourself to become a better employee."

Jana/Germany – 2016 EDUFI-Traineeship in the Finnish Cultural Institute in Germany/Berlin - Traineeship in German - Now working: Goethe-Institute in Finland

"My tasks include coordinating and marketing German courses and exams as well as taking care of the reception. My internship experience was definitely of benefit when I applied for my current job at the German cultural institute - during my internship year in Berlin I had improved my German skills, learned a lot about the German society and gained diverse knowledge and new skills, e.g. organizational and communication skills, that are still useful in everyday working life. I also developed my intercultural competence which will surely be an essential skill throughout my career!"

Some time ago a study about exchange studies abroad were made by Irma Garam/EDUFI. Also Livestream about the info above available in Internet.

So the topic was why the number of study periods of the Finnish students abroad has decreased.

You may think why I now take up the study periods instead of Traineeships periods. Well in this case it is all the same. Roughly speaking the reasons for decreased numbers of Finnish Traineeship applicants of recent years are the same. And what are the reasons why so?

The main reason seems to be money. And the current trends in the society not depending from students. And the needs of today. And in the end the fact, you do what is most urgent or what you value the most of all the things which are important.

Well…at present the higher education institutions in Finland do not get money when sending students abroad. Abroad stays are not in the financing model of the Higher Education Institutions. Exchange studies are not in the curriculum of the students. Now I am talking above all about the University studies. The Traineeship periods are not in the curriculum of the university students. And I ask why? Is it not important for the success of the nation? Aren’t the practical skills and the professional foreign language abilities up to scientific skills the abilities they need later in the all the time more globalizing working life. See “Hidden Competencies”. Well…Time is money.

As mentioned above Irma Garam has studied the reasons for decreased study periods abroad among Finns. Up to reasons above at the higher education institutions there are less personnel for marketing or for organizing studies abroad. Studies have tightened. To get money students are obliged to work and cannot leave their jobs at home instantaneously for abroad stays. There is now also more focus on virtual studies and on internationalization at home, no matter what. It seems that during recent years, the resources have shifted. Focus from Exchange studies has shifted to Education export and those fees paying international students.

Well…Talking about International Traineeships of the Finns, the focus on it during my 25years of dealing with the Traineeship issues has always been minor among many professionals working on international issues. If I may say so. But of course not so among all of them…May be because the Traineeships are not an easy thing to manage. I mean the Traineeships as a whole. May be other reasons too. Some higher education institutions though have understood the importance of the Traineeship stays abroad and for example have built up a special unit to take care of these issues.

But anyway, me and you have seen many times all that in different organizations in different issues – So not finding the Traineeship issue important enough in concrete actions not taken like to give enough resources for that specific purpose. If you allow me to state so... One may ask. Less money and less mobility outwards - On what cost? Not to take the Traineeship issues seriously enough - On what cost? Well…The history shows. As always.

Jaana Mutanen/EDUFI-Traineeships - Finnish National Agency for Education 9.4.2020/Update 9/2024

And let me send the Homage to historical CIMO-Traineeships and my deepest Thanks to our former CIMO- and EDUFI-Trainees above.

Thank you indeed and we’ll stay in contact dear colleagues!

Photos: Jaana Mutanen