“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
– Paulo Coelho
Above is Quynh Luong’s favorite quote. She is a Vietnamese student who has studied Information Technology at Vaasa University of Applied Sciences in Finland. In her second year, she made the decision to focus on studying programming. Thanks to that decision, she got offered a summer internship place at Nokia – the famous Finnish telecommunication company. Let’s follow her journey in Finland!
Why did you choose to study IT?
The main reason was that having studied physics as my major at high school, I was eager to learn something new and different but still have physics as my foundation. Hence, I chose the IT program in Embedded Systems where I could learn both physics and programming.
What is your most precious memory of Finnish summer?
I think that is the time when me and my friends spent our summer together going into the forest and experienced the beautiful, abundant and green nature here. We picked fresh blueberries and raspberries, which we used to make ice cream, built a campfire, ate delicious BBQ and hunted for the magical Northern Lights. Also we enjoyed a long bike ride around the sunny city of Vaasa to sightsee its magnificent scenery. That was a fun trip!
In three words, how would you best describe summer in Finland?
Fresh, vitamin D and happiness. Those words best describe my feelings for Finnish summer time.
Tell us how you got an internship at Nokia?
Before coming to Finland, I already knew about the three great Finnish technological inventions that Finnish people are very proud of: Nokia mobile phones, Angry Birds and Linux operating system. Having passion and admiration for those things, I wished that I could work for one of these companies one day. I also thought that working in a big, international and innovative company could help me gain more experience and learn a lot.
Thus, I studied hard and constantly improved myself. When the internship application period opened, I quickly applied to Nokia Corporation and carefully prepared for the important interview with them. Luckily, all my efforts paid off and I was accepted to become their intern this summer. That is my internship story!
How is a working day on Nokia Campus?
Well, I actually get lost sometimes because the campus is so big. The multi-international working environment is really friendly, my coworkers are very nice, and willing to help me. Besides, Nokia provides me with a great opportunity to develop my skills and vasten my knowledge. I have learnt so many things from these amazing people.
Any advice for students looking for a summer internship?
For those who are looking for a summer internship in Finland, first of all, you should be passionate about what you do. Then, set your goals and priorities. Updating your CV is also necessary and do not hesitate to apply to your favorite companies!
If you would want to read more about international student stories like Quynh’s, check out our latest student stories.
