Investing in the future, igniting future stars
Jun 13, 2023
Do you remember when you were a student (or maybe you currently are) with mixed feelings of excitement and uncertainty? Mind filled with questions: what would be right field of study for me, have I learned enough, what kind of job can I do when I graduate, or do I have the right understanding of things I could potentially do after graduating? And finally, how, and where can I practice my skills?
While students answer these intricate questions, companies have an equal challenge to find tech-savvy and skillful talent.
We believe companies must invest in growing their own future talent: increase diversity, help making technology a more interesting choice, and offer students opportunities where they can gain valuable experience. This is exactly how Valmet DigiStar Trainee Program was born as we want to do our part of investing in future technology talent.
From application development to project management
Valmet DigiStar Trainee Program aims to expand students’ knowledge of industrial software development. The program started for the first time in February 2023 for four months. The selected trainees are students with typically basic coding skills, studying for example Software Engineering, Information and Knowledge Management or Automation Engineering. During the program, students are part of different teams, in Valmet Industrial Internet and Valmet Automation Systems R&D organizations.
"We have received a lot of positive feedback about this trainee program as it increases understanding of Valmet as a software employer – students have got for example concrete examples of different career paths at Valmet", says Sini Vilppula, Vice President, HR, Automation Systems Business Line.
In addition to regular work, the students participate in weekly training sessions to learn from more experienced Valmeteers about different topics. During the first Program, there have been lectures for example about history of digitalization at Valmet, modern user interface technologies, user experience design and agile platform development.
“The students have really enjoyed the lectures and related workshop discussions. We have also visited a local customer to see our solutions in action”, Sini Vilppula continues.
The purpose of the Valmet DigiStar Trainee Program is to give students a chance to really dive into the world of Valmet and develop their skills in industrial software development. Students may be doing for example application development and configuration, software testing and test automation, usability/user experience specifications and analysis, as well as project management.
The goal of the program is that the trainees can continue working at Valmet: some could stay as summer trainees, thesis workers, part-time or full-time employees depending on their personal situations and Valmet’s needs.
What is Valmet’s DigiStar Trainee Program like? Aynur’s experience
We had a chance to interview one of the trainees about the DigiStar Trainee Program - let us hear what Aynur has to say after a few months of working.
What made you apply to this trainee program?
"Discovering the Valmet DNA User Interface, the world's first web-based UI for DCS, at a career fair event last year instantly captivated me. The opportunity to work with technologies I'm deeply passionate about led me to applying to Valmet DigiStar Trainee Program".
What kind of work tasks do you have as a trainee?
"My role as a trainee is diverse. I start my day with a daily scrum meeting, then move on to tasks such as resolving JIRA issues related to fixing UI bugs, refining UI properties, updating test assets, among others. Each day presents fresh challenges that keep me motivated and eager to learn more."
What have you learned so far?
"Embarking on this program has felt like a journey of personal and professional growth. It has strengthened my existing foundation while exposing me to a wide array of JavaScript libraries and toolkits, various testing tools, and security standards, all while refining my agile methodology skills."
What do you like the most about the weekly training sessions of the program?
"I genuinely like the lectures for their insights into Valmet's professional world! The experts from automation, analytics, and industry, generously sharing their wisdom and practical advice, enrich the learning journey with captivating and inspiring insights."
Has something surprised you during this trainee program?
"I must admit, I was taken aback by the sheer scale of Valmet and its extensive reach across diverse teams and global operations. Realizing that our work at Lentokentänkatu reverberates across hundreds of factories worldwide was truly awe-inspiring!"
Valmet DigiStar Trainee Program in a nutshell:
Read more about the opportunities for students & recent graduates!