Internship Insights: My Experience at SOK’s Digital Development
This story was originally published in Finnish at Ässäduunissa.
I am studying information and communication technology at a vocational school, where the second year of my studies includes a nine-week internship to show my skills in practice. During the application process, I looked for internships related to my degree and interests, particularly in cybersecurity.
I sent an open application to SOK, expressing my interest and expertise in information technology. The company recruitment team contacted me quite quickly, and I was offered an opportunity to discuss a potential internship. The interview took place at SOK’s Vallila office, where I met two experienced professionals from the DevOps team. My interest grew even further during the interview, and I understood the company and potential tasks well. Soon after the interview, they confirmed that I had been accepted fo internship.
The nine weeks provided me with an opportunity for personal growth and helped me acquire new IT skills that I didn’t have before.
The internship in SOK’s Digital Development DevOps & Developer Experience team began in October 2022. The team supports other SOK product teams (such as S-kaupat, Raflaamo, and Sokos Hotels) with automation, tools, and practices, helping them succeed in operations and cybersecurity.
First Day
On the first day, I quickly gained access to the necessary systems and tools for my tasks. Then, I spent the rest of the day familiarizing myself with the workplace, workflows, and colleagues. Getting to know new colleagues was ultimately easy in the modern hybrid work model, where some work remotely and others are at the office. I saw all team members through weekly video meetings and In which I shared information about my progress. I was amazed by the team’s strong work ethic and relaxed atmosphere.
During the internship, both office and remote work were possible based on my tasks and needs. An individual’s freedom is a significant factor in promoting a stress-free work environment, so I appreciated this opportunity, which also was extended to interns.
High Expectations
Naturally, my expectations for the internship were high, although I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. From a working perspective, the learning materials and tasks were mainly new to me. However, this only concerned me a little because my motivation, previous IT skills, and enthusiasm helped a lot.
In the first week, I quickly got into the flow of work. I familiarized myself with SOK’s environment quite rapidly. Time flew by as I combined tasks and did a lot of learning. During the internship, all tasks assigned to me were chosen to be self-directed and easily understandable. I appreciated the freedom and responsibility given in the tasks, allowing for creative thinking. Of course, when I encountered problems I couldn’t solve myself, I could always ask for help from a colleague.
The tasks I received mostly required understanding of command-line prompts and Python programming. It was also helpful to know the general structures of programming languages already. The most exciting and challenging learning experience was delving into GitLab’s CI/CD pipeline, the software release pipeline. While the concept was familiar, I needed to gain prior hands-on experience. GitLab, as a whole, is a broad topic from which I still have a lot to learn, but I have gained a strong understanding of key concepts that will be beneficial in the future.
The Highlights: Deliverables
The internship’s highlights were when I successfully completed something. I faced quite a few new challenges, which allowed me to grow and, as a result, learn.
The nine weeks provided me with an opportunity for personal growth and helped me acquire new IT skills that I didn’t have before. I also better understood the so-called real working life, which differs in a new and positive way from a student’s everyday life. But, most importantly, I experienced a new sense of professional competence and a clearer understanding of what it’s like to be in the workforce. Although I was starting, SOK’s colleagues and the people who guided me made me feel like I belonged to the profession.
The internship has been very successful, providing many professional and personal benefits. I would have gladly continued for a more extended period. I want to thank everyone who supported me and my colleagues! Overall, the learning experience offered me a good starting point for what comes next.
