From September 2024 until January 2025, I’ve had the honour to do my master’s internship at TAMK. As a student in Educational Sciences from the Netherlands, it was very interesting for me to have this learning opportunity in Finland.
My experience in Finland has been nothing but positive. This goes for both living in Tampere and working at TAMK. I have fallen in love with Tampere as a city. It has all the stores and facilities that any city has, without the crowded city feel. Moving around and navigating the city is fairly easy and there are plenty of activities to do year-round. The overall atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. Not only that, but nature is never far away. There are multiple places where you can, for example, walk through the forest.
The Finnish bureaucracy was something I had to fight through. From the immigration service to the tax office for a tax card, it was a challenge. Especially because I was not familiar with the processes. I must say that the people in TAMK did everything they could to help and support me through it. I really appreciated it as it made the process much easier.
Once I overcame that hurdle, it was smooth sailing. Working in TAMK has been most wonderful. I felt welcomed by everyone. Many people started a conversation with me and were curious about my internship. It was very interesting to hear about Finnish culture and habits and to be able share my own as a Dutch person.
In terms of working, I have felt a lot of support and encouragement. When I started, everything I needed was arranged and organised. Because of this, it was easy for me to get going with my tasks. I was also introduced to all the websites that I needed to know about. It was made sure that I wouldn’t get overworked by helping me manage the workload at the start.
During my project work, my coworkers have been nothing but supportive. Especially Leena Katto, my supervisor, was of great help to me. With her I could brainstorm, ask questions and discuss dilemmas. Whenever there was a challenge or question, she would very quickly see if she could solve it or help me. This made working in TAMK a very enjoyable experience.
All in all, I have had a great time, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to do my internship at this wonderful and supportive organisation.
Text: Evi van Doesburg
Picture: Evi van Doesburg