How has it been so far?

It's been enjoyable. Throughout the entire internship, I've felt welcomed, wanted, and accepted for who I am. The work community has taken all of us interns into consideration and included us in the ”pack” right from the start. Every day there's something, or most of the time a lot, to do, and no day is exactly the same.

2. What have you been able to do?

Right from the get-go, I was able to do actual app developer work. We quickly moved from bug fixing to developing entirely new software, upon which I'll also be able to base my thesis! I've had the opportunity to hone my skills in my preferred technologies, React and JavaScript, and their ecosystems, which is a big plus for my future career.

3. What is the best thing about Jidoka?

I can’t name a single best thing. All the elements work together nicely. A good work community, flexible working hours, and no one is left alone. Help is always available if needed. We interns are also trusted a lot, and at no point have we felt that we aren’t as important as the paid employees.

How has it been so far?

It's been nice and challenging. Loads of new things, and sometimes despair can set in when you don't understand or remember. On the other hand, even small successes give you a feeling of victory when you realise you can do it. Successes, in turn, motivate you to continue and try even more difficult things.

2. What have you been able to do?

I've had the opportunity to learn frontend development, mainly JavaScript and React. I've also utilised these in the Jidoka R&D team's development project. So, cool internal work for the time being 😀

3. What is the best thing about Jidoka?

– The best thing about Jidoka is the open-mindedness, the opportunity to develop as an employee, and the nice and professional colleagues 👍

4. Would you like to continue working with us after your summer job?

– The aim of the recruitment training is employment. If everything goes according to plan, I’ll move into a permanent position in January. So, the answer to the question is yes! 😀

How has it been so far?

– No complaints. Flexible working hours and a suitably relaxed work environment, at least from my perspective, reduce stress, as there’s no need to be tied to strict times for everything. No sweaty commutes.
Time has gone by incredibly quickly. Vappu only just happened! :O

2. What have you been able to do?

– Generally speaking, quite a variety of things from side to side. In addition to marveling at and writing code, I’ve been to construction sites and thus been in close contact with customers and partners. I’ve participated in meetings and considered what has been done and needs to be done from many angles. I’ve familiarised myself with many things that I don’t have much prior experience with, so my calendar has been full of very educational days. Of course, I’ve been able to utilise and further develop existing knowledge and skills.

3. What is the best thing about Jidoka?

– These are always the hardest questions! Perhaps it's the relaxed atmosphere, both in terms of the office environment and working hours. If there isn't something more or less strictly scheduled, why on earth should you need to be present precisely at 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, if, for example, due to commute, a better time would be 8:15 am – 4:15 pm, etc.

4. Would you like to continue working with us after your summer job?

Maybe, but it's not just up to me.. 😂
Let's play this gig now!

How has it been so far?

– Absolutely fantastically nice. Sometimes it's a bit less and sometimes a bit more hectic, but luckily there hasn't been time to rest on my laurels 😄 I've been able to learn new programs and how to use systems much more extensively than I could have initially imagined, but this has only been a big plus, as I enjoy learning new things. My background is, however, in a completely different field than coding and screen work, but this really hasn't slowed things down in any way. My colleagues have been incredibly helpful and have supported me in learning new things one hundred percent.

2. What have you been able to do?

– In addition to developing websites and pages, I've downloaded materials for various displays, created advertisements for both Jidoka and several of our clients, played paparazzo, and learned a great deal about everything that goes on behind the scenes at a software development and display solutions company.

3. What is the best thing about Jidoka?

– The fact that you've actually got to do work, take responsibility for your tasks, and learn a lot of new things. Flexible working hours, the possibility of remote work, the support of colleagues, and the meaningfulness of your own work are also right at the top of the list. In terms of its working atmosphere, Jidoka is definitely one of the best workplaces I've worked in.

4. Would you like to continue working with us after your summer job?

– Absolutely, but the continuation depends quite a lot on whether I get to go on an exchange in the autumn, or not. If the far-off lands call, I'll have to put work on a pause for a while, but after the exchange it would be nice to come back 😊

But what does Jidoka's recruitment officer, Alex, think of these comments?

”For over ten years, various internship programmes have been Jidoka's most important recruitment channel. Two-thirds of Jidoka's employees have come to us through such programmes. From potential interns, we require a willingness and ability to learn, motivation, empathy, diligence, and perseverance. With these qualities, one can succeed with us and will certainly develop into an excellent expert over time. It is truly nice to hear and see that the interns have enjoyed their time with us, feel they are developing in their work tasks, and want to stay and work for us.”

Who are you? What school do you study at?
Mikko Myllys, I am studying at Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

2. What were your initial feelings about starting work? What were your impressions of Jidoka then?
Thanks to Alex, I was already given a very positive impression of Jidoka before I started working here. I came to work with the mindset that now I get to do work that has purpose, and at the same time learn more about the industry and the techniques used in it.

3. What have you done / will you potentially do with us?
Currently, most of the work tasks and projects have been focused on mobile applications, particularly for Android devices. In addition to those, some web development has also been carried out with existing projects. Development has allowed me to utilise both front-end and back-end expertise equally. I could see myself continuing full-stack development of mobile applications (especially Android applications) in the future as well.

4. What were the work tasks like (challenging/easy, boring/interesting)?
Most of the work tasks have been challenging, but also very interesting, and it's precisely that challenge that makes a person learn new things and develop, something I've noticed myself and consider to be very positive.

5. What overall feeling has developed during these two months?
When we first started at the company, we were thrown in at the deep end, and to get our feet on dry land, there was a lot of work to be done. Thanks to some brilliant colleagues, our boss, and the project manager, we got up to speed quickly, and now work is going like clockwork. Problems do arise, of course, but we have to remember that they're part of a coder's everyday life, and overcoming them helps you to grow. The working atmosphere at Jidoka is incredibly supportive and pleasant, and even though we work hard, the meaningfulness of the work makes it taste very good indeed.

6. What should one do in the summer? What is your way of relaxing?
In the summer, you should enjoy good weather and food. The best way to relax is to grab a few mates, buy some drinks, and go for a sauna. Besides that, you can also relax at home with your hobbies.

7. What do you expect from the summer?
Enjoyable working moments, more warm weather and strawberries. (Editor's note: Mikko finally got some nice weather)

Niko

Who are you? What school do you study at?
Hello, I am Niko Ohvo, I study at Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

2. What were your initial feelings/impressions upon starting the job?
The image of Jidoka was very much that this is a place where you get to, and indeed must, work hard, and there's no need to just sit around as there's plenty to do.

3. What have you done / will you potentially do with us?
So far, I have programmed various apps for Android tablets and phones, and in addition, I have done a bit of coding on the web side.

4. What kind of tasks have been involved?
The work tasks have been mainly challenging in a positive way. It feels like you learn something new every day when you encounter problems while coding. It would be much more boring if the work tasks weren't difficult at all.

5. What is the overall feeling that has formed during these 2 months?
Since I've been working here, I've definitely got the feeling that I'd like to do this kind of work in the future too. Because I, for one, don't like coming to work just to sit around and twiddle my thumbs needlessly, but when we are at work, then we focus on the work. The working days also pass more quickly.

6. What should one do in the summer? What is your way of relaxing?
In my opinion, summer should be enjoyed for its rain showers, warm air, and the ability to be outdoors without layering up. As long as the sun stays firmly behind the clouds, the weather is perfect. My way of relaxing is spending time on the terrace or playing board games with good company.

7. What do you expect from the summer?
I don't really expect anything more from summer than from other seasons. If a proper rainy season were to start now, that would be quite brilliant.

Juuso

Who are you? What school do you study at?
I am Juuso Sandberg. I am studying to become a Bachelor of Engineering in Information and Communication Technology at Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

2. What were your initial feelings/impressions upon starting the job?
Still a small, but growing company.

3. What have you done / will you potentially do with us?
I have been working on the lid design for the Jidoka Smart Hub, the pillar project, and testing.

4. What kind of tasks have been involved?
The tasks have been of average difficulty, but still interesting.

5. What is the overall feeling that has formed during these 2 months?
Jidoka has a very close-knit and friendly group of people at work who encourage each other. The company takes good care of the employees' mental and physical well-being.

6. What should one do in the summer? What is your way of relaxing?
In the summer, I think one should grill and chill.

7. What do you expect from the summer?
From summer, I'm expecting bearable weather, meaning suitably cool, though we are in Finland after all.

Who are you? What school do you study at?
Santeri Tuomisto. I am studying information processing science at the University of Tampere. I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in the spring and will begin Master's studies next autumn.

2. What were your initial feelings/impressions upon starting the job?
I applied to Jidoka for an internship because the company seemed interesting and I felt Jidoka's values were close to my own. The ”job interview” only strengthened my positive impression of the company. The conversation with Alex went well and I got the internship.

Before my first day, I was worried I wouldn't be able to do anything, but it was for nothing, as the start was just the right amount of easy and I settled into the work straight away. Since then, my role has grown and become more varied, but I've managed it all.

3. What have you done / will you potentially do with us?
I have already had the opportunity to participate in several different and interesting projects. As a coder, I've been able to do a lot of work on both the back-end and front-end, through which I've learned a huge amount of new things about both.

4. What kind of tasks have been involved?
The work tasks have been interesting and suitably challenging.

5. What is the overall feeling that has formed during these 2 months?
I've been left with a really good feeling from my internship so far. The office atmosphere is fantastic and it's nice to come to work. On top of that, I've got to do work that I enjoy. The work is suitably challenging, which keeps my interest up. The tasks also offer freedom and opportunities to implement my own visions, which is particularly important to me.

6. What should one do in the summer? What is your way of relaxing?
This summer, football absolutely must be watched because of the World Cup. In addition to football, I'll be relaxing by going to the gym and playing with friends. I also have to get to the summer cottage this summer, as cottage trips are the highlights of the summer.

7. What do you expect from the summer?
In addition to football, I'm looking forward to a few cottage trips this summer. Otherwise, this summer will be spent quite peacefully working and recharging batteries for my studies.

Our own product development projects, or R&D, have played an important role in the development of coders at the beginning of their careers. Our coders who come for internships start at Jidoka R&D, developing our company's own solutions as a team with other trainees. For over ten years, we have been giving trainees real projects and encouraging them to take responsibility for them, in order to maximise skill development and make internships lead more easily to employment. Over the past decade or so, dozens of trainees have worked diligently in Jidoka R&D, most of whom are still employed with us.

Over the years, our budding coders have managed to develop quite diverse ICT solutions. These include, among others, and Jidoka's IoT Platform and Smart Hub and development in Britain, and most recently on the project Sports club results board system Mentoring. We have wanted to give our intern coders a genuine opportunity to develop and hone the skills needed in working life. We care a lot about our interns and always support them in everything they do.

Below are Niko's and Leo's experiences working at Jidoka's R&D. Niko joined Jidoka in 2018 to complete MSc:n compulsory work placement. At TAMK, Niko studied information and communications technology. Subsequently, he did his thesiswith us, graduated and stayed with us in permanent employment.

Niko is developing a results display system for sports clubs.

Leo began his traineeship with us in 2016, at just 15 years old, as a vocational school student. He is now in his third year studying embedded systems at TAMK, with the aim of graduating as a software engineer. Concurrently, Leo works part-time in our R&D department.

Leo is working on code.

What was the work experience like at Jidoka?

Niko: Interesting, as I was immediately given responsible work to do. I learned a tremendous amount on the job, and my own knowledge of code and coding grew visibly.

Leo: Interesting continuous learning and a fair amount of independent work. Help and guidance were always available when needed. Generally pleasant.

What is it like to work in Jidoka’s R&D department?

Niko: Fast-paced and enjoyably challenging. Customer requests are aimed to be met almost immediately as they come in, so the work can change quickly. However, all of this is really rewarding when you receive good feedback from customers.

Leo: Challenging, almost every day you have to learn something new and always get to challenge yourself. On the other hand, it's also rewarding when you get to see the results of your own work. And even though there are plenty of rushes and challenges, the work environment is pleasant and relaxed to balance the stress.

How have you developed as a software developer at Jidoka R&D?

Niko: The experience gained through doing has been immense, as it feels like when I arrived at Jidoka, I was unsure of my coding skills, but after being at Jidoka for a while, my confidence in my own abilities has grown – not to mention my coding skills themselves.

Leo: In R&D, I have been able to develop my skills in a number of different areas and broaden my expertise. Examples include Android development, GO/Python and various web development frameworks such as Angular/React and C#+MVC.

What have you done at Jidoka R&D?

Niko: I have become familiar with C#, JavaScript and HTML whilst developing the Jidoka IoT platform’s web portal, but for the most part I have been working with Android devices using Java. Among other things, I have developed an advertising application for Android used on digital billboards and written code for a digital scoreboard.

Leo: Firstly, I was able to develop a new product, which included flashing device firmwares, building a browser-based user interface, and designing and developing related message queues and databases. Secondly, I was involved in the software development of Jidoka IoT devices and updating the devices' browser-based management system. And lastly, the digital scoreboard system for sports clubs.

Why is Jidoka R&D a great place to grow as a software developer?

Niko: You can notice your own skills growing in a short amount of time, and responsible customer work is rewarding.

Leo: Versatile and educational work, where you learn a lot by doing and get to practice so-called real-world cases.

How has Jidoka R&D supported your studies?

Niko: I received the topic for my thesis and a huge amount of support for its completion from Jidoka. The thesis almost fell by the wayside amidst my work, but Jidoka's management took it upon themselves to grant me time during working hours to write my thesis, and it was subsequently completed.

Leo: I have had several courses accredited based on my experience from R&D, and I've been able to work part-time alongside my studies, according to my own time and energy levels.

Why did you stay to work at Jidoka?

Niko: A good working environment and atmosphere. If anything is puzzling, it doesn't feel like there's any barrier to discussing it with the boss. In addition, fast-paced work is very well suited to me.

Leo: A pleasant working environment and diverse and educational work.

Why would you recommend Jidoka for an internship or a workplace?

​Niko: Working is enjoyable and educational, the management and colleagues are very supportive of my work, and we have an amazing coffee machine.

Leo: It’s a workplace that offers valuable learning opportunities and provides excellent support for other studies, particularly in software-related fields.

What should an intern expect from Jidoka R&D and what should they be prepared for?

Niko: For fast-paced work and a fun working atmosphere.

Leo: A lot of work and you never know what you'll get to do during the day.