The Degree Programme in Information and Communication Technology, Bioeconomy is 240 credits bachelor’s degree programme in engineering. This degree programme includes 30 credits work placement. The work placement can be divided into several parts, giving the student the opportunity to get acquainted with different employers and environments already during their studies. Second year student Jussi Haavisto is doing work placement in an advertising agency in Forssa.
-The time of the work placement may still change, but the original plan is to complete most of the work placement during the summer before the third school year starts, Jussi says about his plans, which may be affected by the exceptional situation in Finland and the world.
In the autumn of 2018, when Jussi started studying at Häme University of Applied Sciences, he was thinking about a career in programming and robotics, and particularly to choose this degree programme was influenced by the digitalization and technology mentioned in the implementation plan.
-However, as my studies progressed, coding no longer seemed to be my thing. I found that I miss doing more social and dynamic things. In the autumn of the first year, we made the first video projects and that job finally took me along when I was asked by the student marketing team to produce a video project, Jussi describes how his own interests have changed during his studies.
Students are offered various opportunities to participate in projects in addition to study modules. In Jussi’s case, these have included Frush – a growth and start-up event for the circular economy, marketing his own degree programme, mentoring younger students and various assignments for projects. Projects can be completed, for example, as included in work placement or accomplishes as projects which are case basis suitable into the study program.
-In the first year, I didn’t really dare to join, even though there were some interesting opportunities, Jussi says.
When he gained a little more confidence in his own doing, time management and grabbed that first and successfully completed project for himself, to new projects have only been come to asked to be along.
-With your own activity, you can have a great influence on what studies will make possible, Jussi encourages to seize the opportunities what are in on offer.
-I also gained a place for my work placement by being active and immediately making personal contact with a company that interested me. I just had courage enough to call and yes, that call was already quite a roasting, but I guess I survived with good results, Jussi laughs when he says how the work placement in Mainossatama was organized.
-In the future, it would be interesting to be able to implement different virtual environments and develop new ways of communication. Bioeconomy may play a small role in the future job description but studying bioeconomy and circular economy has by no means been a wasted time! The teachings of bioeconomy and circular economy have been interesting and have enabled visits to several different companies as well as assignments from companies for projects in modules. I believe that the importance of these issues is further emphasized, regardless of the field, there will be a demand for multidisciplinary expertise gained in business cooperation and this degree programme, Jussi ponders when asked about the benefits of completing this degree programme that combines these two fields.
Text available in Finnish:
Ms. Katja Pouta, Business Cooperation Assistant, DP in ICT, Bioeconomy, Forssa
Translation in English: Ms. Satu Suoranta, Education Assistant, DP in ICT Bioeconomy, Forssa
