Traineeship in People & Culture | Konecranes Interview

Konecranes annually offers numerous internship positions for students from various fields. Our People & Culture (HR) trainees, Tia and Wilma, started their internships with us in January 2022, as part of their studies. As their internships are neared towards the end, they have compiled their thoughts on the past spring and their internship experiences.

If you are interested in People & Culture tasks, keep reading!

We arrived at the Konecranes Hyvinkää office’s Visitor Center on the first Monday of January, filled with excitement and anticipation. The reception staff was already expecting us and had prepared the necessary access cards and other permits for our internship. After a short wait, HR Coordinator Heli greeted us warmly and we headed towards the Konecranes "People & Culture wing" via a coffee break. Heli showed us around the large facilities, and on the first day, we went through general matters that would occur during the internship. We also received all the necessary equipment for our work, such as laptops.

During the first few weeks, we worked closely with Heli and recruiter Milla, who familiarized us with our upcoming spring tasks and introduced us to the world of human resources management and recruitment.

What have we gotten to do during our internship?

From the beginning, we were given a clear goal – a successful summer job recruitment project. Early on, Milla and Heli actively trained us in the required systems and processes. We started by proofreading and finalizing summer job announcements prepared by the managers.

Our open summer job positions were published on January 17th, at which point we focused on posting nearly 200 job adverts across different recruiting channels and marketing the positions on social media platforms. During and after the application period, we supported recruiting managers by reviewing applications and conducting preliminary interviews in both Finnish and English. We also planned and organized group interviews for production tasks. Additionally, our role has included participating in and presenting at various events, preparing materials for these events, and coordinating photography sessions for Konecranes employees for blog posts, among other things. Our daily tasks also included active communication with applicants, partners, and managers.

As the internship progressed, we handled tasks more independently. We received as much responsibility as we wanted to take on. We managed large projects within the global organization and observed tasks beyond our own areas of responsibility. Our internships were customized to match our interests and goals.

Tia, what have you gained from the internship?

During my internship, I took on the responsibility of the summer job recruitment process for factory production workers alongside Heli. Throughout the spring, I worked closely with several managers responsible for the factory's operational functions. Looking back on the early days of my internship, I realize that my professional development has been tremendous in just a few months, and I have learned a lot about aspects outside my job description and studies. I was trusted from day one, and this trust has been particularly meaningful for me. Help, however, was always available quickly when needed.

Planning and organizing group interviews to be conducted remotely is what stands out the most for me. The interviews went smoothly, and it was rewarding to receive positive feedback from the candidates. One of the most memorable situations was when the technology failed at a remotely organized student event, and I had to present Konecranes' business and summer job opportunities to hundreds of people without preparation. Despite the technical glitch, the event was successful, and we managed to turn the nerve-wracking situation into a victory.

It has been wonderful to see how I have been able to combine my studies and previous skills with this job and how successes and good work are rewarded.

Tia's employment with the People & Culture team continued after a successful internship, and she now works full time part of the Talent Acquisition team at Konecranes in Finland.

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