Trainee Vestfold and Telemark offer an 18-month program for recent master's graduates. Andrea Austjord Vik and Jesper van der Molen are trainees at Herøya Industripark AS and Bilfinger Engineering & Maintenance Nordics AS at Herøya, respectively.
Working on sustainability
Andrea Austjord Vik started at Herøya Industripark AS this autumn. She holds a master's degree in Energy and Environment from NTNU. She primarily works on sustainability tasks with a focus on operationalisation and visibility.
"I also work on tasks related to energy mapping and efficiency and am involved in projects related to renewable energy. I find it exciting to work closely with the industry on tasks closely tied to my education. It's fun to apply the theory from my education in practice," says Andrea.
Workshop project manager
Jesper van der Molen has a master's degree in mechanical engineering from NTNU. He is a trainee at the Plastics Workshop at Bilfinger Engineering & Maintenance Nordics AS at Herøya and works as a project manager. His tasks mainly involve computer-aided design and design with plastic materials, but he also gets to try out other departments.
"Now I finally get to test theory in practice and develop actual products while building a network of skilled professionals. I am especially grateful for having varied and exciting workdays that strengthen both my professional and personal development," he says.
Recommendation for the program
Both Bilfinger Engineering & Maintenance Nordics AS and Herøya Industripark AS recommend the trainee program, considering it a great opportunity to bring new knowledge into the organisation and showcase themselves as attractive employers.
"The tasks allow candidates to bring their fresh perspectives to the table and actively influence the direction of the work, fostering innovation and growth."
Significant interest
Trainee Vestfold and Telemark is a regional trainee program established in 2013.
"The goal is to strengthen the region's competitiveness by providing companies access to highly educated workforce and encouraging more highly educated individuals to settle in the region. The program has been successful," says Jan Inge Galtung Nilsen, managing director of Trainee Vestfold and Telemark.
"From the start, there was significant interest from both companies and trainee candidates. In the first year, 16 companies and 9 trainees had signed up. Since then, over 80 trainees have participated in the program, and the interest is constantly increasing. Herøya Industripark AS has been involved from the beginning and took in its first trainee already in March 2014."
The program has two intakes per year, with apporximately 100 - 120 candidates applying for each intak. Around four master's graduates are accepted at each intak.
Positive feedback
Trainees embark on a dynamic journey with Trainee Vestfold and Telemark, gaining valuable exposure to diverse industries and companies through a series of carefully curated projects and tasks.
"The feedback from both companies and trainees is positive. The results so far show that 75% of participants establish themselves in the region after completing the program," concludes a satisfied Galtung Nilsen.
28. November 2023
