I chose Denmark because of its high standard of education. I also chose this Scandinavian country because the quality of life is better compared to other countries across the globe - the crime rates are low, the air is clean, the food is of high quality, and the public transportation systems are great. Moreover, the study programme I chose included a course on database algorithms and a lot of coding projects, to get a hands-on approach, which made the choice much easier for me.
The education system here was challenging for me, since every course had its own version of assignments, projects, and final evaluations. But despite that, my time there was great! I attended events across Denmark and travelled with the friends I made there. I loved to bike, picnic with my friends, or enjoy the fresh ocean breeze near Højbjerg, which is around the deer park.
Everything in Denmark is done in a systematic way and that takes some getting used to. The public trans-portation is extensive, and you can always count on getting guidance to go wherever you want to in the country. And the best part? Safety! I have never felt unsafe, no matter where I am or what time it is. The wind also surprised me a lot because I was expecting cold weather, but I didn’t know that Denmark’s cold comes with a side of chilly winds! The good news is that I have gotten used to it now.
I had a student job as a research assistant with my professor, Daniel Enrique Lucani Rötter, who gave me the opportunity to work on a compressor. I also read papers to craft a new algorithm. I got these opportunities by asking Daniel during a break in one of his lectures. I also had an internship (20 hours/week) with CREADIS (an engineering solutions and consulting company in Denmark) as a software engineering intern in Stilling. In this role, I worked to develop software-based solutions and smart software alternatives for the company’s customers.
I focused on putting myself out there by networking and going to job fairs. I also went to workshops offered by DJØF to tailor my resume to the Danish job market.
I took courses in IoT and networking that gave me experience with Docker and Kubernetes - I regularly use these tools today. It was helpful that every course I took had an application-based group project where we had to apply what we learned.
At my current job at Trackman in Copenhagen, the work environment is relaxed and informal. The hierarchy is flat, and most people interact with and respect one another, regardless of their position. This is great because everyone helps each other rather than trying to outperform each other, so there is a level of trust. This was not the case when I worked in India.
Go out and make connections! Simply applying online puts you at risk of getting ghosted.
