Internship student interviews:
Aquaculture
Anna Kumwenda - Nordlaks
Photo: Private
Where did you do your internship?
Nordlaks
What study program were you in?
Master's in Aquaculture
How long did the internship last?
8 weeks
How did you get in contact with the company?
Through family that works in the company.
What did you learn in the internship?
I learnt a lot; daily maintenance in fish farming, boat driving, how to take bottom samples and count lice, how to switch location for new season, transfer of fish with well-boats, daily reporting in relevant software, how to tie different knots, how to dock at net pens and receive boats at net pens, how to receive feed boats on fleets, how to connect and detach feed hose between net pen and fleet, as well as communication with the operations center.
Do you have any advice for students that are considering doing an internship?
Get in touch with individuals at companies instead of sending an email to the general email address. Go to Western or Northern Norway. Work hard. I highly recommend doing an internship, as it gives a greater understanding of theory.
Marie Skullerud - Bluegrove / CageEye
Where did you do your internship?
Bluegrove (formerly CageEye)
What study program were you in?
Master's in Aquaculture
How long did the internship last?
4 months
How did you get in contact with the company?
I contacted the company directly, by exploring which aquaculture companies in Oslo seemed interesting.
What did you learn in the internship?
I mostly worked with marketing, as the company is relatively new and dependent on investors. This meant, among other things, updating and improving their website. I also contributed to marketing plans and presentations. Besides marketing, I learnt a lot about the cooperation and communication between fish farming companies and suppliers to the industry, as well as the competition and a little bit about the technological solutions that Bluegrove provides for fish farming companies. I probably learnt most about myself and which tasks, responsibility, and environment I thrive in, which is very useful knowledge when applying for jobs.
Do you have any advice for students that are considering doing an internship?
Consider where you want to do your internship. Reflect on which tasks you would like to do, as many companies are open to suggestions on which part of the company you work in. Internship might lead to a foot in the door, so it is a good idea to contact companies that you are considering working at after your studies.
Plan the scope of your internship in terms of ECTS (work hours), and which other courses you will take in the same period so there is no conflict in the time schedule and number of ECTS.
Don't be afraid to jump in, the company knows you are still a student! Doing an internship is an excellent way to get both work experience and study progression.
Julie Elise Trovaag - Nofima
Where did you do your internship?
Nofima, at their facility in Sunndalsøra
What study program were you in?
Master's in Aquaculture
How long did the internship last?
Approx. 4 weeks
How did you get in contact with the company?
I already had contact with Nofima through my bachelor's thesis and master's thesis and the supervisor's for these, and through participation in experiments during my time as a student.
What did you learn in the internship?
I learnt about tending to halibut broodstock and ballan wrasse, as well as production of ballan wrasse fry. This experience has been very useful in my working life.
Har du tips til studenter som vurderer å ta internship?
Be curious, and get in touch with companies that you think are interesting. Use the opportunity to get practical experience that supplements the theoretical knowledge from your studies. Internship is an excellent opportunity to expand your network. The person I worked closest with during my internship has become a good friend and is now also my colleague in BioMar.
Tosca Koers - MOWI
Where did you do your internship?
MOWI
What study program were you in?
Master's in Aquaculture
How long did the internship last?
1 month
How did you get in contact with the company?
Through acquaintances.
What did you learn in the internship?
In my internship, I learnt to connect theoretical knowledge with practical work. I didn't have much experience with the fish farming industry before my master's, so being placed at a fish farming facility helped my understanding of how complex salmon farming is and how many steps and tasks are involved in the process.
Do you have any advice for students that are considering doing an internship?
DO IT! It provides a good opportunity to become more familiar with aquaculture and try out a company that you are considering working at in the future.