In our latest Introducing article, we caught up Laura (based at Vaimo International in our Tallinn office) to hear about her Vaimo journey, the joys of balancing study and work and what she’s learnt in her time here. Let’s have a listen in…
Hi Laura, it’s good to see you on this sunny day in Tallinn! To start, perhaps you could tell us a bit about what brought you to Vaimo initially, and how it’s progressed since?
I actually first came to know Vaimo through its 2 week Summer School Programme. I decided to apply to this (alongside my studies) to get some hands-on experience and to learn from those in the industry.
I really enjoyed my 2 weeks, so on the final day (whilst enjoying the weekly Friday social), I began discussing options around interning at Vaimo. I’d just finished my 2nd year at university and knew that this would be an excellent opportunity to get some more career experience. I wanted to continue my journey at Vaimo and so after some discussions, was offered an internship which started just a few weeks later!
And since then, I have now progressed to being a fully-fledged Vaimoer. Well, almost — with my studies I’m working on an 80% basis, with the rest dedicated to my degree. It’s been a steep learning curve in parts, but everyone here is willing to share their knowledge and experience which makes things easier!
Do you remember your first day at Vaimo?
Wow, that seems like such a long time ago now! Well, it was the first day of the Summer School and mainly revolved around getting to know the people and the culture. I just remember that everything was new and so I was quite nervous. I kept thinking to myself, “How does everyone remember these commands by heart?” (laughing). But obviously, now, I understand. Overall, the office felt welcoming and everyone was really friendly.
How would you describe your average day?
With my studies, my average day can often be a mix of Vaimo projects and then writing assignments! So no two days are really ever the same. But after summer I should have university finished and can then dedicate more time to Vaimo projects.
What do your family/friends think you do all day?
I have a lot of friends that are also in programming so they have a pretty good idea of what I’m doing! I think they know that I work in eCommerce and help brands to develop amazing digital stores. But what would probably surprise them is the fact that we work with such a mix of clients spread across the world. I’m currently working on an Arabic based store, for example, where the text is written right to left! It’s exciting to be involved with these kinds of international brands.
What has been your best memory at work?
Instead of one particular moment, I think what stands out to me the most at Vaimo has been my team. Everyone here has been super supportive both in terms of my Vaimo work but also when I’ve had exams on. The atmosphere in the team has been great — my colleagues put me at ease and are willing to help.
Oh, and I have to mention our weekly breakfasts and after work snacks on Fridays! Not only are these tasty, but it’s been good to get to know co-workers in a more informal setting.
Why should students apply to Vaimo’s Summer School Programme? How would it benefit them?
What’s great about the Summer School is that you spend a week learning from various Vaimoers and then in the 2nd week you take this knowledge and create your own project. So we could design and implement our own idea but with Vaimo employees guiding us and helping along the way. Plus, it was nice to meet the rest of the Summer School students too and learn from them.
I’d definitely recommend applying — it’s just such a good chance to learn from experienced developers and gain more knowledge and skills. I’m really happy that I had the chance to take part.
Thanks to Laura for joining us in our latest instalment of ‘Introducing’. Stay tuned to hear more stories from Vaimoers across our offices and apply today if you’d like to join our Summer School Programme!
