Each intern's initial connection with Odfjell began uniquely. For Carl-Oscar, it started at a company presentation and dinner hosted by Odfjell at NHH. He shares:
“I got a very good impression of the company culture and knew I wanted to apply when they posted the summer internship.”
Joakim had his first encounter with Odfjell onboard one of our ships. “I’m a cadet at Odfjell and had my first trip on Bow Olympus this January. Through that, I was lucky to get a chance at a summer internship at the office,” he explains.
Others, like Karolina, were familiar with Odfjell through family relations. “It is one thing to see the company from the outside, another to see it from within,” she observes. “I am excited to see for myself what opportunities there are in shipping”.
Our interns were drawn to Odfjell for various reasons. Helene was intrigued by the scale and nature of the shipping industry:
“The size and character of the shipping industry make it interesting to get more insights into, and what better place to do it than Odfjell?”
For Elise, it was the opportunity to make an impact and visualize her future career that motivated her to apply. “It’s fun to be able to take part in something bigger together with others,”. She continues:
“Odfjell has helped me visualize what my everyday life might look like after I complete my education.”
Christine was particularly excited about the chance to work closely with our chemical expert, Ton van Oeffel. “When I was told about an opportunity to work with Odfjell’s chemical expert, I thought it sounded like a very interesting and relevant experience with regards to my studies,” she says.
Since joining us, our interns have experienced firsthand the work culture at Odfjell. Helene notes the friendly atmosphere, saying, “I get the impression that people are really satisfied here, and that they are not only colleagues but also friends.” Christine shares Helene’s sentiment, adding how she appreciates the everyday interactions, highlighting how a simple “God middag” (Have a nice afternoon) from colleagues brightens her day. She continues:
“Everyone is super nice and approachable. It really makes it better to come to work each day,”
For Ida, the friendly culture at Odfjell is a key reason she has decided to rejoin us for the second consecutive year. Since last year, Ida has collected experience from other parts of the shipping industry, but realized that she wanted to return to the relations she built during her first internship. She shares:
“I must admit, I have missed the people and the support I received at Odfjell. I am really excited about returning, especially to take on more specialized tasks related to my bachelor’s thesis.”
Looking ahead, our interns are excited about the future and the role Odfjell has played in shaping their perspectives. Halvor, who is eager to explore the growing role of data technology in business, finds his time at Odfjell invaluable. “As data technology and data take a more important role in society and business, I am thankful I get to learn more about it here at Odfjell,” he says.
Carina, who worked for three months at Odfjell Terminals South America before starting her studies in Boston, shares how her internship at the Bergen office offers new perspectives. She explains:
“I see myself working in investing, with a particular focus on the infrastructure, storage, and transportation sectors. This internship will help me solidify my knowledge of those sectors from the operator’s point of view.”
As summer comes to an end for most, we reflect on the valuable time our interns spent with us at Odfjell. VP Corporate HR Ingjerd Nettestad expresses gratitude for their contributions and wishes them success in their studies: “Their internships may soon be over, but their interest and ambition is a promising signal for our industry.”
