Hi Bartu, are software interns at Nokia having a productive process?

Our SW development is running in a agile mode with feature development so in actual development there isn't so much of projects. Of course there are specification work, implementing testing, reviews etc. activities also so it is not just coding, but the method is agile. When people start there are activities such as tool development, implementing different type of dashboards for metrics, automating testing, improving testing coverage and a variety of other tasks. Many trainees and beginners have been actual members of the scrum teams and taking tasks from backlog. It also always depends on the person, skills and most importantly the attitude and willingness to challenge oneself and learn.

Absolutely! Internship programs are an excellent way for us to share our workflow, projects, and day-to-day life with our interns. We believe that the best way to learn is by doing, and our interns get hands-on experience as part of the team. They have the opportunity to learn and grow in a myriad of ways, from working on real projects to collaborating with experienced professionals. We are always excited to welcome new interns and help them develop their skills and knowledge.

hi Casey Chua , Armia Williams , Lorena Qendro , Mikko Pitkänen and Linda Krebs You might want to share your perspectives too.

Hi, thank you for pointing me to this interesting question Sandrine! I'm happy to give my view here, and I apologize for the delay in my response. I wish you will find this helpful à–zlem M.

I haven't technically worked at Nokia as a software intern, but I did my master's thesis at Nokia which I think falls almost into the same category. For a thesis worker, the topic of the thesis obviously determines a bit if one is involved in the daily software development work or whether the work is more independent, for example, if the topic is more research-oriented. However, there is for sure always a team around and people who can help and give advice. Possibly one also has a group of other interns around, as it was the case with me. There was a community of thesis workers and we were supporting also each other in the process.

I would say that being a software development intern very possibly opens up great learning experiences and new doors. One gets to work with the same tools and software as the more experienced colleagues. The company culture is also very inclusive, so through meetings and processes that the team follows there is a great chance to find out what the software development practices are like. It is very rewarding to start seeing your own contributions to the code and the features being developed, especially as an intern!

I will try to answer the first part of your question (technical challenges) from a unique perspective. Along with day-to-day challenges like debugging errors or testing existing or new code, I feel that from my experience sometimes a Software Eng. Co-op may face the following technical challenges which may sometimes not be commonly discussed:

1) Understanding code-base if you are in a development team: Often you may find yourself a co-op in a project where many developers have been contributing for a long time. Understanding the code base to make effective contributions is essential. This can become a challenge sometimes. It may lead to back-and-forth fixes if one tries to contribute without fully understanding (sometimes knowing a specific part of a big project may be enough, but you will need to consult your mentor and team). To overcome this, make sure you read the documentation carefully and ask the right questions to your mentor and team members. Try to make yourself familiar with the code base in the early weeks.

2) Difficulty in understanding the context: Nokia, as a telecommunication leader, has a lot of technical projects and solutions which has Networking Technology at its core. So, sometimes you may feel that you don't understand the networking concept being implemented via code. That's a good time to slow down a bit, talk to your mentors, and learn a bit about the context (the specific Networking Technology element).
Also, remember, that context can be different depending on the type of project you are working on. So make sure to have a good understanding of whatever context you are working on.

Lastly, remember to discuss your technical challenges with your mentor and other co-op's or interns. A small discussion can sometimes save you a lot of time later when you are working on your technical problem or technical project.

For the answers to the sub-parts of your question, please read below:

1) Collaboration and Teamwork are a core part of the software development process at Nokia. As a co-op, you will be collaborating with your team, and other teams depending on the project you are working on. Even if you are assigned an individual task, you usually have your mentor and other team members to discuss.

2) Cross-functional projects or opportunities for interns would depend on the team and the project that a co-op student may be working on.

3) Various learning and development resources are provided to co-op's and interns including access to Nokia Learning Center and more. When a student is onboarded for a co-op term, usually all the learning resources will be shared with the student. Also, depending on the team you work for, you may get some specific learning path or training assigned. On top of these, hands-on learning plays a huge role as you work on your project.

4) Yes, mentorship is one of the crucial parts of the co-op experience. Usually, as a co-op student, you will work with a mentor who will guide you in your co-op term. They will be your go-to person for guidance and support (whether technical or teamwork-related).

Hope this answers all your questions. All the best for your co-op journey.

Speaking about soft skills, apart from strong technical skills, that can make one stand out are ready-to-learn attitude, open mindset, collaboration and good communication skills. You can also elaborate more on what you would like to understand by software co-op process, and I will be happy to answer.