The date on the calendar says Monday, May 1, 2023. The thesis is completed, and the contract with Netcompany is signed. Actually, it has been signed since December. But now we are here: the first day of work. A day that, in many ways, is both exciting and daunting. No more studying, no more homework and no more exams. But it also means a farewell to life as a student, which Amalie has known for most of her 28 years. Ahead of her lies a future with a full-time job, but luckily, that doesn’t mean that her development will end – on the contrary.
Saying goodbye to student life
”There is a great focus on development, which has opened my eyes to the fact that I can continue to learn and grow.”
Amalie Frøling Pedersen
Consultant
Getting into the IT world
With a passion for languages and technology, Amalie’s many interests have repeatedly led her to the question: “What should one choose when one wants to do many things at once?” This question led Amalie on a journey—first through a bachelor’s degree in Korean Studies at the University of Copenhagen, followed by a master’s degree in Software Design at the IT University.
“I wanted to have a master’s degree, but I wanted it to be completely different from my bachelor’s degree. I find grammar especially interesting in language, and I’ve always been curious about coding. Programming offered me the perfect combination of these, so I gave it a shot and applied for Software Design – a decision that turned out to be the right one for me!”
The perfect balance
Today, Amalie is a newly started consultant at Netcompany – a role where she can combine interacting with people with developing her technical skills in programming even further.
“I like that my role is very logical, but it doesn’t mean a farewell to the more human-centred aspects I’m familiar with from my bachelor’s degree. Nothing beats those days when I can fiddle with a task for a long time to find the right solution. It’s challenging and satisfying at the same time.”
From theory to practice
When asked what it’s like to start a new job as a recent graduate, Amalie smiles and says, “It feels like a greater responsibility because my work is no longer theoretical but has a real impact. I occasionally struggle with imposter syndrome, but I think that’s natural when you’re new.”
When asked how she handles this, Amalie emphasises the opportunity to get guidance and ask her manager and colleagues questions when needed.
"Nothing beats those days when I can fiddle with a task for a long time to find the right solution. It's challenging and satisfying at the same time."
Amalie Frøling Pedersen
Continued growth
Amalie tells how she values her ongoing dialogues with her manager. It allows her to ask questions and discuss her interests and goals for her future career path.
“I hadn’t thought about how important the development opportunities were regarding where I wanted to work. At Netcompany, there is a great focus on development, which has opened my eyes to the fact that I can continue to learn and grow – professionally and personally – even though I am no longer in the classroom.”
