Student and company collaboration leads to job

Rasmus Jørgensen from the Herning region is a good example of a successful collaboration between an educational institution and a company. In early January 2017,  he was able to add the title of newly qualified Master’s graduate in Engineering (Technology Based Business Development) from Aarhus BSS at Aarhus University to his CV with an impressive 12 on his exam. He was then hired by Jyden in a permanent position and now works as project manager responsible for internal process optimisations. Previously, Rasmus collaborated with Jyden during his studies over a period of several years, which turned out to be beneficial for both parties.

“I’ve experienced the real world as it is - not everything can be found in books. You must become part of the company’s culture and processes before you can relate to them. For this reason, I’ve gained a lot from being physically located at Jyden because it’s allowed me to get involved in many aspects of the company - formal as well as informal. The flat organisational structure allowed for a good interaction with both the management and the other employees - it’s given me a sense of being part of the team from day one,” says Rasmus Jørgensen.

Jyden’s CEO Jens Agergaard is also very pleased. From his point of view, companies and students both need to make themselves attractive; e.g. companies who are looking for new, competent employees and students who are looking to become an intern.

“For the company, it represents a good opportunity to create close, professional relations with the student - in this case Rasmus - thereby paving the way for new potential employees. Having Rasmus at our company has certainly added value to Jyden and given us a new perspective on things. That’s why I can only recommend that companies - especially those in the more depopulated areas - make an effort to attract students,” says Jens Agergaard, CEO at Jyden.

Securing new professional competences in this manner is not new to Jyden. The company has successfully partnered with interns on various degree programmes.

“It’s about being open, about seeking out the opportunities - and contacting the educational institutions. Regardless of company size, a company will always be able to contribute and benefit,” says Jens Agergaard.

At Jyden, there is a continuous need for developing the professional competences - both in terms of mentor schemes, recruiting new graduates as well as developing the company’s employees.

“It’s important to me to be able to pass on the educational experience I’ve acquired. As a student, you must challenge yourself and not necessarily pursue a specific line of business, but look at the development potential of the companies. I’m happy to have partnered with a medium-sized company - it’s given me the opportunity to make decisions on my own. Jyden has given me the space to be able to develop personally and professionally,” concludes Rasmus Jørgensen.