Eesti Energia AS was awarded the title of the best regional internship provider of the year at the Estonian Employers’ Confederation competition “Best Internship Provider”. In cooperation with education institutions, the company contributes to the development of a qualified new workforce, offering internship opportunities outside major hubs as well.
The award was presented by the Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Taavi Aas and the CEO of the Estonian Employers’ Confederation Arto Aas.
“A company’s strengths are showcased by how much they themselves are ready to contribute to the development of the sector and region. With Eesti Energia, this contribution is significant and deserves recognition – as Virumaa’s largest employer, they perceive the responsibility of the company towards the community and, more broadly, the energy sector. A relevant and well-organised internship is of key importance in the real-life implementation of the knowledge gained in school,” said the Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Taavi Aas when presenting the award.
Eesti Energia has competed in the “Best Internship Provider” competition before, but they were awarded the title for the first time. In the past year, 179 people completed their internship at Eesti Energia, 65% of whom performed their internship in Ida-Viru County and 28% in Harju County, with the others at other manufacturing sites in Estonia.
“The company won the award due to their versatile system of internship organisation, the broad professional spectrum of the people involved, and an equally good level of offering internship programmes across Estonia,” clarified the CEO of the Estonian Employers’ Confederation Arto Aas regarding the decision of the evaluation committee.
The Chairman of the Management Board of Eesti Energia Hando Sutter said that providing internships enables one to get acquainted with young people entering the labour market more directly, and to understand their expectations of the employer. “If possible, we will include the finest interns into our team immediately after the internship has concluded. We are a quickly developing company, and we offer ambitious people an opportunity to partake. Our mission is to help find, maintain and develop top people with the required attitudes, skills and knowledge.”
Eesti Energia was entered into the competition by the TalTech Virumaa College, which is one of the most important cooperation partners of the company.
“We are very satisfied with the company’s organisation of internship, since every intern is approached individually. Interns get acquainted with the newest technologies and, in addition to professional competences, their teamwork, management and independent learning skills are also developed. Remuneration and the company scholarship are paid to the best interns, and they are offered a part-time job – all of this motivates the student and binds them to their future position. In the course of the internship, students find their thesis topic and a co-supervisor from the company, which helps them resolve practical issues of the company and to implement the knowledge and skills obtained during their studies,” said Director of the TalTech Virumaa College Mare Roosileht.
Winners in other subcategories of the 2020 competition are: the best small enterprise regional internship provider – PCC Projekt AS; the best provider of internship opportunities for foreign students in Estonia – SEB Pank AS. OÜ Gurmeeklubi was highlighted for providing thoughtful and skilled internships for students with special needs. The main prize of the competition was awarded to Magnetic MRO AS.
The competition “Best Internship Provider” is organised by the Estonian Employers’ Confederation in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Research and the Education and Youth Board. The competition recognises employers who offer internships and apprenticeship opportunities to university students and vocational students, doing this in an outstanding way, recognising their responsibilities in society and contributing significantly to the development of skills for the growth of the workforce.
The competition is funded by the Republic of Estonia, the European Social Fund, and the Estonian Employers’ Confederation.
