This text has been translated from Norwegian with the assistance of GPT UiO.
For the third consecutive year, master's students in economics can undertake an internship as part of their degree. Over the course of eight weeks, students have entered the workforce, applying their academic skills to solve tasks for organisations as diverse as Innovation Norway, the Ministry of Finance, PwC, and Statistics Norway.
On Monday, the students presented their experiences in Professorboligen to their employers, fellow students, and the head of the Department of Economics and course coordinator, Karen Helene Ulltveit-Moe.
– I think it has gone very well! I believe the students have gained insight into how they can apply their discipline and what it's like to be in the workforce. I become more enthusiastic each time we hold this course, she said.
Ulltveit-Moe is the initiator of ECON4032 – Internship in Economics, one of many career-oriented initiatives at ØI. The department head reports a strong interest from students in the course and aims for all applicants to secure a place.
– This year we had more applicants than in both previous semesters. We are constantly working to balance the number of students and organisations. It's not straightforward, she explained.
– But we notice that word is spreading, and we receive ongoing inquiries from organisations wanting to become host institutions. It's very exciting! Moreover, we hear from students that they see this course as a real strength of our master's programme compared to economics master's programmes at other institutions.
Scrutinising parliamentary decisions
Knut Håkedal Overskeid is one of the students who recently tried his hand in the workforce. With an internship at the National Audit Office, he participated in two administrative audits, where the agency evaluates whether parliamentary decisions are enacted according to their intent.
– I never dreamed of becoming an auditor. But this was much more exciting than I had anticipated, the master's student remarked.
– And you can see the reports delivered by the National Audit Office being presented to the Control and Constitutional Affairs Committee, the ministry, and the responsible minister. So you see your work having an impact. It's thrilling to engage in something so interesting and significant.
During his internship, Overskeid primarily worked with large datasets. His coursework in data science and econometrics proved beneficial, as he utilised data processing tools like R, econometric methods, and regression analyses.
– I'm glad to have established contacts in the workforce. It's more than just courses or working towards exams; it's seeing how people actually work in real life. How the knowledge from my studies is applied, said Overskeid.
A job as an auditor no longer seems so far-fetched.
– Auditing work is very varied and is much closer to the academic subjects I want to pursue than I had anticipated. Now I also know several people at the National Audit Office, said Overskeid.
– I think having a strong reference is useful. I can take it with me to other places and show that I've successfully functioned on a job site for eight weeks. It's great to leave the university with more than just a transcript.
Wide range of assignments
One of the employers present during the presentation in Professorboligen was Kari Gjelsnes from Statistics Norway. This marks the third year Statistics Norway has participated in the internship scheme of the Department of Economics, hosting seven students this year.
– It's been very successful, and the students have been exceptionally capable. They bring in new expertise and help us tackle tasks we want to emphasise. They also contribute positively to the working environment, said Gjelsnes.
Master's students from the Department of Economics have worked on developing management data for the leadership at Statistics Norway, created new industry codes for the statistics department, while others have engaged in international training materials for national accounts.
– There is wide diversity in the types of tasks the students are able to solve. We see this as valuable and rewarding, and Statistics Norway is keen to continue the arrangement.
