Dansk Supermarked Group named Denmark's best internship

Denmark's nine business academies are behind the award, which is meant to put focus on how the internship creates value for the students and the companies.

About 130 spectators sat on the edge of their seats in Radisson Blu H.C. Andersen Hotel in Odense, when it Tuesday afternoon was decided which one of the country’s many companies had given their intern the best internship. 

Before the final day, 578 interns from the country's nine business academies had nominated their internship companies for the award. All of these were sorted down to nine finalists, one from each business academy, who Tuesday afternoon had to give reasons for why their internships should win the title as Business Academy Internship of the Year.

A jury consisting of some of the brightest business people in the country was assembled to make the final decision, and after careful consideration the jury named Dansk Supermarked Group as the winner.

Second place went to Semco Maritime, who had Mike Seider from Business Academy Southwest as an intern, while third place went to Toms Gruppen, who had Tine Willumsen from Zealand Institute of Business and Technology as an intern.

- It was really difficult to choose, because all nine are well-qualified candidates. But this company has given away a huge responsibility and in that way developed the student. Furthermore, there was a professional recruitment of the student, so it did not come easy to him. This shows that you are serious about recruiting and developing the candidate. Additionally, the jury stressed that the company has made a career plan along with the student and has therefore taken responsibility for how the student proceeds after the internship, explains Søren Jan Nielsen, Executive Director of Danske Bank Erhverv.

Besides him, the jury consisted of Michael Rugaard, Head of the secretariat, Danske Erhvervsakademier, Mette Fjord Sørensen, Director of education and research policy, Danish Chamber of Commerce, and Jacob Bille Carlsen, Process Manager, Harboe Bryggeri A/S.

On basis of the criterion 'personal and professional development', 'the social experience' and 'turning knowledge into value', Dansk Supermarked Group was elected as the winner among the nine finalists.

The appointment of Dansk Supermarked Group as Business Academy Internship of the Year was especially to the delight of Mads Fuglsang Hedegaard, who could finally breathe a sigh of relief and let go of the butterflies in his stomach:

- I am feeling very good. This is what I dreamed of when I nominated Dansk Supermarked. Now I can give a little back. It is absolutely perfect. During my internship, I went far and wide. It was not only learning in the purely professional way, I have also developed personally. And this is also important during the internship.

Jakob Nørgaard Petersen, who is the purchasing manager at Dansk Supermarked, is a proud winner:

- To stand here and be named the best internship as one in ten thousands - it is absolutely fantastic. It is really important for us to have interns from business academies, so we can test their theories in reality.

Put focus on the good internship

The Business Academy Internship of the Year is established in order to put focus on how the internship becomes a successful and rewarding experience for both the intern and the company.

In many cases, the internship is the admission ticket to the students’ first job. Danske Erhvervsakademier estimates that one in four internships on the business academies leads to a job afterwards. Seven of the nine finalists have got a job at their internship company.

Facts

The nine finalists

• Toms Gruppen – nominated by Tine Hjortvald Willumsen Niebur, who is studying Food Technology at Zealand Institute of Business and Technology.
• Barry Callebaut A/S – nominated by Sidsel Hansen, who is studying Marketing Management at Business Academy Midwest.
• Semco Maritime – nominated by Mike Niclas Seider, who is studying International Sales and Marketing at Business Academy Southwest.
• Colourbox – nominated by Kasper Brandt Pedersen, who is studying Software Development at Lillebælt Academy of Professional Higher Education.
• Dansk Supermarked Group – nominated by Mads Fuglsang Hedegaard, who has graduated in International Sales and Marketing Management at Business Academy Aarhus.
• Zebicon – nominated by Birgitte Lærke Andersen, who is studying International Sales and Marketing Management at IBA, International Business Academy Kolding.
• Jyske Finans – nominated by Stine Skjødt, who is studying Financial Management at Dania – Academy of Higher Education.
• Praqma – nominated by Timea Karolina Kiss, who is studying Software Development at Copenhagen Business Academy, Cphbusiness.
• JENSEN Denmark – nominated by Mads Jørgen Nilsson, who is studying Production Technology at KEA – Copenhagen School of Design and Technology.

Tips from the nine interns

How to get the perfect internship: 

• Be aware of what you really want to work with, but be open to where you are going to work. It is not necessarily the industry that decides how good the internship is going to be. But it is important that you realise what you want to work with, and what your greatest skills are.
• Turn in an uninvited application. Your dream company may not know that they need an intern like you.
• Sense if there is good chemistry at the interview and trust your gut feeling. If it is not good, it may be difficult for you to develop at the company.
• Be critical. Do not necessarily accept the first internship offer, if it does not meet your expectations.

How to get success at your internship: 

• Make sure to match your expectations with the company’s, let them know what you want, and listen to what they expect of you.
• Be open and forthcoming to any ideas, and do not say no to any tasks, though they may seem boring. In the end, an unpretentious approach can be worth your while.
• Do still make demands to the company. The internship works both ways, and if you do not get anything else than boring tasks without responsibility, you have to tell it to the company.
• Speak up. Remember that a pair of fresh eyes on a task or a problem is priceless.
• Get to know your company both professionally and socially. It makes your work easier, and you create a larger network.
• Make sure to challenge yourself and to try different aspects of your profession. When you have graduated, it is likely that you get to work with a small area of what you have learned. Make use of your internship to try different tasks.

About Business Academy Internship of the Year

In 2015, the award was established by Cphbusiness. This year for the first time ever, the prize is awarded on a national level by the country’s nine business academies to put foucs on the value of a good internship. On basis of the nominees from the nine business academies, the Business Academy Internship of the Year is handed out.

On basis of the criterion 'personal and professional development', 'the social experience' and 'turning knowledge into value', Søren Jan Nielsen, Executive Director, Danske Bank Erhverv, Michael Rugaard, Head of the secretariat, Danske Erhvervsakademier, Mette Fjord Sørensen, Director of education and research policy, Danish Chamber of Commerce, and Jacob Bille Carlsen, Process Manager, Harboe Bryggeri A/S elect the winner among the nine finalists.

About the business academies

Denmark’s nine business academies are spread all over the country, and they offer short and medium long higher education levelled at employment in the private business life.

Every year, the business academies educate about 8,000 students primarily within IT, the commercial and the technical area, but also within design, service, health and management.

The nine business academies

• Zealand Institute of Business and Technology, located in Roskilde, Næstved, Køge, Slagelse and Nykøbing F. Read more at: www.easj.dk
• Business Academy Midwest, located in Herning and Holstebro. Read more at: www.eamv.dk
• Business Academy Southwest, located in Esbjerg and Sønderborg. Read more at: www.easv.dk
• Lillebælt Academy of Professional Higher Education, located in Odense and Vejle. Read more at: www.eal.dk
• Business Academy Aarhus, located in Viby, Risskov and Aarhus C. Read more at: www.eaaa.dk
• IBA, International Business Academy Kolding, located in Kolding. Read more at: www.iba.dk
• Dania – Academy of Higher Education, located in Grenaa, Hadsten, Hobro, Horsens, Randers, Silkeborg, Skive and Viborg. Read more at: www.eadania.dk
• Copenhagen Business Academy, Cphbusiness, located in København K, København N, Lyngby and Hillerød. Read more at: www.cphbusiness.dk
• KEA – Copenhagen School of Design and Technology, located in København N, København NV, København Ø, Hellerup and Ballerup. Read more at: www.kea.dk