Internships in Denmark and Finland. Agata Jankowska on Working at International Architecture Firms

What is it like for a young architect to work at an international firm? Agata Jankowska, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture at the Wrocław University of Technology, discusses “Fundamenty,” she talks about her experiences with internships in Copenhagen and Helsinki, the hiring process, working on large projects, and what one can learn outside of Poland.

From a spontaneous application to Copenhagen

Agata Jankowska’s first internship abroad began with a decision that was hardly the result of months of planning. While browsing the social media accounts of architectural firms, she saw a post stating that Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects was looking for interns. She sent in her application, and just two weeks later, she found herself in Copenhagen.

She took a leave of absence from her studies for the duration of the internship and spent another year in Denmark. It was her first experience working in an international architectural environment and, at the same time, an opportunity to see what everyday life is like at a large firm.

She began her second internship right after defending her master’s thesis. This time, she chose Helsinki and the firm ALA Architects. She completed her post-graduate internship as part of the Erasmus+ program. It was a well-considered decision. After gaining experience working at a large firm with about 120 employees, she wanted to learn how a medium-sized firm, with about 30–50 people, operates.

The types of projects the firm was working on were also important. Agata was looking for a place where she could gain experience on larger and more complex public buildings, such as schools, libraries, museums, and concert halls.

The recruitment process doesn’t always have to be long

Agata’s story shows that it’s worth applying even when it seems too late to find an internship. In both cases, the recruitment process went very quickly. The first began with a post on social media, and the second was also wrapped up within about a week.

At the same time, the podcast’s guest emphasizes that internship recruitment is usually conducted well in advance. Offices often seek interns for the winter or summer semesters. It’s therefore worth keeping an eye on job postings and preparing your documents well in advance.

Applications typically consist of a resume and a portfolio, and a cover letter or recommendations can be useful additions. However, this doesn’t mean that not knowing all the required software should discourage you from applying.

From the competition to the construction drawings

Agata’s responsibilities varied depending on the firm and the stage of the project. In Denmark, she spent several months working on a large commercial and office building in the United States, which was in the construction phase following a design competition. Later, she also worked on an office project in Oslo during the construction phase.

In Finland, she worked primarily on competition and conceptual projects.

Her tasks included, among other things, preparing conceptual diagrams, creating visualizations in Photoshop, rendering, working in Revit, developing various design alternatives, and drawing architectural details, such as suspended ceiling solutions.

It was precisely this variety of tasks that allowed her to gradually learn the successive stages of the design process and develop her skills.

An international environment and daily life at the studio

Both firms where Agata worked were international environments. In Copenhagen, about half the team consisted of employees from other countries. In Helsinki, too, a significant portion of the staff was made up of people from outside Finland.

This diversity influenced not only the way they worked but also the atmosphere. The offices organized group lunches, coffee breaks, team-building events, and more informal get-togethers after work. In Denmark, there was, among other things, a weekly “Friday Bar,” during which employees could meet in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Day-to-day work depended primarily on the type of project. For larger projects, teams met regularly to discuss progress and tasks for the coming week. For competition projects, however, meetings focused on successive concept variations and direct contact with the lead designer played a key role.

An internship as an accelerated course in architecture

For Agata, one of the most important outcomes of her international experiences was the opportunity to explore contemporary architecture from the perspective of different countries and different architectural firms.

The internships also allowed her to develop her technical skills. One example is Revit, which she learned from scratch while working at the firm. That’s why, as she emphasizes, it’s not worth giving up on applying just because you don’t meet all the requirements regarding software proficiency.

Working in international firms also gave her the opportunity to meet architects with extensive professional experience, graduates of prestigious universities, and people who had previously worked at other prominent firms.

Internships thus proved to be not only a way to gain professional experience but also an opportunity to meet people from whom one can learn.

It’s worth applying

Agata Jankowska’s experience shows that the path to an international firm doesn’t have to start with a grand, months-long plan. Sometimes it’s enough to closely follow firms, projects that interest you, and job openings as they arise.

It’s worth putting together a strong portfolio, polishing your resume, and giving it a try even if you don’t seem to meet all the requirements. You can catch up on your knowledge of a specific software program, and the experience gained while working on a real-world project is hard to replace with self-study.

For Agata, the next step is to return to Poland and look for a job in Warsaw. She wants to gain professional experience in her home country as well, in part with an eye toward eventually obtaining her professional license.

Her story is, above all, a tale of how worthwhile it is to venture beyond one’s own university and see what architecture is like in other places. Copenhagen and Helsinki became the next stages of her education, this time outside the academic studio.