If you want to know how it is possible to successfully do a 180 in your career, keep reading our former intern Tuule’s story. She joined Playtech as an intern and her previous career was in sports and healthcare. Today, she is working as a QA Engineer. Tuule was one of our 48 interns who took part in our Summer Internship 2022 program, and she was one of the 24 people who continued to work in Playtech.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I come from a diverse background with experience in both healthcare and sports,
having worked as a physiotherapist and tennis coach after earning my Bachelor's
degree in Physiotherapy. I've always had a strong desire to expand my knowledge
and skillset, which led me to pursue a second degree in Computer Science. As a
soon-to-be graduate, I'm thrilled to have started my new career in IT as a
Quality Assurance Engineer at Playtech.
What skills from your
previous work do you feel translate the most to this position?
My previous work experience taught me the importance of being detail-oriented,
adaptable and communicative, which are all essential skills in my current role
as Quality Assurance engineer.
Was it a hard decision for you to choose to pursue a new career?
Switching careers can be daunting, but I had reached a stage in my life where I
wanted to challenge myself. I worked in my prior profession for almost a
decade, and although I thoroughly enjoyed it, I was enthusiastic about the
opportunities that a career in IT could offer. The transition has not been
without its challenges but I'm grateful for the experience and growth that has
come with it.
Where did you get the idea to join our internship?
I heard about the internship from some of my classmates who had just completed
their internships at Playtech. They spoke highly of their experiences. This
motivated me to apply for the internship and I'm glad that I did.
Did you have any prejudices about Playtech before joining us?
No, I didn't have any prejudices about Playtech before joining. I believe that
it's best to approach new experiences with an open mind, so I was excited to
learn about the company through my internship experience.
How was your first day?
My first day at Playtech was really exciting! We were given a tour of the
office and I was introduced to my mentor and my team, who were all very
welcoming and friendly. Then my mentor gave me an overview of my
responsibilities and the projects I would be working on. I felt welcomed and
supported from the get go.
What did you like the most during the
internship and what didn’t you like?
I really enjoyed my internship at Playtech, especially the hands-on experience
and being able to work on real projects. It was great to be part of a team that
is responsible for ensuring the quality of Playtech's products. I also
appreciated the support and mentorship that I received from my team throughout
the internship.
As for something I didn't like, I would say that there were times where I felt
a bit overwhelmed by the fast-paced work environment and with the amount of new
information I was receiving. However, this is just a natural part of the
learning process. The overall experience was great.
What was the biggest challenge during the internship?
As a Quality Assurance engineer intern at Playtech, probably one of the biggest
challenges was learning to work with the different systems and tools used by
the team. Some of these tools were completely new to me. It took some time to
get up to speed and understand how to use them efficiently.
When did you decide to stay with us and why?
I had an incredibly positive experience working with the team. I found the work
to be challenging, engaging and rewarding. Additionally, I felt that there was
a lot of room for growth and development within the company, which is important
to me as I'm looking to build a career in this field.
When you think back, what is something you wished to know before joining the
IT industry?
I discovered that soft skills, like communication and teamwork, are just as
important in the IT industry as technical skills.
What would be your recommendation to future interns?
During my internship, I found that the more I was willing to take on new
challenges and learn from my colleagues, the more rewarding and fulfilling my
experience became. So my advice would be to keep an open mind, always ask
questions and never stop pushing yourself to learn and grow.
Additionally, I would encourage future interns to get involved in the company
culture and get to know their colleagues.
Describe working in Playtech in three words.
Challenging, collaborative, rewarding.