At HiQ, that interest had the chance to turn into hands-on doing. During his placement, Oskari used AI to build a game where the player’s task is to solve a new challenge every day. The project taught him a lot about what working in the technology industry can be like in practice. First comes an idea, then you try it out, test it and fix it. Not everything works right away, but that is often where the learning happens.

Oskari says he was genuinely proud of his game. A particularly good moment was when he got to share the game in HiQ’s Slack for others to see. His own work became visible, and at the same time he experienced that what he had created also mattered to others.

The placement also included unfinished experiments. Oskari tested a voice-controlled Halloween project that did not yet work quite as intended. But that did not make the experiment a failure. In technology, unfinished work is part of the process. Solutions are sought, errors are investigated, and the next version is built on top of the previous one.

AI lowers the threshold for getting started

For Oskari, AI is a practical tool. He uses it when he needs help finding information or understanding a problem. For example, with questions related to building a moped, AI can help him move forward if the answer cannot be found elsewhere straight away.

He can also describe what kind of AI use works best. Getting a good answer requires a clear question. Sometimes it is worth adding a picture so that the AI can understand the situation better. Oskari’s thinking also shows an important skill: answers need to be evaluated. If AI gives a poor or unclear answer, you can refine the question, ask again or assess the answer critically.

Building the game showed in a very concrete way how AI can help a young person get started. Oskari says that without AI, he would not have known how to make the game in the same way. AI did not replace his own work, but it gave him support that made it possible to take the idea further.

A calm and encouraging view of working life

Before the placement, Oskari had a different impression of what a technology company would be like. He thought the work would be less flexible and perhaps involve more sitting still. During the placement, his view changed. HiQ came across as a calm and flexible workplace where he could focus on his work in his own way.

The atmosphere at the workplace also proved important. Oskari describes the atmosphere as good and says he received help whenever he needed it. He felt that his questions were listened to and his ideas were taken seriously.

Experiences like this matter. For a young person, a TET period is not just a quick glimpse into working life. It can change their idea of what workplaces are like and what kinds of roles their own interests might lead to in the future.

Young people are growing up surrounded by technology

Young people play games together, use phones and computers, search for information and use digital tools at school as well. In Oskari’s view, technology is a natural part of everyday life, learning and doing things together.

Oskari also says he has helped adults use computers and phones. That says a lot about young people’s digital everyday lives. Many things are learned by trying, watching and doing. At the same time, they develop an understanding of how different tools can be used in their own lives.

From the perspective of working life, this is interesting. Young people are not coming to technology from the outside; they have grown up with it. They often have the courage to try new tools and a natural way of looking for solutions.

One placement can strengthen a direction

Oskari’s TET placement at HiQ strengthened the idea that the technology industry could be a possible direction for him in the future. The work felt more enjoyable than he had expected beforehand, and he could imagine working with technology one day.

After comprehensive school, Oskari plans to go to upper secondary school. His future profession is not yet clear, and it does not need to be. What matters more is that during the placement, his interest in computers, building things and learning new skills was given more room to grow.

For HiQ, Oskari’s story is a good reminder of how meaningful it can be for a young person to be given responsibility and trust. When a young person gets to experiment, ask questions and show their own work to others, working life becomes easier to approach. At the same time, they gain the experience that their own ideas have value.

Oskari’s placement was a great example of what can happen when a young person is given an opportunity. He built a game, experimented with AI, received help from professionals and got a close-up view of what working in the technology industry can be like.

You do not need a complete career plan in order to get inspired. Sometimes, getting the chance to try is enough.