Through trainee position to employment at National Police Board

Project Coordinator Veera Parikka
National Police Board, Information Technology Centre of the Police
Master of Business Economics, Major in Information Systems Science

I have always been puzzling over what I would do when I grow up. I am easily excited about new things, and so it has been challenging for me to find the one and only correct job or field which I would feel was my own. My studies are also a testimony of this: I started at Turku University with French linguistics. Taking a few turns, I ended up in the School of Economics and started the studies in information systems science and IT. The studies lit the spark and I fell for IT.

I had written my Bachelor thesis in information security issues, and the National Police Board was looking for a trainee for corresponding tasks for the summer of 2020. I had never thought of working in government, and indeed, the National Police Board seemed at first a very unfamiliar but the more interesting place for training. I applied, and it did not take long until this unlikely organisation started to feel my own. After the university training, I stayed on and focused on information security tasks until the summer of 2021. After a year or so, my employment scene changed and I took a quick spin outside the Police Board.

While working elsewhere, I completed my studies. At that point, I really started thinking what I wanted to do now that I have grown up.  The positive experience gained at the Police Board convinced me to apply for a job at the Police IT centre where I still work today. More precisely, I am part of a group called ICT projects which is constituted by experts covering various projects: programme leads and project managers as well as coordinators.  In the ICT projects group, we work on various IT projects to develop operations at the Police. 

Versatile project coordinator work

I am a project coordinator in an entity of projects related to the Police information exchange systems. My job description includes, for example, financial planning and follow-up of projects with EU funding, participation in procurements, communications as well as development of project management and reporting. For my part, I am also responsible for smooth exchange of information and adherence to timetables. I have been able to influence the types of tasks I work with in my current role. I am free to schedule my working days in the best way I see fit. I am fond of my independent work but at the same time, it also requires time management skills, own initiative and capacity to prioritise.   

I am still relatively new in my job, but I feel that project work suits me well, thanks to its multifaceted nature. My work-related motivation is also boosted by the fact that I am able to capitalise on the knowledge and skills obtained in school and in my earlier jobs. Good remote work opportunities are one major advantage and allow us living a bit further away from the Police Board offices to work for the authority. The experience accumulated in my former jobs at the Police Board has been an asset, even though my tasks are different from the ones I had during my traineeship. Although I now work in different units, the feeling remains the same: I have had a very friendly welcome, I feel I am appreciated, and I think my job is the very correct work for me.