Three HVL students in practice at ViteMeir - get to help build from the start

The three students have been dragged into ViteMeir -world, and will receive a unique internship period as the very first internship students at the science center that opens in autumn .

– I imagined that I could get more out of the internship at an organization that is in planning than at one that is already open, says Kine Bårdsen. 

She, Marie Fotland and Janne Merete Bøyum will soon finish their first year of studying tourism management at the University College of Western Norway. Towards the summer, they will have an internship at the science center.

– I wanted to try something other than hotels, which I have experience from. I wanted to try something more administrative and see if it was something for me, says Marie Fotland. 

All three were impressed when CEO Erlend Fardal Lunde presented the company at an industry seminar in collaboration with several companies from the business community in Sogn to attract the students. 

– It was incredibly exciting when he told us that we could help build something from the ground up. Completely from a blank slate, says Janne Merete Bøyum.

One of the days the students had a coffee chat on campus with Erlend Fardal Lunde. Front row: Marie Fotland, Janne Merete Bøyum, and Kine Bårdsen.

Many new impressions

Now the three students have completed two weeks of their internship and are already full of new impressions, new experiences, and meeting many new people. 

– I expected that there would be a few meetings and that we would sit in an office, and that we would gain knowledge about the more administrative tasks, such as marketing, recruitment, and knowledge about how to get a business started, says Marie, who comes from Osterøy.

– And how has it been so far, Kine? 

– So far I'm positively surprised, and I imagined things would be more difficult. More messy in a way considering that there are many different people on the team, and everyone is in their own corner, says Kine. 

Insight into nutrition science provided motivation

Among other things, they have been involved in developing team building products, conducting market research, and attending a number of meetings, including the general assembly of the Sogn og Fjordane Business Council. 

– I looked around, and there was a manager for that and a manager for that, and the content was incredibly exciting. I thought this was something I could do. It gave me motivation, says Marie.

– It was exciting to see all the different people. I haven't heard of them. Everything is new and exciting, and I felt like an "important person", says Kine, who comes from Arna. 

In addition to common tasks, they are involved in several small projects where they contribute or provide inspiration to the others in the team. Among other things, social media, VR simulators, and music programming.

Many who are involved in building

They have also met most of the ViteMeir team, and gained insight into how many people are involved in building the company.

– It's quite exciting to see how many people it takes to build up the business from all sides, and keeping track of all those threads is impressive, says Janne Merete, from Fjærland.

– I was dizzy at first trying to keep track of all that, says Kine.

TOUR: The students were given a tour of the massive wooden building at Kaupanger.

ViteMeir will take over the building at Kaupanger in September, and it will open in November, which means that as of now all of them are employees in their own corner, and that's the only thing the internship students think is a bit stupid.

Despite that, they feel that the working environment is good, and it is a community that they have become a good part of after just two weeks.

– The roles are not that strict. There is a good balance between everyday life and being a leader and employee, says Marie.

– They have a job to do, but they have fun. And we already feel like part of the team. It's not like it's a dictatorship, laughs Kine.

– Yes, the other day it was the boss who brought us coffee while we were developing the product, adds Janne Merete.