3 min read
This summer, Emil Thorsbjerg and Leon Touge, two mechanical engineering students from University College Absalon, went to Greenland for 4 weeks to attend an international course on entrepreneurship in Greenland. PJM sponsored their trip and we have enjoyed receiving updates and stories from Emil and Leons' Greenland adventure.
With the climate in mind
Both people from Greenland and Denmark had signed up for this course, and Emil and Leon got the opportunity to collaborate with people from other fields of study such as Arctic Construction and Fisheries Technology. At the end of the 4 weeks, the students were faced with the task of creating a sustainable product and business. Inspired directly by the reality in Greenland they needed to find new ways to recycle fishing nets which are putting a strain on nature.
Leon expressed the following about the case experience:
“It was great that we had to solve a case based on the challenges that Greenland faces. Even though we were only there for 4 weeks it was clear to us that climate change is making its mark. Sustainability is important to both of us, and we want to contribute to it in our line of work.”
When school was done, Emil and Leon immersed themselves in the culture and nature of Greenland. They went exploring whenever an opportunity presented itself. In just four weeks they walked on The Ice Sheet, went whale watching, saw numerous icebergs, and traveled by dog sled.
Emil recalls the nature of Greenland making a strong impression on him and his travel companion.
“The nature was indescribable and something you must experience for yourself. The most memorable experience was our trip to Disko Island where we went dog sledding. We traveled 350 km along the west coast by boat - from Sisimiut to Disko Island. It took 14 hours in total – it was extreme and fantastic. It was an amazing trip and the sponsorship from PJM was crucial to making this whole trip happen.”
Attending international courses around the world – like Emil and Leon – is something University College Absalon always encourages their students to do. Jesper Stensbo Knudsen, Head of Mechanical Engineering studies at Absalon explains why they place such a high value on studies abroad:
“It gives our students a broader perspective on their future profession and how it can differ in other countries and cultures. We educate our students with practice in mind. And since most of our students will end up working in an international work environment, it is to their advantage that they have experience with this before they enter the workforce.”
The programs at University College Absalon focus on real-life engineering. And Absalon is always pleased to see when local businesses invest in the students and their education. Like PJM did with Emil and Leon's course in Greenland.
“It is vital that we have a close relationship with the local businesses if our programs are to keep their professional width and depth. We educate engineers in Kalundborg with the entire world as their possible future workplace. And we wish to contribute to increasing the number of engineers in Western Zealand. It is our finest job to show our local businesses as gateways to working internationally.”
Projects across borders
An international career is something both Emil and Leon aspire to have. Their four weeks in Greenland have given them an appetite for more international work adventures. The trip has provided them with a myriad of memorable experiences as well as important insights.
“These four weeks were a great way to get a sense of working abroad. We got to experience how it is to work in a culture and climate that is very different from our own. We learned that you need to be acutely aware of the prerequisites regarding your project that may be vastly different from what you are used to. And that is just one of the many insights we bring with us into our future careers. “, Emil and Leon agree.
At PJM, we are proud to be part of the development of our future engineers and be able to broaden their educational horizons with practical experiences based on insights from the "real world". We wish Emil and Leon all the best in their continuing studies and look forward to following their progression in the field of engineering.