What kind of industry is your company/organisation a part of?

Construction products

Name three things you spend the most time on in your work?

Life Cycle Assessments and Environmental Product Declarations, certifications (DGNB, Indeklima etc.), strategy development

What is the most important learning in your working life so far?

As cliché as it sounds, I really had and still have to learn to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone. I have to be proactive and show that I am open to learn new things and develop myself.

What motivates you?

I am motivated by creating added value. For example, if I am making a report just because, I don't see the point. But if it something that is used actively in the decision process, then I am more than happy to do that. Generally, I like to do meaningful things.

How do you use your degree and competencies from AAU?

I work in the construction sector, and sustainability is high on the agenda, therefore I am very happy that I have had a lot of courses about that, especially, LCAs. At the same time I am supporting the leadership team in developing business strategies. Even though I learned about that from the urban and city perspective, it can still be applied to businesses. And of course I use a lot of the social skills I learned and develop while studying at AAU.

What made you choose AAU?

I visited Aalborg a year before my studies in a relation to a summer course organized by a student organization BEST. I fell in love with the city and the university's approach to learning - PBL. I have always liked working in groups, discussing different topics and having partners to create something meaningful.

What made you choose your specific programme?

During my bachelor's I studied Development Economics, and I wanted to specialize in urban planning. I was drawn to the CiSu programme due to its international angle - ability to spend a semester abroad and get a double degree. However, that was not possible, and I only learned about that when starting the semester. I also learned that urban planning is a difficult area to find a job in Denmark, if you are not familiar with the local laws and the language, and as an international, yeah, I didn't have that knowledge.

I could have chosen a different programme, fx, a sister programme Environmental Management and Sustainability Science, that was not so broad, and that would have helped me to specialize in a specific field.

What are your best memories from your time at AAU?

Being a part of the international student organization "BEST" (Board of European Students of Technology). It was a wonderful opportunity to meet other students from AAU, both local and international. We attended and organized different events together. One of the highlights (already after graduating) was helping to organize a summer course about renewable energy. We invited more than 20 students from Europe to experience the AAU culture and learn about some of the research topics AAU is focusing on.

With the knowledge and insight you have today, what advice would you give yourself if you were to start studying at AAU?

Don't expect to have a lot of free time :D But when you have it, use it wisely. Join a student or other volunteering organization, grab a drink with your study mates, learn Danish. All of those things will definitely help to create the feeling of community - a home away from home.

Your best career advice for students and newly graduates?

Apply all of the advice you get from AAU Career, your labour union and your a-kasse. This is not their first time helping students and newly graduates looking for jobs, so they actually know what they are talking about (as silly as it sometimes may sound). Don't be scared of networking and start building your LinkedIn profile early. When applying for jobs, try to find your competitive edge - what makes you stand out, what unique competences do you have.

Anything else, which is relevant to mention about your time at AAU?

On the second year of my studies I started learning Danish. That definitely helped me both in my studies and in my future carreer. I could use Danish sources while writing my papers, I could understand the society a bit better, and, of course, use the language in my everyday life. I work at a Danish company and the working language is Danish. Without knowing Danish I wouldn't have been able to land this job.

Indra Petersone at LinkedIn