Working in Kolding as an international graduate

Meet Dragana Koceska, who moved to Kolding from Macedonia to pursue a career in sustainable engineering

Moving to another country to study and work can lead to a lot of great experiences. Campus Kolding has interviewed Dragana, who has graduated from SDU Kolding with a master’s in Information Technology.

Dragana shares her experiences as an international graduate and how she landed her current full time job in Kolding. Learn more about cultural differences, learning Danish, student jobs and so much more.

See the interview and read the full article below.

“You will feel like home within a week.”

How did you end up in Kolding?

I’m from North Macedonia and I’ve been in Kolding for almost three years now. I came for my master’s studies and I stayed because I found a job and life is good here, so I grew to love this place.

I used to have a summer internship in the United States, when I was doing my bachelor’s degree in my home country. I really liked the nature and how different it was, but it was way too far from home. When time came for me to choose where I would like to do my master’s studies, I was 100% sure that I wanted to be abroad with a different culture, but also in a country where sustainability was an important feature. After a lot of research, I found out that Denmark was doing a lot to incorporate sustainability into their studies.

I grew up in the capital of my country and here it’s so calming, so beautiful and I would say by observing nature in this region you can see the true Kolding. And also people are really good and welcoming, so you will feel like home within a week.

How has your experience been studying in Kolding?

Studying at SDU was a really unique experience, because of the way the studies were organized as studio-based learning. There was a lot of hands-on experience, which was a really unique approach. We had access to MakerLab, where I felt like part of a family. It was a really fun way of learning through making.

There’s also Business Kolding that unites all the businesses and startups, and it serves as a place where people can come and collaborate and get to know each other - that was really nice.

Studying in Kolding has absolutely lived up to my expectations. I was actually supposed to go back home after my studies, but then I got a job here.

“Studying in Kolding has absolutely lived up to my expectations. ”

Tell me about your job

I work full-time a Schneider Electric. Schneider is a global tech company based in Kolding with a strong international work environment, and sustainability is a huge part of the work.

I landed an internship with Schneider Electric during my studies and I’m now working there full time. I started as an intern mechanical engineer, which transitioned into a student job related to my master’s thesis. After my studies ended, I was hired as a full-time data scientist, and now I’ve been offered to be a global product manager.

It was natural for me to be career oriented doing my studies, because I did have this fear that I had to try more as I’m coming from abroad. I also had to work in order to get SU, so I chose to work with something that was related to my studies. I have also been an assistant at the university, so I actually had two student jobs at one point.

Is there a good match with your education?

I’m actually working in a position that directly resembles what I’ve studied at SDU Kolding. I’m trying to bring the novel concepts that we studied at university into this IT environment, because we need to shake things up with some fresh out-of-school knowledge. I think that’s the thing I love about this job and place, because everyone is so open about it.

So I would say that it’s the perfect match.

Has there been any cultural differences at your job?

No, actually I was very surprised that I was accepted from the get-go when I joined the company. They made me feel like I’ve been here since always. It was a very good experience and I think that’s what kept me staying here, because I felt accepted, I felt part of a family, and it was never a problem that I didn’t speak the language. It is still the same up until this date.

Since I’ve decided to stay I’m planning to start learning Danish. Mostly because I’m curious, but over time I’ve started to like it, so I’m always pleased when people speak Danish to me. I see it as a new challenge for me, and the next step is starting to have conversations in Danish.

“I was actually very surprised that I was accepted from the get-go.”

Do you have any advice for other international students?

My advice would be that it’s a good decision to move to Kolding, as it’s a very unique and historical city. And coming here for study is the key step, because you get to meet people and you make friends that way. Most of the people I’ve studied with, I’m really close friends with. We travel together, we have dinners together. This is a place where you will never really get bored.

And the educational system here is very unique and very good. I find it interesting, especially the concept with studio-based learning. It doesn’t feel like studying, but like you’re having fun.

There are many volunteer associations in Kolding, as well as opportunities to establish one’s own association. The municipality also arranges a lot of activities and festivals for other students. So it’s easy to reach out and be met with collaboration opportunities.