2. The study visit and employability

The study visit and employability, reflection seminar in December 2016

Preparations for the reflection

• Investigate, using only public sources, how the company you visited is recruiting computer scientists. Is the company advertising in newspapers? Advertising on its web site? Visiting Armada or D-dagen? In some other way?

If you missed the study visit

If you missed the study visit you will need to do the following extra preparation for the seminar.

• There are several business associations relevant to masters of computer science. Such organizations could either have  computer science companies or computer scientists as members. Find one (relevant) business association organizing companies and one organizing people. Look up the web sites of these associations and find some information about them. Then use them instead of the company in the four reflection points below, when you write your reflection. The reflection should be 600-800 words instead of at least 500 words.

If you visited two companies this year

Some students had to visit two companies in order to fit two years' study visit seminars in one year. If you are one of these students, you need to write a double length (1000-1200 words) reflection, where the first half should answer the four first reflection point below regarding your first study visit and the second halv should answer all reflection points (including the comparison) regarding your second study visit. Submit your reflection in the ordinary way, but also mail the link to the document to viggo@kth.se.

The written reflection

Write a reflection document where you address the following points based on your study visit and your small recruitment research. Make sure that you bring up both positive and negative aspects. The document should be 500-800 words.

• Give a short description of the company and the visit. Did you learn anything new that you did not know before? Reflect upon why it was new to you.
• How do you and your competence match the company you visited? If not, what competences would you need to develop and how would you do that?
• What insights have you gained that may influence your studies, choice of degree project or future plans?
• What role does the company fill in society? Do you want to be part of what the company is doing? Reflect upon how important it is to you that the company you work for has values that you share.
• (only for year 2) Compare the study visit last year with this one. What was similar? And what was different? 
• Finally, write a paragraph where you reflect on the courses you are currently taking and the courses (or degree project) that you have chosen to take next semester.

Hand in the reflection, read the group members' reflections and comment on them

Your written reflection must be handed in before December 8, at 13.00. Maybe you should once again look at the short video showing how to upload the document to Google Drive. You should begin the document by stating your name followed by prosamm16 or prosamm15 (depending on whether you study the first or second year of the master's program). The link to the document should be put in a file with your name in the directory
/info/prosamm16/seminars-1617/period-2/group-X
where X is your group's number (the same as last time - if you forgot you can find it in Rapp). If you did not participate in the seminar in period 1 your group number might have been removed from Rapp. If this is the case, and you still want to take the course, you need to contact Viggo (viggo@kth.se).

You have to comment on at least six other group members' reflection documents using the Google Drive comment functionality (Comment in the Insert menu) before December 12, at 13.00. You may choose which six group members you like, as long as there are at least two from year 1 (prosamm16) and two from year 2 (prosamm15) among them. You also have to comment on a comment in your own document (if there is any). The comments should have some sort of reflective content, not just saying "I agree" or asking a simple question.

Participate actively in the seminar

Find your group number in the table below and lookup when and where your seminar is. The seminar is about 50 minutes, and it is important to be on time. Notice the odd starting times! Instructions on how to find the rooms can be found in the menu to the left.

Report your choice of specialization, if needed

From next seminar in the course (i.e. period 3), the groups will be rearranged after choice of track/specialization (in Swedish: spår). If you have reported your choice of track to the study counsellor, then your track is already in Rapp for prosamm. If your track is not known by Rapp, then you will need to email Viggo (viggo@kth.se) and tell him which track you (will) follow before December 15, otherwise you will end up in a random prosamm group at next seminar.

Note that the choice of track is not binding, at this point of time. When you end your studies and hand in your application for the Master degree certificate, then you will need to report your final choice of track.

Here is the current list of tracks:

Have you missed anything in this course?

If you look at your results in Rapp you should have three "G" (passes) for each seminar: hand-in, comments and participation, in order to pass the course. If you missed anything you will need to read the instructions on how to fix this.

Are you looking for a summer job abroad?

In that case you might want to check the following two CERN student programmes:

• CERN Summer Student Programme - Member states
• CERN Openlab Subber Student Programme