Malin Wahlberg

Communications Officer at Customer Service, Vattenfall Nordic in Stockholm, Sweden. Joined the International Trainee Programme in September 2008. Why did you choose Vattenfall and the International Trainee Programme?

It was the trainee programme and job description itself that attracted me in the first instance. I like the idea of working for a large employer where there is potential to learn new things and the opportunity to use your own ideas. The trainee programme at Vattenfall offers a unique opportunity to gain insights into how the company works and to understand it better. I get to visit several different sites and units to learn more about what Vattenfall does and how it operates in both Sweden and internationally. Which, to my mind, will be the best possible grounding to enable me to do a good job.

What was your image of Vattenfall before you started the trainee programme?

Vattenfall seemed to be a company that offered opportunities for personal development and to learn more about different areas – internal and external communication, wind power, hydropower etc.

What are you doing, workwise, right now (November 2008)?

I am working for Customer Service at Vattenfall Nordic in Stockholm on communication issues, mainly internal communication. At the moment I am involved in developing overall strategies for Customer Service in terms of raising communication issues and how important these are in ensuring a company functions properly. It is also about putting Customer Service on the map within the organisation.

What do you expect to get out of the trainee programme?

Networking opportunities, knowledge and a better understanding of Vattenfall as a company and Customer Service as an operation. The programme also includes management training which I think will be of tremendous benefit within the company in time. I am really enjoying it and am sure I would be happy to stay at Vattenfall at the end of the programme.

Plus it is great to get out and meet employees at other units and see how they work there. As Vattenfall has companies in several countries it is exciting to communicate across borders from a more cultural perspective.

What do you think you will be doing immediately after completing the trainee programme?

I will continue doing the work I have started doing. My job at Customer Service is a new position in the sense that no one else has worked with communication in this way here before. Which is why there is potential for both the unit and myself to build up internal and external communication that works well.