Hi all, My name is Eskil and I am part of the 2023 batch of Demant graduates as one of two graduates in the Commercial Excellence-track. In early November this year, I returned back to Copenhagen from a six-month rotation abroad spent in Toronto, Canada. Get ready for a few highlights from the land of poutine, hockey, maple syrup, and so, so much more!
Joining Demant Canada
Going abroad as a graduate is not a one-size-fits all kind of situation. While there are some similarities with previous graduate experiences, the rotations look different depending on the track you are in, the country you’re going to, your own interests, and a range of other factors. In my situation, the first period was spent on a collaborative project between the Commercial Excellence-department at HQ, and the Canadian organization. Having had the chance to meet the Canadian team before moving here and working closely with the ComEx-team in Denmark the first few weeks was a great way to bridge-the-gap between my first and second rotation.
In addition to this project, a new CRM system was implemented in Canada during my time here, where I had the chance to see how a global project is executed and implemented in a local organization first-hand – a truly valuable experience I learnt a lot from and that will be at the top of mind when I am back in Denmark working on similar projects.
A stand-out aspect for me from the experience of going abroad, is that you get to work with tasks and projects that might not be part of your day-to-day work back home. During my time in Canada, I have reported to Sean Reily, the president of Demant Canada, who have given me the chance to work with all kinds of different projects and tasks, alongside the different departments in the Canadian office. In addition, I have been fortunate to visit Demant’s hearing clinics, going on sales calls with members of the Canadian sales team, and seeing the manufacturing facility in Kitchener – further adding to my understanding of the business as a whole.
Living in Canada
Going abroad in this way has been interesting for many reasons, extending beyond the daily life in the office. It has provided me the opportunity to find a new daily routine, one that does not include my standard Copenhagen-activities, and the team here have shared tips and tricks for life in Toronto resulting in a bucket list that would require at least another half year to finish. In many ways, the only thing that is similar to the day-to-day life back home when going abroad, is that you work a set period of the day; the rest is up to you!
Given the sheer size of Canada, I have only had the chance to see a very small part of it – some of the highlights including the breathtaking sceneries of the Rocky Mountains, the massive vineyards in Niagara-on-the-lake, and the thick forests of Muskoka. In addition, it has been great to test out living in a gigantic city like Toronto (which, surprise, surprise, is a tad larger than the Norwegian village I grew up in..). It has been a chance to try new types of food (if anyone knows of a place to get cheese curds in CPH, let me know), get into new sports (go Blue Jays!), and experience how it is to live in a building with seemingly endless number of floors.
A big thank you
If it is not clear already, I have had the most fantastic time abroad in Canada. The projects I have had a chance to take part in have been exciting and challenging, yet, the main success factor from my perspective have been the people I have had the opportunity to share an office with. The biggest thank you to the team in Canada for having me, and to Demant for the opportunity, particularly my rotation manager Sean Reily, and my host manager in Denmark, Patrick Maly. I highly recommend going abroad, and if Canada is a possibility, I can guarantee you will have the best of times!
Feel free to reach out should you have any questions, and I’ll try my best to answer 😊
Eskil Volberg
esvo@demant.com