You are currently one of our two Audiology graduates. What kind of background do you come with?
I spent 5 years at the University of Waterloo where I obtained a Bachelor of Science. After finishing this I decided to pursue Audiology at the University of Western Ontario, where I completed a Master of Clinical Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders. During my time at Western, I had different clinical placements where I worked with patients who experienced hearing loss, tinnitus, sound sensitivities, balance problems, and more. My favourite placement was London Health Sciences Centre, which is a children hospital in London, Ontario. There I worked in pediatric assessment, which can be quite challenging, but very fulfilling and fun.
Why did you join the Graduate Programme?
The Demant Graduate Programme is a really unique opportunity. It has so many great things to offer, such as support from mentors, various networking opportunities, and the possibility of going abroad and gaining an international perspective. However, it was specifically the opportunity to rotate through the different business areas of the company that sparked my interest and pushed me to apply. Also, back in Canada there are not many programmes that include such a variety of opportunities to develop personal and professional skills. So, when I got the email from my University about the Demant Graduate Programme I was really excited and started researching immediately.
Can you tell us about what you have been working on recently?
Currently, I am sitting with the Centre of Applied Audiology Research (CAAR) team. Within the team I get the unique opportunity to participate in research, attend commercial meetings, and write whitepapers on evidence and audiology concepts/technology.
When I started my position in September, my team was in the process of providing claims and documents relating to the upcoming launch. So, on my first day I was given a project which involved carrying out a research study on Oticon’s newest hearing aid, the OticonRealTM. The purpose of the study was to investigate the potential benefits of the newly developed feature, termed the Wind & Handling Stabilizer, with focus on investigating handling noise. As a result, I spent my first few months developing my own technical protocol and then performing the study. Once I finished collecting the data, I went through a challenging data analysis process with the help of an Electroacoustic Engineer in my team. Thankfully, the study was very successful, and I was further involved in the marketing process of the product brochure for OticonRealTM and writing a whitepaper for the Wind & Handling Stabilizer with others on my team.
What do you like about the company?
My favourite thing about working for Demant is how open and informal the work culture is. You can tell after a few weeks of working for the company how much they foster the work-life balance. I believe I have a strong appreciation for this because I come from a clinical background. In the clinic your schedule is extremely structured since you have patients that depend on you to be in the clinic from the standard 9-5. So, now when I compare these two working environments, I’m worried I’ll never want to go back to the clinic because I really appreciate the flexibility Demant offers its employees.
What was the best experience so far, since you moved here?
My favourite experience so far would have to be the Graduate trip to the production sites in Poland. It was incredible to see how the hearing aids and diagnostic equipment is produced. You don’t realize how much work and coordination is required to do this until you see it with your own eyes. Being an Audiologist, I was really grateful to get the opportunity to see the standards the production line follows to ensure quality products are being produced. It gives me a lot of reassurance that the hearing aids and the equipment I use in the clinic are reliable.
And finally - How was relocating to Denmark?
Now don’t get me wrong, I really love living in Denmark so far, but relocating was a genuinely difficult experience. During my first few months I was frequently stressed with the practical aspects of moving, such as getting my bank account and apartment set up, but I also felt a little out of place in a social sense. Nevertheless, the support the Graduate Programme offers made my transition to a new country and a new job a lot easier. I am also especially thankful for the other Graduates, who have made my experience in Denmark very exciting, to say the least. I can honestly say that I don’t think I could have asked for a better group of people to go through this program with. So, with all that being said, after 6 months of being here I know that I made the right decision in joining the Demant Graduate Programme.
Danielle Preszcator
dlor@demant.com