Having previously worked as a teacher in Kenya, Dorcas Okeno is well aware of the importance of education. Due to her background, the student from Kenya is ambitious to pursue the proper education."I first found out about Dania online. The first thing I did when I came to Denmark was to search for a place to start studying. So I googled accredited colleges in Denmark and I was lucky to find out about Dania that was also the closest to my home, which was a plus for me," says Dorcas.
Career versus private life
One of the reasons for choosing a company in Viborg is the need to be close to home and her family. Dorcas is aware of the importance of both situations and strives to make sure that she manages to get the best of both worlds. "It is quite a challenge especially with my two year old daughter who does not understand why mom has to be busy with college work. All I do is to ensure that I attend all classes and finish my homework by 4 PM so I have enough time for the family in the evening and weekends", points out Dorcas. The marketing management student has her family's full support, aspect that motivates and encourages her to continue to pursue her aspirations.
Knowledge in practice
Dorcas sees great differences between the educational system in Kenya and the one in Denmark, aspect that has pleasantly surprised her. "At Dania, theory is combined with practice. It is completely different from how the system works in Kenya. Its basis is on question-answer sequences almost as it is all mechanical learning. The educational system in Denmark is very helpful in this regard," says Dorcas.
Internship in Viborg
Dorcas pursues a three-month internship in English at Viborg Real Privat Skole. Finding the placement was an easy process due to a previous collaboration. Together with her teammates, Dorcas co-opted and finalized Project B with the school during the second semester at Dania. During her training, she combines deskwork with field research. Depending on the tasks, her presence is required two or three times a week at the office while the rest is fieldwork. Moreover, Dorcas has the opportunity to work at the same school her daughter attends classes. This aspect combined with the fact that she previously worked with the organization offers her a great advantage. "I have adapted so well! I am already accustomed with the environment and that is a great help. I sincerely recommend that students keep in touch with the companies they have as clients for their projects!," tells Dorcas.
Internship tasks
The first major task Dorcas is involved in is conducting a parental satisfaction survey. "I am currently doing a market research among parents who have children at Viborg Privat Real Skole. I am permanently in contact with them, handing in questionnaires and discussing with them. After I receive and analyze all data, tasks that are more complex will occur. Most of my training will depend on what results will show. Then the school can see what needs to be improved and how I can help" .Under the supervision of the international coordinator, Dorcas is successfully completing her tasks that mostly include applying the knowledge gained during her 2nd and 3rd semesters at Dania. "It is nice that I have continuity. I worked in Project B with market research, and now one of my tasks now is market research. I am happy with my placement!", says Dorcas.