Why did you choose to study in the Master's Programme in Assessment, Measurement and Evaluation?
I chose this Master's Programme because it felt like the perfect chance to shift towards a more technical career. I'd studied some math before and completed a bachelor's in Human Resources. However, over time, I became more and more interested in analytics. This programme really stood out because it includes psychometrics, which is all about using technical skills to tackle topics like psychology and education, which are areas I find fascinating. I liked the idea of combining "hard skills" like statistics, with "soft topics" in a meaningful way.
What did you write about in your thesis?
I wrote my thesis on how machine learning could improve the selection process for conscripts in the Norwegian Armed Forces. It was a really cool project as I got to dive into machine learning, a hot topic right now, and see how it could be applied to a real-world problem. Even though we didn't cover machine learning specifically in the programme, the statistics and principles they taught gave me the foundation to understand and apply it.
Where do you work now, how did you find this job, and what is your job title?
I work at DNV, a global company focused on quality assurance and risk management. My job title is HR Analyst, and I specialize in pension and insurance. I actually found the job on Finn.no when they were looking for someone with an analytical mindset to join their HR team.
What are your current tasks, and how are you liking them?
Most of my work revolves around pension and insurance. I'm involved in big tender processes with suppliers and brokers, which is all about making sure we're getting the best deals for our employees. While the tasks aren't always super technical, having an analytical mindset is important. On the more technical side, I'm also developing and coding an insurance calculator that lets employees see their coverage across different scenarios, depending on different variables. Beyond that, I answer questions from employees about their pension and insurance options. Overall, I enjoy the mix of strategy, problem solving, and to get hands on with coding projects.
How do you make use of your Master's Degree in your current position?
The Master's programme thought me how to learn complex material, which has been very useful in my job. It also made it easier to pick up new coding tools. For example, using R in the program gave me an analytical mindset that's super helpful when I'm working on projects like the insurance calculator, tender processes or managing large datasets.
If you were to give some advice to new students in the programme, for example in regards to finding a job, what would you say?
I'd tell them to get comfortable with coding in R. It's a valuable skill that not only helps during the programme, but also makes it easier to learn other programming languages later on. Another key piece of advice is to think about how to translate what you've learned into terms that employers will understand and find useful. The programme equips you with so many valuable skills, especially in analytics, but potential employers might not immediately see the connection between the coursework and their needs. Therefore you have to bridge the gap and show how your expertise can solve their problems.