FutuStories - Joonas Viljanen

Title: Full-Stack Developer 2025 Summer Trainee, Full-Stack Development

Background: Currently studying Software Development (major in Information and Communications Technology) at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. After joining Futurice as a summer trainee last year, Joonas stayed on and is now working while finishing his degree.

Let’s look back at his Futu summer, from the first days and surprises to culture, learning, and what made them want to stay.

First days and first impressions

How did your first day at Futurice feel? Did anything surprise you?

It felt really good! I had been applying to jobs for a couple of summers without much luck, so getting here felt like a big win. Of course, I was a bit nervous and didn’t know what to expect. I’d wondered if this was one of those companies with rows of cubicles with everyone quietly typing, but it was nothing like that!

From the start, the people were relaxed and welcoming. The onboarding was thorough and made it easy to settle in. I remember thinking, “Okay, this is nothing like I pictured.” That made the first days feel much less intimidating.

Learning through mistakes

Was there a moment (or mistake) that felt surprising or even funny, and what did you learn from it?

Yeah, there were a couple of times in our project where something broke. Luckily, it didn’t go all the way into production, but when people asked who did it, I had to raise my hand! At first, it was a bit embarrassing, but honestly, it became a milestone moment, like “Now I’ve really started.”

I’d always been told that everyone breaks something at some point, but actually doing it made it real. I learned that mistakes are part of the process, and that there are other processes and people around to help fix and learn from them. It was a really important lesson in confidence.

The coolest or most challenging project

What project stood out that summer? What did you learn from it?

My first real project was challenging because it was so much bigger than anything I’d built on my own before. It had thousands of lines of code, and at first, I didn’t know where to start. That was a big step up from school projects.

Later, I also got to try something with AI at a conglomerate client. I’d never worked with it before, and I didn’t know the terminology or the tools, but I was encouraged to try it anyway. It definitely wasn’t perfect at first, but with support, I learned a huge amount. Having the opportunity to start from zero and actually getting something working was a big confidence booster.

From a trainee position to choosing to stay

What made you want to stay at Futurice after your stint as a trainee ended?

Honestly, it’s the culture and the people. I’ve had jobs before where I wasn’t excited to go in the morning, but here I actually want to come in. The work is interesting, but more than that, the environment makes a huge difference. It’s the feeling that people trust you, that you’re part of the team from day one, and support is always there if you need it.

That made Futurice feel like a place where I could keep growing, not just for a summer, but in the long term.

Culture and community in action

How did Futurice’s culture show up during your trainee period? Any traditions or stand-out moments?

From the beginning, I felt the team trusted me to do real work and didn’t treat me like “just a trainee.” That’s something you don’t see everywhere. I was included in real projects, invited into conversations, and generally just felt like a team member, not an outsider.

We had fun moments and social events, too. Things that helped people connect beyond the work. Those small moments together made the experience even better.

If your Futurice trainee job were a movie…

What would the title be and why?

Coding in the Mist, because in the beginning, I really didn’t fully understand what I was doing, and some things felt jumbled and unfamiliar. Over time, the confusion gradually turned into understanding, confidence, and real progress. That shift really captures my experience here.

How would you describe your trainee experience in a nutshell?

To summarize: A welcoming place where you’re trusted from day one, where mistakes are part of learning, and where growth feels real and supported. That’s what made the summer special.