Finding meaning in Machine Learning (and why internships should never feel like sidelines)
On my first day at Entteri, I stepped into the office knowing I’d be working with machine learning - but not quite knowing what that would look like in practice. What would I be building? Who would I be learning from? Would I be expected to just observe from the sidelines?
The answer, pretty quickly, was no. I wasn’t just handed isolated tasks to tick off - I was trusted to take part in real work, solving real problems that matter to real users. That trust meant a lot, especially early on.
I’m currently studying Business Information Technology at HAMK University of Applied Sciences, with a focus on data analytics and machine learning. I chose to study it because I’ve always been curious about how tech works in the real world and how it can help solve everyday problems. Now, I get to explore that curiosity daily through hands-on work in machine learning: building models, tuning parameters, and solving meaningful challenges.
I’ve been working on a project focused on improving how businesses understand their Net Promoter Score (NPS) feedback - not just the scores, but the reasons behind them. We used machine learning to analyze written feedback, uncover key themes, and detect sentiment across thousands of open-text responses. The idea is simple: give businesses a clearer view of what’s actually driving their customers’ experience - whether it’s praise for staff or frustration with pricing or booking.
One of the most rewarding parts of the project was building an interactive prototype that lets users explore these insights visually. Being able to take something abstract, like a model output, and turn it into something actionable for real users - that was a proud moment.
Machine learning is fascinating to me because it sits at the intersection of logic and intuition. You’re not just writing code; you’re teaching systems to recognize patterns, to understand tone, to interpret messy human behavior. You start with messy data, and through code and iteration, shape it into something that offers insight - and often, new questions you didn’t even think to ask. That’s where the real value begins.
Outside of work, sports have been a constant in my life. I’ve played ice hockey and football growing up, and these days I enjoy golf - especially in the summer (though some rounds are more “fun” than others). Sports have taught me a lot about teamwork and resilience - all the things I bring with me into my work here.
Looking back, this internship has been more than I expected. One of the best parts? I’ve learned more by doing than I ever could in a classroom. And I’ve realized that being “just an intern” still means you can make a real impact. If this is just the beginning of my career in tech, then I’m genuinely excited about what’s ahead.