The Pinja Azure Academy is a 2–3 month training course organized by Pinja, which provides eager learners with the basics of Azure-based software development, both in theory and in practice. A good percentage of those who have completed the training have become software developers for Pinja.
The Pinja Azure Academy, which was held for the first time in summer 2022, is a project aimed at employing young talents and people who are in the process of refreshing their knowledge, as well as at better matching demand and supply of skills. The training, which lasts for a few months, covers Azure-based software development from many different angles and in different content formats.
A similar implementation model was used to organize several Pinja Data Warehouse Academy training courses on the data warehousing and reporting side.
Project Manager Henri Hockman, who helped plan the Azure training and guided the participants through the initial stages, says that the first training in summer 2022 received a gratifying number of applications.
- The training is primarily aimed at young professionals who are at an appropriate stage in their studies, or have recently graduated and are motivated to learn more about building software on the Azure cloud platform. We selected the participants for the first implementation of the training on the basis of applications and a preliminary task, Hockman says.Both the participants and the training provider benefit from the Azure training.
The content of the training combined self-study material prepared by Pinja, which follows the Microsoft Azure certification study path, with practical programming work. The underlying idea was that after completing the training, participants would meet the requirements for Microsoft’s basic Azure certification.
- We wanted to combine theory and practice in the content. In addition to self-study materials such as video tutorials and reading materials, participants were free to work as a team to create a digital commerce implementation of their choice. The only requirement was that the work should make use of certain core elements of Azure. At the end of the training, we went through the exercise together, says Hockman.
The training was accompanied by other practical work. For example, the materials were enriched with Pinja’s tried and tested code practices, and the so-called Clean Code principles were also discussed. The training also included information on the basic principles of software development and review practices.
Both the participants and the training provider benefit from the Azure training. All participants have now received the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification, and all of them have also gone on to work in one way or another. Three of the participants went on to work at Pinja as of fall 2022.
- We will probably organize the training again, possibly in other parts of Finland than in Jyväskylä and Tampere, where this first one was held. The idea is also to collect materials so that we can later organize training internally, from the basic level upwards, says Hockman.Samuli Ryhänen: Azure training enabled a soft landing for client work
Samuli Ryhänen, a third-year IT student living in Jyväskylä, who spent the summer 2022 at Pinja’s Azure training and an internship. Samuli decided to apply for training in the spring because he wanted to find a job, and Pinja seemed like a good company.
- The Pinja Azure Academy training provided a soft landing for practical work, and it was nice to have a group of students with roughly the same starting level. We were able to study without unnecessary stress or pressure, and in the end, I was given a completely voluntary opportunity to continue working for Pinja in a paid job, says Samuli.
Samuli was already somewhat familiar with Azure, but he feels that he has learned a lot of useful and modern things. The learning materials followed the content of the Azure Fundamentals certificate, and all participants passed the certification exams with flying colors. In addition, a fictitious digital commerce was created as a practical exercise.
- Personally, I think that it is a good thing that the studies also include a practical exercise. This way, the theory is not immediately forgotten. We did the exercise using the Scrum model, which was also a learning experience. We were allowed to work independently, but there was also support and guidance from Pinja at all times, Samuli says.
At the end of September 2022 Samuli returned to Pinja, and he is now working part-time as a junior software developer. The project we are working on is moving towards an Azure implementation. The rest of the time Sauli proceeds with his studies towards his Bachelor’s degree.
- The transition to working life went smoothly. It’s nice to know what you’re doing and how you’re doing it right from the start of the job. The Azure training covered the right things, and in the meantime, I have already recommended it to many of my fellow students, Samuli says.
Weerti Montonen: the training provided solid basis for the certificate
Weerti Montonen also studies IT in Jyväskylä, and when he attended the Pinja Azure Academy in summer 2022, he had two years of studies behind him. Weerti’s studies are now continuing towards a Bachelor’s degree, and he started working at Pinja as a part-time junior software developer in October 2022.
- I’ve just started working on a client project, where I’m involved, among other things, in coding. In the project, we are making a user interface for the client, says Weerti.
Although Weerti was familiar with some of Microsoft’s products beforehand, he had little previous knowledge or experience of Azure when he started his training. However, he feels that the training was of an appropriate level, and provided sufficient prior knowledge for practical work.
- I applied for the training because I wanted a job, and a good bonus of the training was that I learned how to use this in-demand and desirable technology, says Weerti.
The training met Weerti’s expectations in that he feels he really learned how to use Azure. Completing the certificate exam was relatively easy, as the questions asked had already been covered in the training material and in the practical exercise.
- The exercise taught me a lot. In addition to Azure, it taught me about working on projects and sharing workloads, which is not something you learn in university studies. Our group work went smoothly, perhaps partly because we all had roughly the same starting level, Weerti sums up.Juha Järvensivu: the exercise was to build a whole from pieces
Juha Järvensivu, a student of Computer Science at the University of Tampere, participated in the Azure training in summer 2022, even though he had already had the Azure basic certificates from earlier independent study. At the start of the Pinja Azure Academy, Juha had already three years of studies behind him, as well as previous studies at the University of Helsinki.
- I applied for the training because cloud computing skills are in high demand in the job market, and this was a good time for me to make the transition. The Azure training was a good way to put my own knowledge into practice, Juha says.
Juha feels that the exercise included in the training is a good link between theory and practice. This allowed him to put the accumulated knowledge into practice, and the good spirit in the team made working together smooth and enjoyable.
- Getting the certificates was more about learning individual skills. In the Azure training exercise, you got to put the pieces together, Juha says.
Juha joined Pinja full-time as a junior software developer right after finishing the training, at the beginning of September 2022. He is currently working with Samuli on the same client project. The transition to working life has involved a lot of new things to learn, even though my studies have given me a good grounding.
- In my current work, I am developing software that will be published on Azure. Understanding Azure is useful for keeping up with the cloud architecture of software and the possibilities it has to offer, Juha says.
Juha likes his current job, but he can’t yet tell where the path will lead in the long term. In a few years’ time, he might be interested in, say, some kind of trainer’s job. He considers that Pinja offers opportunities in many directions.
Pinja Azure Academy in a nutshell:
🕰️Duration: 2–3 months👨💻For: Recent graduates, final year students, and others interested in cloud computing
💎Contents: Preparatory studies for Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification + practical work placement
💬Application: Through Pinja’s recruitment, network and by following our job vacancies
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