News
Summer interns at FBS
This summer, Finnair Business Services welcomed six talented interns and summer helpers to its Finance and Master Data teams. Throughout their internships, they gained valuable hands-on experience and insights into the world of finance and aviation.
The interns were surprised by aircraft maintenance and sales complexity, realizing they were much more detailed than expected. They also found it interesting to learn how VAT is handled in different countries and to review Finnair's annual financial report, gaining a deeper understanding of the company’s performance. One part of the finance internship even involved sorting physical paper receipts sent to Tartu, providing a refreshing break from the usual computer-based tasks.
In addition to working in the office, interns also had opportunities to connect with colleagues outside of work in relaxed settings, such as a team event on a boat cruise along the Emajõgi river or a gathering at a colleague's countryside home.
Below, the interns share more about their roles and what they learned from their summer with us.
Kirke Kütt, Master Data Specialist
What tasks did you work on during your internship?
My role involved assessing companies that wanted to become Finnair clients. I checked their sanctions and credit information to determine if they were suitable to work with us.
What did you learn from your internship experience?
I’ve learned a lot, especially about time management and organizing my schedule. My communication and expression skills, both in Estonian and English, have also improved, which I see as a significant advantage for the future.
Margot Laan, Accounts Payable Assistant
What tasks did you work on during your internship?
I managed the invoice inbox, sorting incoming purchase invoices and distributing them to various units like the parent company, Finnair Kitchen, and the Aviation Charges team. I also reviewed and processed invoices, ensuring everything was correct.
What did you learn from your internship experience?
When I applied for the internship, I knew nothing about finance, so I learned far more than I could have imagined. Since I study at the Aviation Academy, it was exciting to see how much things cost in the aviation industry. We often discuss the high costs in school, but seeing and being responsible for these invoices daily gave me a whole new perspective.
Kirke Tšikanov, Cost Accountant Assistant
What tasks did you work on during your internship?
I assisted my mentor with handling invoices, ensuring everything matched up and was correctly recorded both on the invoice and in our database. When there weren’t enough Cargo-related tasks, I also worked on invoices for the Fuel area.
What did you learn from your internship experience?
The internship experience was very rewarding and taught me a lot. Initially, I was concerned that working remotely might make it difficult to connect to the team, but I never felt isolated.
I also learned a lot about the costs of aviation, like how much fuel an aircraft consumes and what it costs to fill a plane’s tank. I didn’t know the captain was responsible for handling the fuel receipt and entering it into the system, ensuring everything was in order.
Rosa Maria Elena Saario, Finance Intern
What position and team did you work in during your internship, and what tasks did you perform?
The internship was very varied, giving us a lot of different experiences. Elina and I worked together in four teams. We started in the Source to Pay team, handling various purchase invoices. Then, we moved to the Aviation Charges team, where we learned about their invoicing processes and got some practical experience. Next, we joined the Order to Cash team, getting hands-on with sales invoices and Travel Expense Management. We finished in the Record to Report team, reviewing financial reports like annual financial statements.
What did you learn from your internship experience?
I’m studying economics and have only had limited exposure to accounting, having taken just one course. Before this internship, I knew nothing about SAP software or the process of entering purchase invoices. The internship has been extremely enriching for me, and I’ve learned a lot.
Elina Kukša, Finance Intern
What position and team did you work in during your internship, and what tasks did you perform?
My internship journey mirrored Rosa’s. We performed similar tasks in the Source to Pay, Aviation Charges, Order to Cash, and Record to Report teams.
What did you learn from your internship experience?
At university, I study general accounting and thought I understood it well. However, during the internship, I realized that accounting involves much more, including entering and preparing sales invoices, posting purchase invoices, compiling financial reports, and dealing with tax-related aspects. I also learned more about Finnish taxation, a completely new topic for me. It became clear that accounting is much broader than I had initially imagined.