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What kind of industry is your company/organisation a part of?

Tusass is a telecommunications company that provides internet and mobile connections to the entire population of Greenland. Tusass is also responsible for all delivery of mail and parcels in the country, so basically we are responsible for a large part of the critical infrastructure in Greenland.

It is a very technically based organization, as it is a major task to provide stable connections to the world's largest island.
The company has approx. 400 employees, the majority of whom are located at the office in Nuuk and along the coast in Greenland. At the same time, Tusass has a small office in Taastrup.

What type of tasks do you perform?

My tasks are very versatile, but are basically about implementing GDPR across the organization - from the preparation of policies, procedures, rules, data processing agreements, data cleanup, awareness, to case management.

I am in our security department, which is responsible for ensuring that we take care of our data and that Tusass does not fall victim to cyberattacks. It is the department's responsibility that we have the technical and formal aspects in place while at the same time teaching the organization about safety.

We are a fairly new department, so right now we have a lot of work to do in building the entire foundation around safety.

It is a super exciting and challenging task while requiring patience and focus.

What has your career path looked like until now?

It's been quite a journey, you have to say. When I started at SIV, I was sure that I would travel the world and work in the NGO industry or with green transition. Especially the NGO industry is difficult to get a leg up in, so after graduation I chose to travel to Spain and worked as a phoner for various NGOs, and got a management position after a short time. Maybe not the optimal after 5 years at university, but I ended up being in Spain for just over a year and I learned a lot from the job.

When I returned from Spain, I got a temporary position at a pension company focused on green investments. Here I was as a marketing assistant and with customer contact, and actually found out that it was not a job for me. I thought that was what I was going to work with, so now I had to think in new ways. The position was 4 months, and shortly after it ended, I got a job at an NGO in Copenhagen that works to minimize climate change - jackpot!

It was a shared position within communication/fundraising and database work. Two very different disciplines, but it was exciting, and I ended up being hugely interested in GDPR and data - which to many sounds crazy, but fortunately that's how we are different!

After two years in this position, I agreed that I would like to find a new job that was exclusively geared towards GDPR. So I started to qualify in the field, through various certifications. Hard work but worth it in the end!

I saw my current job at JobIndex and actually applied for it a bit for fun, as I thought they would probably hire a lawyer with several years of experience. But things didn't work out that way. I was offered the job and had a few hours to decide whether I wanted to move the tent pegs up in Copenhagen and move my everyday life to Greenland. It must be said to be one of the best decisions I have made in my life.

So in 5 years, I have gone from thinking I should be doing communication at an NGO, to being GDPR responsible in a telecommunications company. That's how things can take a turn! However, communication must still be said to be one of the key words in the position I hold today. It is an impossible task to implement a complicated legislation in a company without good and strategic communication.

What is your typical workday like?

My workdays rarely turn out exactly as planned. I often work with the preparation of major documents and procedures because we are building a strategy from scratch. But since GDPR is a new concept in Greenland, and we are only "massaging" it into the organization now, there are many questions from my colleagues some days. I see this as a really good sign, because it means that people are aware of the issue of GDPR.

We also have many external suppliers and partners, where I have to make sure that the formalities around data protection are in place, so there are also a number of ad hoc tasks over the course of a week.

It's a really exciting position because GDPR is relevant to the entire company. This means that I work with people across disciplines and departments every single day. It is hugely educational and means that I meet colleagues around the company on a daily basis.

What motivates you?

Professional responsibility and decision-making competence. It motivates me that I have a manager I can spar with and who trusts my professional skills, but at the same time recognizes that there is room for mistakes.

What is the most important learning in your working life so far?

Communication between people is everything. Both the good and the bad kind.

How do you use your education and AAU professionalism in your work?

I would not be able to implement GDPR in a company without understanding how a company works and without good communication skills. The vast majority of people in a company see GDPR as a hindrance, as it makes processes longer and more difficult. So it is my responsibility to communicate the benefits rather than the challenges.

What made you want to study in Denmark, and why did you choose AAU?

I like Aalborg University's approach to problem-based learning and group work. Although group work could be a big challenge at times, it is also one of the things I have learned the most from in the programme.

I learned a lot about being solution-oriented and conflict management, which is extremely useful in the wider world - not least in a workplace.

What made you choose your specific programme?

I have always wanted to experience the world and travel, both through study and work, and SIV gave the opportunity to do so. I knew that I wanted to work with communication, so SIV seemed like a good solution because it is broad and many topics are covered during the programme.

Your favorite memory from AAU?

I have many good memories from my studies, both academic and social.
However, I think the favorite memory must be a very turbulent bachelor writing course that eventually came together.

What were your dreams for the future when you graduated?

To work in an international company in their HR department. However, I quickly learned that there were not that many companies with an international profile in Northern Jutland, and since I had a family in Aalborg, I started looking for other jobs.

Your career advice for students and recent graduates when they enter the job market?

Just throw yourself into it!
Make a plan for your job search - e.g. say to yourself: "every day I have to look for at least one new job" - The more applications, the greater the chance of getting a job.

Get involved in volunteer work, go to presentations in your union, unemployment insurance fund, etc., go to conferences in the field you would like to work in.
- Just come out and talk to people and absorb a lot of new knowledge.

With the knowledge and insight you have today, what advice would you give yourself if you were to start studying at AAU?

It's all going to work out in the end.
So even though the group work, the exams, the academic material, etc. seem overwhelming, it all works out. Remember to enjoy your studies to the fullest! You're going to miss it and the flexibility you had.