SSG in innovation project with university students

For ten weeks, SSG has reinforcements at the Sundsvall office in the form of students from Mid Sweden University's SIMS course. We have met two of the group's five participants and their supervisor Patrik Callhammar, product engineer at SSG, to hear more about how they will solve the task of automating SSG's Product Database. 

- It is important for SSG that we collaborate with the universities. Now we get to step outside our comfort zone and of course it takes some of our time - but it's worth it! In addition to a developed service, our goal is that the students will pass their course and that we will manage to keep the talents in Sundsvall that the university contributes, says Patrik Callhammar.

Will develop the Product Database

The assignment the students have been given is to find a solution to automate the entry of customers products into the SSG Product Database. Connected industries can see in the database which articles are in all their warehouses, as well as see where spare parts are located if the need arises - something that can really benefit SSG, which currently has over 700,000 registered articles in the SSG Product Database.
Giving the students a welcoming and quick introduction was important for SSG. The whole company got involved in the project and did everything they could to make the start as quick and smooth as possible. Gianluca von Ehrenberg studies Business Information Technology in Switzerland and is one of the exchange students participating in the project.
- I had a very good first impression of SSG! It is an exciting task to solve and an interesting company. When I compared my project with my classmates, I was very happy with the task I got at SSG, I wouldn't have wanted to change," says Gianluca.

Valuable to work on a real case

Felix Nordling is studying for a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering at Mid Sweden University. He is the only one in the group who is from Sundsvall and he emphasizes the value of doing an internship.
- Many courses have a lot of practical experience, such as healthcare courses, but engineering courses lack the practical side. Getting out into a workplace is important and it feels extra fun that we get to work on a real case that can be implemented in the future, says Felix.
The timetable is tight and sketches are presented continuously. Depending on how far the students get in their project, SSG will either use the solution directly or continue to work on the basis that has been created.
- It doesn't end here, whether they finish or not. There will be more students with degree projects or similar courses who can keep on developing it further since it is a continuous project, concludes Patrik.

Fact about the SIMS project:

SIMS stands for Student Innovation Mid Sweden, which means that companies and organizations can "borrow" a group of final-year students who act as consultants to the company during the course. The programs that the students come from are civil engineering programs with different specializations and exchange students in, among other things, computer technology. The group consists of five participants from Sundsvall, Lund and Stockholm, as well as Switzerland and Pakistan. On November 7, anyone interested can take part in the demonstration and presentation at Mid Sweden University.