Cultivating knowledge: Carolina’s internship journey with Noocity

Aside from falling in love with the riverside city of Porto, she spent unforgettable months in a unique work environment and connected with colleagues she won’t soon forget! 

Convinced of the need for companies to do more in terms of eco-responsibility, Carolina wanted to explore a different perspective. Her main project focused on researching food donations in France, Spain, and Italy. This allowed her to learn extensive insights into the different national legislations governing food waste reduction. For instance, she discovered that in 2016, Italy and France took measures to enhance food stock management, encouraging supermarkets to donate or transform unsold items.

This project provided her with interactions with various NGOs that shared her passion for making an impact and taking action for the future. The challenge of reaching out to certain institutions or companies in each country led her to collaborate with the rest of the team, such as Pedro, the Customer Success Manager, or Ricardo, the Head of Sales. She also contributed to the development of the new program The earth connects us all by seeking partnerships in France, Italy, and Spain. This effort brought fresh insights and new resources to the rest of the team. Yet, this wasn’t the only time she benefited from this cohesive team. 

Indeed, every lunchtime, following a meal in the beautiful garden of Uptec, a center housing several thriving startups, the young Brazilian intern had her little ritual: spending 30 minutes in the vegetable garden! While it’s often said that the shoemaker’s children go barefoot, Noocity stands as an exception to the saying. Besides having the opportunity to witness tomatoes ripening and salads growing, she took part in the monthly activities organized by Filipa Almeida, the chief grower. 

Carolina learned to recognize weeds, plant seasonal vegetables for later harvest, and embrace a more plant-based diet! She shares: “It allowed me to better understand the energy and time required to grow what we consume daily. Whether laughing at the amusing size of a carrot or cracking jokes while planting potatoes, it was also a chance to come together and share time. Once, my dear colleague Filipa Azinheira turned on the hose and soaked my shoe”. 

Ultimately, the young Brazilian intern greatly appreciated the unique setting of Noocity’s offices, the flexibility the company offered in terms of working hours and remote work, the presence of a barefoot CEO or colleagues dancing in the middle of the workspace, the Portuguese sun, and enthusiasm. So much so that she’s considering returning to work with the company after completing her studies. 

She puts it this way: “It’s not so easy to find a company that practices what it preaches, that allows for team lunches in nature amid bird songs, and lets you come in when it suits you, not to mention leaving with a few fresh vegetables in hand!” 

In any case, Carolina holds an excellent memory of her internship at Noocity, and you know what? Noocity also holds a fantastic memory of the few months spent in her company!