Dmitri Matetski: My internship at LHV is still ongoing, but a lot has already been done (and even more lies ahead)

Dmitri Matetski, a second-year computer science student from the University of Tartu, is spending his summer as a developer with LHV’s AI team. Although his internship is not yet over, it is already clear that he has gained a wealth of experience in both general product development processes and specific AI developments, such as the RAG platform.

When asked how Dmitri ended up at LHV in the first place, he replies: ‘To be honest, LHV was not among my top internship choices until I attended a group interview. There, the team lead and mentor enthusiastically introduced the projects we are now working on.’

That moment changed Dmitri’s internship ranking and the entire subsequent application process helped cement the feeling that this was the best choice. What stood out to Dmitri about LHV was the thoughtful approach and strong recruitment support. ‘At LHV, the recruitment process was the opposite of what I experienced with others: I received quick and detailed responses even when the team was busy launching new projects,’ he recalls.

Dmitri, whose internship title is AI Development Intern, explains: ‘At LHV, I do not develop AI itself, but rather internal-use tools that leverage AI, primarily Gen-AI. So, I am a developer building tools that help LHV employees do their jobs in a smarter way.’

When discussing how university studies prepare someone for work, Dmitri highlights one specific course: software development. ‘It might seem boring at first compared to a programming course, but it taught me how to use Jira, Git, and code analysers, as well as how to assess the complexity of tasks. These are things every developer needs, but they are not always covered in other subjects.’

One of the most meaningful internship projects so far, according to Dmitri, has been his work on the RAG platform. This is a system that helps LHV employees find answers to complex legal questions without having to comb through extensive documents themselves. Dmitri’s task was to create a way for the platform to fetch up-to-date documents from the Internet without needing to build new services. In addition, he has worked on improving code quality and updating services. ‘A lot has already been done, but even more lies ahead in the near future,’ he adds.

Since the internship at LHV is the first full-time job experience for Dmitri and many others, he considers it important to know how to recover after the workday: ‘I go to the gym several evenings a week. When my muscles are working, my mind gets a break from everyday thoughts, and the next morning I am fresh and motivated. I recommend every intern find their own way to recover after work – it is beneficial for your mind and productivity.’

He offers several tips for future internship applicants. Dmitri recommends starting early: ‘Take fewer courses in the spring semester, 30 ECTS is the maximum. And apply even if you do not meet all the requirements, because gaining experience is what matters.’ But if you get invited to an interview, you need to be active. ‘Ask questions: about expectations, projects, tasks. If you are curious, you will be noticed.’

It is already clear that the summer internship at LHV is not just another line on Dmitri’s CV. In his view, it has been a meaningful, responsible, and developmental journey. As he puts it: he does not have all the answers yet, but he has plenty of questions. And that is exactly what makes learning valuable.