My Internship at the European Parliament: Should you take part in the Work Experience program?
The network of European Schools, and EEB1 in particular, propose a significant number of activities that encourage students to discover new perspectives of professional life. One of them is, of course, the Work Experience program. As a past participant in the project, completing work experience placement in the European Parliament,I am eager to share the main objectives and the actual outcome of my involvement in it.
Why you should participate in the Work Experience program at EEB1 and how it works
The Work Experience program, that usually takes place every year over the last week of June is designed for the students in S5 to choose a profession, so that they can determine what kind of activity suits them more and what they would prefer not to work on in the future. The program provides a great opportunity to develop numerous skills, such as organizational competences and the ability to communicate easily. What’s even more interesting is that the program definitely enriches the students’ CV and portfolio for university.
The procedure of applying for the internship is relatively simple, as the school guides the applicants through every single stage of the process and provides them with the templates for all the necessary documents: starting from the parental consent and finishing with the final report that has to be filled in as soon as the internship is completed. After submitting all the documents, the students receive the certificate for successfully completing the program, signed by the school administration. The only notable challenge for students during the procedure is to where to complete their work placement and to establish contact with the employer. Having the school insurance and all the necessary documents certainly gives them a clear advantage over other possible candidates.
The first glimpse into the work of the European Parliament
I completed my internship here, in Brussels, where the European Parliament stands as a symbol of democracy in Europe. I had been approved for the temporary position of an assistant of an advisor to the Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee and I could not conceal my excitement, as I didn’t know what to expect from such a significant yet responsible position. What is more, this was my first ever exposure to such an event, which is why, despite my superficial knowledge of the structure of work in European institutions and their key roles in the European Union, I was afraid of seeming inexperienced. All my doubts were dispelled after a warm welcome and clear instructions from my supervisor, who first gave me a tour of the seemingly immense Parliament building with all its endless corridors and spacious halls, which are usually served for conferences, meetings of individual parties, or even plenary sessions. After the tour and getting acquainted with the main tasks assigned to me for the entire week of the internship, I had the chance to meet other members of the office, who all brought different skills and backgrounds to the workplace. The diversity within the team was eye-opening, as people from different EU member states, and even non-EU countries, came together with a shared interest in European policymaking. It immediately became clear that this was a unique environment that fostered cross-cultural collaboration.
The main activities and tasks of my internship
Since the work of the office was focused on parliamentary cooperation of Ukraine and the EU, my primary role involved carrying out the research of information about individual members of the European Parliament to investigate their relation towards Ukraine and the current political situation in the country as well as looking for the partners of Ukraine among the chairmen of the inter-parliamentary friendship groups. I was also involved in other tasks. For example, writing detailed summaries of various conventions that took place in the Parliament, such as the meeting of the fifth president of Ukraine with the friendship group of Ukraine in the European Parliament, individual assemblies of some of the most influential political factions – European People’s Party and European Conservatives and Reformists, as well as meetings of the Alliance of Cities for the Reconstruction of Ukraine.
Thanks to this important part of my work, I not only improved my skills in writing summaries, learning to quickly grasp the most essential information, but also realized that the mechanism of the European Parliament’s work is quite complex and requires not only the votes of MEPs during plenary sessions, but also their productive work during the periods when sessions are not taking place, not to mention the involvement of the advisors of the lawmakers, as well as various committees and delegations.
The most remarkable event, however, for me was the plenary session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, which I attended in the second week of my internship. My visit was accompanied by a clearly defined goal – to prepare a small report for each day of the sessions, supplemented with some numeric data, which later served as the basis for an interview with the Chair of the office. Although the amount of information I had to digest daily was enormous, it was incredibly fulfilling to see how the research I was doing contributed to the broader legislative efforts. Moreover, observing the parliamentary session was extremely interesting and educational, as it’s not every day that one can witness events that will shape the standard of living and well-being of the residents of the European Union.
Personal Growth and Development
By allowing me to plunge into the working environment of the European Parliament, the program of the Work Experience had a tremendous impact both on my personal development and my professional choices. To start with, the internship allowed me to develop my research skills to a level I had not previously thought possible and helped me to enhance my communication skills, as I had held conversations with a great number of people, including senior staff members and even the MEPs. Moreover, to keep up with the demands of such a fast-paced work environment, I was forced be much more organised. The feedback I received from my supervisor at the end of the program was invaluable to improving my writing and to presenting complex information clearly. This experience also confirmed that I have made the right choice to focus on international relations in my further studies. It is thanks to the Work Experience program, that I am eager to find out even more about the institutions of the European Union and would even like to work there one day. I am infinitely grateful to everybody who made this program such a positive learning experience for me.
I would strongly recommend all the students who are considering taking part in the project to accept this unique opportunity to contribute, learn and grow in the area you choose to pursue. Finally, according to the popular saying of Julius Caesar, « Experience is the teacher of all things, » it is the experience we gain beforehand that allows us to move forward in life with confidence and wisdom, transforming obstacles into opportunities. In life, the more experiences we embrace, the more valuable they will be for shaping our future and I, more than anyone else, believe this to be true.
Sofiia Makarukha / S6EN / EEB1 Uccle
