Apprentice in Spain
Erasmus in UK
Company Director in France
Erasmus Programme - UK
Young people have been hit hardest by the economic crisis as they often lack the experience and skills to be competitive on the labour market.
Stories
Ilva Valtere, from Latvia, took part in an EVS project in Bavaria, Germany
Scheme: European Voluntary Service
My project is a "welfare village", a village for needy people, in Bavaria.
It provides a home, work and training opportunities for people who, for various reasons, have problems integrating into society.
I already knew before EVS that I wanted to do more than just "spend some time abroad". I wanted to test myself in different working situations and explore my boundaries. There are many things European volunteers can do here: sports fans can help with football training or physical rehabilitation work, culture vultures can work in the theatre group, organise film nights, film and photograph together with the young people, anything you want!
Alar Albrecht, Estonia, went to Italy to train as a chef
Scheme: Leonardo da Vinci
The name of the restaurant where I worked was "Il Casale".
My work placement was so successful that I'm now able to open my own pasta restaurant. It gave me such a remarkable experience that in the future I'd be able to manage in any company dealing
with food. I also have to mention that at the end of my placement period they weren't very happy to let me go – they wished I could work in the restaurant for a longer time. That was really heart-warming.I have a few tips for any students following my footsteps one day.
First of all, be open to everything and don't be afraid of making mistakes. Try new things! Who knows – you might need that knowledge and those skills in the future. And the last thing I'd like to say to someone going to Italy: be as friendly towards the Italians as they are towards you!
Marie-Anne Helon, Belgian, worked in Slovenia
Scheme: Discovering European Social Services
It is so important to be able to look outside your day-to-day work and compare and contrast with other ways of doing things.
I feel I have learnt so much. I have come back with new ideas, but I have also been able to share some of my experience with others.
Mikael Fortunato, French, worked in Scotland
Scheme: Euroelectriciens
At first, I didn't want to go. But at the end, I only wanted to stay.
Scotland is really a fantastic place and I would love to go back one day.