Do you feel like doing a 5-month traineeship in the European Parliament? If so then Thursday 15 October is the deadline to apply.
Do you feel like doing a 5-month traineeship in the European Parliament? If so then Thursday 15 October is the deadline to apply. These Schuman scholarships are open to all University graduates. In addition there are unpaid traineeships. We spoke to some past and present alumni and asked them for a flavour of what it's like to be a trainee in the Parliament.
Trainees, known generally by the French term “stagiares”, are a common sight in all the EU Institutions and bring a youthful enthusiasm to the corridors of Brussels. They work hard and play hard with new found friends from different corners of the globe.
French trainee Jean-Sébastien Lefebvre works for the Parliament's Media Services & Monitoring Unit. It was a natural step in his career path after finishing university as “after European Studies, I wanted to have the opportunity to use my skills in European Union affairs,” he says.
Former British trainee Richard Streeton completed his scholarship with Parliament's Web Communication Unit in February. Looking back on his experiences he said, “the stage actively encouraged me to get involved and the level of personal involvement was proactively decided upon by the individual”. Warming to the theme he added, “the more effort and enthusiasm you applied, the more responsibility you were rewarded with”.
“I left with a portfolio packed with examples of published political news copy and a lot more confidence to perform my journalistic duties,” he said. “I am currently the assistant editor of a nationally published motoring magazine. I strongly believe that without the presence of the EU stage on my CV, my chances of immediate employment would have been seriously hampered.”
French trainee Hélène Smertnik feels the traineeship will give her the opportunity to work in an international institution “to see whether I liked it and make further choices for my career plan”.
What can it lead to?
The traineeship can be a stepping stone to a career in the Parliament or another part of the European Union.
Italian Stefania Boschetto did her traineeship in the Civil Liberties Committee and says, “the traineeship was a big challenge for me and good start for my career. After that I was an assistant of an MEP, now I work for the Italian Delegation in the Socialists and Democrats Group.”
But it sent former Belgian trainee Stéphanie Van Cauwelaert in another direction: “After my traineeship I decided to study politics. I also chose to learn Chinese, like everybody knows, China is growing very fast and seems to be the future, so this language will be positive for me - and why not Chinese?”
How do I apply?
To apply for a traineeship in the EP, complete the online application form, on EP's official website. The deadline for applications is 15 October!
Every new trainee in the European Parliament or anyone wishing to apply for the programme is also welcome to visit the Facebook site of the European Parliament Stagiaires Association (EPSA) for more information.