Testemunhos

Patricia, Espanha - Estagiário na Grécia

Patricia, Espanha - Estagiário na Grécia

Hi! My name is Patricia Bouhmid. I’m from Spain and I having an internship in Greece, in a consultant and training company namely IDEC. It is not the first time I am living abroad. Last year I was living in Poland for my Erasmus doing the last year of my degree. Now, It was time to jump to the labor market, and, if my previous experience abroad was been so great, why not to have my first work-placement abroad?

In one hand, this working experience in IDEC is giving me the chance to develop in the real world all I had learn during my degree, improve technical skills as well as my personal skills. The labor atmosphere is really likable, coworkers are so nice, so besides learning, I am having a really enjoyable time at the office.

In the other hand, living abroad give me the opportunity to discover a new country and join a new culture and even the language. Despite I’m working in English, the company had given the opportunity to have Greek lessons. The experience had also give me the opportunity to know lot of new people from all around the world (even for different parts of my own country). It has given me the chance to discover different cultures, different ways of thinking and ways of live… definitely, living abroad will open your mind and enrich your personal skills in quite different ways! So, don’t hesitate even for a moment in enroll yourself in a work-placement abroad, you will never regret! Live abroad is an incredible experience that everyone should have at least once in their lives!

Xabier, Espanha - Estagiário na Grécia

Xabier, Espanha - Estagiário na Grécia

My name is Xabier Rodriguez. Two years ago I had the opportunity of doing an international student bilateral mobility in Tokyo, Japan. Currently, I am doing a work placement at IDEC SA in Piraeus (Greece).

Firstly, the work placement is helping me to get a better understanding of the culture at the workplace. All along my education path I received almost 100 % theoretical education, and I usually thought how I was going to be able to apply all that knowledge. In IDEC, for example, I assist in EU proposal preparation and participation in work team of EU projects that IDEC is participating, by elaborating studies, reports, analysis, training materials, etc. IDEC is a Greek company, so I am also getting used to Greek working habits, with their timetables and deadlines; in other words, I am exploring Greek working culture!

Secondly, the work placement is also allowing me to improve my interpersonal skills and to develop strong intercultural competences. In other words, both in Japan and Greece, I feel that immersing myself in both a different language and culture helped and is helping me to acquire a strong predisposition to work in intercultural environments, a very advantageous starting point when dealing with people from different backgrounds. Stepping outside of the comfort zone was not easy for me, but I had the feeling that I wanted to have these experiences; in this way, I believe I also develop risk taking spirit and an ability to manage change. Furthermore, at IDEC, I have to communicate with Greek employees and support them in the solution of problems. In doing so, I am taking a certain degree of responsibility.

I do feel the work placement is being very beneficial for me both personally and professionally. I totally recommend to this experience.

Geladakis (Dakis) Ioannou, Chipre - Estagiário na Grécia

Geladakis (Dakis) Ioannou, Chipre - Estagiário na Grécia

What are the advantages of doing a work placement abroad?

The advantages of doing a work placement abroad are many, for example, you get in touch with alternative ways of working, and you learn new things in your field. In addition, you meet new people from different cultures.

What has been the most challenging issue of your work placement? Why? How did you deal with it?

The most challenging issue of our work placement was the fact that we had to live in a foreign country, for a specific duration of time, and also to search and find that place. We had the right people to assist us though and through internet research, everything turned out very smoothly. Apart from that, the rest developed easily and naturally and was a great experience in the whole of it.

What skills and competences do you think you have acquired during the work placement?

We had the opportunity to learn new things and get in touch with tasks in our field, which we had never experienced before, such as opening the car engine, the air conditioning systems, dealing with the gearbox and much more. Apart from the work skills, we developed competences such as teamwork, responsibility, communication, decision making and problem solving.

What advice would you give to future students?

I strongly advice all the students to implement their work placement abroad because they will gain a lot of things, like knowledge in their study field but also have new opportunities, have fun and experience a different culture.

How would you summarize your experience in 1-2 words?

Fantastic, Excellent

Manos Aristodemou, Chipre - Estagiário na Grécia

Manos Aristodemou, Chipre - Estagiário na Grécia

What are the advantages of doing a work placement abroad?

Working in a foreign country has many advantages with the most important for me being the fact that you broaden your career horizons. You look at the future from a different perspective and you begin thinking that your working opportunities are not only in your own country but also in any other country. You learn about other cultures and many interesting new things in relation to your work, other ways of achieving a successful result and generally, you learn to think outside the box.

What has been the most challenging issue of your work placement? Why? How did you deal with it?

TThe only issue I faced as a minor difficulty was to get used to the working style of the company in which I did my work placement, since I used to work in a different way. I learned everything easily though and everything turned out smoothly.

What skills and competences do you think you have acquired during the work placement?

I believe that I have acquired a lot of skills and competences in my work field. First, I have learned how to use the tools needed to complete my tasks at work, and to take greater responsibility for my actions. I certainly gained got a lot from this work placement, important knowledge that will help me in the future as a professional.

What advice would you give to future students?

I would advise all the students to do this work placement in because not only you have this amazing opportunity to live in another country and be independent but also you learn a great deal of information for your work and not only. Additionally you meet new people.

How would you summarize your experience in 1-2 words?

An exceptional experience!

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