Placement overview
Name: Ashley
Vocational area: Construction
Duration: 2 weeks
Location: Lebrija, Spain
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“My confidence, inter-personal skills and problem-solving ability were greatly boosted through this experience. Living away from home in a foreign country gave me a taste of independence and responsibility, which I would not have had otherwise.”
The motivation
I wanted to work in another country and completing a work placement abroad sounded like fun and a great experience . My tutors shared the opportunity with me and the desire to travel, meet new people and throw myself into a completely new environment, motivated me to work hard and earn a place. I was encouraged by my family and I prepared myself by saving up a little for a few weeks.
The placement
My placement was with a small company, working with a “handy man” who had many trades under his belt such as carpenter, plumber, electrician and iron work. One of my tasks was to paint a wall wire and scratch a gate with sand paper so that I could paint the gate. My efforts throughout the placement earned me the praise of my boss, which was really good.
The location
Seville is a haven for delicious food and it was only a 30 minute train from Lebrija to Seville. It had a great atmosphere, beautiful architecture and there was always something to do.
A moment to remember in the local community was when three young kids heard me and a few friends speaking English and they kept trying to say hello and start conversations with us, their English was not too bad!
Our in-country contact helped us to sort any issues which we might have and would always reply to our messages immediately. He even brought food for us on our first night there when we arrived from the airport, which was much appreciated!
The impact
My confidence, inter-personal skills and problem-solving ability were greatly boosted through this experience. Living away from home in a foreign country in an apartment full of other students, gave me a taste of independence and responsibility, which I would not have had otherwise. Learning a bit of the language and meeting new people was also a great learning experience.
I know this will look great on my CV when looking for jobs in the future. With an international experience, employers can see that I’ve previously lived on my own and looked after myself in another country. The placement also made me realise that I prefer developing my skills in an actual workplace.
My advice for future participants is to stay focused on what you are doing and your goals to make the most of the experience. Be flexible and always look for solutions.
Outcomes
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Improved language skills
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Exposure to cultural experience
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Confidence building
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Improved people skills
Collaboration and partnership is at the heart of what we do.
If you would like to find out more about the way we work, get in touch.
