GET mobile Tapping into European Talent

GET mobileTapping into European Talent

Finding and Hosting a Work Placement from Europe: Best Practice Guide for SMEs

www.getmobileproject.eu

Design and layoutHugsmiðjan, 2012

www.hugsmidjan.is

This project has been funded with the support from the European Commission. This

publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held

responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

3www.getmobileproject.eu

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................5

2. Placement programmes in Europe ............................................................................................6

3. How could hosting a placement benefit your SME? ...............................................................8

4. Providing a female-friendly placement environment ..........................................................10

5. Cultural implications of hosting a placement trainee ..........................................................12

6. How to choose the trainee that’s right for your SME ..........................................................14

7. Hosting a placement trainee – before your trainee starts .................................................16

8. Hosting a placement trainee – the first few weeks ..............................................................19

9. Hosting a placement trainee - support and monitoring .....................................................20

10. Hosting a placement trainee – evaluation and follow-up ...................................................22

4

Organisations involved in Get Mobile:

This guidebook is the first of these support tools for SMEs. We aim to provide a basic introduction to finding and

hosting a placement, and to de-mystify the process for SMEs. You can also use this handbook as a useful guide

to refer to throughout the process of hosting a placement trainee, to make sure you both get the best out of

the opportunity.

Register on the Get Connected Zone to meet other companies like yourself and share experiences, as well as

hearing from companies who’ve hosted a placement before. You can post your placement vacancy and look

through potential candidates who might just be the answer to supporting your SME with activities whilst

providing an amazing career experience for a recent graduate.

The Directorate of LaborIceland

www.vinnumalastofnun.is

Militos Emerging Technologies & Services

Greece

www.militos.org

Pentaş IncTurkey

www.pendikkisgem.org

Inova ConsultancyBritain

www.inovaconsult.com

VHTO - Women in ScienceHolland

www.vhto.nl

CLPItaly

www.clpge.it

5www.getmobileproject.eu

1. Introduction

In this handbook you can get practical information on how to find out about hosting a placement

trainee in your SME. We’ll take you through each step from advertising and recruitment to managing

the placement trainee whilst at your organisation.

Get Mobile is a European initiative involving a group of organisations in the UK, the Netherlands,

Greece, Italy, Iceland and Turkey, working together to inspire and encourage greater European

mobility of female graduates in BS (Business and science), especially those who are unemployed or

under-employed, as well as encouraging more SMEs to host these graduates.

We’re producing 3 key tools to support SMEs in finding out more about hosting a placement trainee and to encourage more SMEs to host a placement trainee from abroad: 1. Best Practice Guide for European SMEs on

Finding and Hosting a Work Placement: a

Guidebook for SMEs about the process of

hosting a placement student from abroad.

2. Business Briefing Workshops: we’ll be holding

practical information workshops about how to

host a placement trainee from abroad. The

workshops will include information regarding

selection of trainees, costs involved, the

cultural implications, support for the trainee

and an introduction to the online Get

Connected Zone.

3. Get Connected Zone: an online initiative/

platform bringing female graduates and

SMEs together from across Europe. SMEs can

register to advertise a placement vacancy to

the graduate members of the zone.

Get Mobile works with two main groups: 1. SMEs (especially microbusiness with less than

5 employees)

2. Female graduates in Business, Science and

Technology

Traditionally, SMEs and microbusinesses are much

less likely to make use of the potentially valuable

source of innovation and creativity that European

female graduates undertaking a placement

period could provide. We’re working to change

this, showing SMEs the benefits of taking on a

placement trainee, and supporting them with the

process of recruiting and hosting a placement

trainee from abroad.

6

2. Placement programmes in Europe

Mobility/Placement programmes in EuropeMobility is the term most commonly used by the European Commission to refer to people going abroad from

one country to another to work with an organisation for an agreed period of time. Sometimes this is also known

as a placement, internship or traineeship. Mobility of people is a key priority for the EU.

The European Commission promotes mobility programmes supporting placements (periods designed for

training purposes, spent in work environments where trainees are actively involved in work processes) abroad

for a number of different beneficiaries (e.g. students, graduates, potential entrepreneurs). Trainees can apply

for specific programmes that cover their costs for going on placement abroad in Europe. Placements can take

place in any organisation with legal status in Europe. SMEs might also receive applications from individuals who

are self-funding their placement and so are not linked with any EC programme.

Company in BritainMy name is Eric Wijmenga and I am the director of Intercambio, an

educational agency in Sheffield.

We recently hosted our first international graduate in 2011, but we needed

a graduate with good language skills to help us process enquires from overseas

clients and deal with administration. The main requirements were flexibility and interest

toward the business sector as well as the role which had been newly created in the organization.

The experience was extremely positive and we were very impressed with how the graduate helped us deliver

our services and developed into a very strong all-around member of the team. Hosting a European graduate

made a huge difference in the day to day running of our business and I would recommend this experience to

other SMEs as well. I also learned a great deal about myself and my management skills and responsibilities,

making this a mutually beneficial learning experience”.

What does a mobility placement involve?Depending on which funding programme the

trainee accesses, placement periods can range

from between 1 month and 12 months (length is

defined before departure) in an organisation in

any of the 27 member states as well as in Croatia,

Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and

Turkey.

Tasks to be performed by the trainees during their

placement period vary according to their education

and experience as well as the host organisation’s

requirements. You can outline what particular

skills and activities you are looking for from a

placement trainee. All this data and information

is part of a “Training Agreement” prepared

between the trainee and your organisation so that

expectations are clear for both sides before the

placement trainee arrives. Placement trainees do

need sufficient support and management during

their placement period as it is often their first

experience of work. As an SME, this may be one

of your main concerns, in terms of the time and

resources this takes. This guide aims to help you

through the process so that it can be as smooth

a process as possible and that the benefits from

having a placement will outweigh any time or

resources spent in the long run.

Funding For you as a small business (and any other

organisation hosting a placement trainee) there

are no compulsory costs. The graduates can be

eligible for a grant which covers travel and living

expenses (including insurance and visas). You can

choose to provide contributions to the placement

trainee during their placement period (either

financial or in kind), but this is entirely optional.

Success story

7www.getmobileproject.eu

Trainee from GreeceHi! My name is Elisavet and I am from Greece.

By the time I was a post graduate student, heading for my MSc in

Management at the University of Sheffield in the UK, I was pretty

concerned about my involvement in the ‘real’ world of employment and

my personal career. As it usually goes, stuck between a rock and a hard

place - that is, the vicious circle of having to have work experience to get

a job or start your own business, when you are actually not supposed to

at this point in your life. At this point I came across the online platform

of the EU project ‘women@business’, where female graduates were given

the opportunity to actively participate, through placement all over Europe, in

enterprises by working alongside successful female entrepreneurs. So, I just took my

chances and applied, which eventually brought me in contact with a Greek SME, Militos

Emerging Technologies & Services (www.militos.org). Following the submission of my CV and an interesting Skype

interview with the Managing Director of the company, we explored common interests and worked our way towards

collaboration; I was able to convince her of my commitment to this internship experience. To me, this really kicked

the doors open in having the chance to learn directly from real professionals, testing and exploring suitable roles and

gaining the so much sought after work experience. During my placement period, which I very much enjoyed as it was

really rewarding both professionally and personally, I felt really valued. As for now, I’m a full time employee in Militos, as

they say ‘one of the key team-members!’ and it all started through a placement. Isn’t that inspiring? Trust me, it is 100%.

Success story

Internationalization plays a key role in our activity, and the opportunity of hosting a motivated and resourceful graduate who can act as an insider in order to

research a new market is definitely interesting.

SME in Italy, hosted a placement trainee

The chapter at glance ✓ A placement is a period designed for training purposes, spent in

work environments where trainees are actively involved in work

processes

✓ EC mobility programmes support placements abroad for a

number of different beneficiaries (e.g. students, graduates,

would-be entrepreneurs).

✓ Placements can be hosted by any organisation with legal

status in the 27 member states as well as in Croatia, Iceland,

Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey – and this

includes SMEs.

✓ Duration can range from 1 to 12 months

and is defined before departure together

with tasks to be performed by the trainee

(Training Agreement)

✓ It is up to the host organization to decide

who to take on as a trainee according to

its own requirements

✓ Support and management of trainees are

the key issues explored in this guide

Useful links & templatesUseful information regarding opportunities in Europe

http://ec.europa.eu/education/erasmus-for-all/

http://www.globalplacement.com/about

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3. How could hosting a placement benefit your SME?

Internationalization has made a big impact on companies globally. As they grow more international, the need for networking and knowledge about different cultures grows accordingly. How can you prepare for increased global competition? How will you be able to market your company in a different culture without some knowledge about it? Small businesses might not have the capacity to hire staff to do this, so taking on a trainee might be just the thing you need to expand your business.

Your business might not have all the competences you need, such as special knowledge about certain areas of your business or marketing areas.

The main benefits for you of taking on a placement include: • Insights and knowledge about different cultures (which is crucial in order to succeed in international

businesses).

• Further development of competences and skills for your SME and the opportunity to develop a project you

otherwise might not have the time or skills to work on.

Now let’s look closer at the benefits of taking on a trainee:• Fresh Thinking: The trainee can bring in new

ideas to your company and new ways of looking

at your organisation’s activities to help improve

processes. A new outlook from someone

outside can be very valuable; often we are stuck

with old ways of doing things and do not see

outside the box.

• New Skills: You can get additional support with

your business tasks in an area outside of your

current employee’s expertise e.g. marketing. If

you take on a marketing graduate on placement,

they could develop your strategy further and

implement a marketing campaign, for example.

If you run a small company, you might not always

have staff with all the skills and competences

necessary for success in the international

market..

• Intercultural Perspective: You have the chance

to build intercultural knowledge and skills in your

company. In a world that has become more and

more internationalized, knowledge of different

cultures is very important to all companies. To

have someone from a different country and

culture not only benefits your company directly,

but also benefits your staff who can learn about

new cultures and ways of thinking, and possibly

learn some words/phrases in a new language!

• Networking is crucial for businesses today;

building up your client list and expanding your

business. By taking on a trainee you could make

the first steps to building up new contacts

and networks in Europe and add value to your

business.

• Management skills: With hosting a trainee you

get an opportunity to improve your management

skills and therefore be more qualified. Also you

get an opportunity to implement new methods

of mentoring and coaching which can be

valuable for other staff.

• Extra resources: Placement students can mean

extra resources for specific projects - we all

have a project waiting to be implemented when

there’s time, perhaps a student could complete

this on your behalf?!

• New perspectives; Bringing in a young person

from a different culture can bring new ideas and

perspectives to the company

Whereas my degree has given me excellent academic skills,

it has not given me experience in how to work within an

international organization. During my placement I will get

acquainted with the daily office work and get work experience in

an international environment

A placement trainee

in Belgium

9www.getmobileproject.eu

SME in ItalyMy name is Umberto Curti, I am the co-owner of Welcome Management,

a consultancy firm in Italy specializing in web marketing and training for

the tourism and enogastronomy sectors. We edit Ligucibario® (www.

ligucibario.com), one of the most extensive Internet portals dedicated

to the food &wine of the Italian Riviera.

We run into Erasmus SMP by chance – an enterprising Croatian graduate

asked the University of Genoa for the database of businesses that co-

operate in traineeship programmes (we have been participating for

10 years): thus, she sent through her application with information

about the programme and red tape involved – which to our surprise

is very little and simple. Internationalization plays a key role in our

activity, and the opportunity of hosting a motivated and resourceful

graduate who can act as an “insider” in order to research a new market

is definitely interesting. We proposed her a training task plan and gave

advice about how to get prepared for the placement, which will start

in October. Talent goes international!

Success story

The chapter at glanceFor your SME, taking on a placement trainee from abroad is an

excellent way to:

✓ Gain first-hand information about foreign markets and

improve intercultural intelligence – the keystones of successful

internationalization.

✓ Bring in fresh outsider ideas and perspectives on processes and

activities.

✓ Develop the company’s know hows and skills in strategic fields

such as marketing.

✓ Make the first steps to building up new contacts and networks

in Europe

Useful links & TemplatesThe official website of the We Mean

Business Campaign, issued in 2012 by the

European Commission in order to raise

awareness among European companies

of the positive benefits of hosting an

Erasmus or Leonardo da Vinci trainee:

http://we-mean-business.europa.eu

During my studies I spend some time in Canada for an exchange project. I am eager to continue with that international pathway. I have heard about placement opportunities

through the Get Mobile project and I would definitely like to learn more about it!

A Dutch graduate interested in placement opportunities

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4. Providing a female-friendly placement environment

What do we mean by female-friendly?A female-friendly organization , according to the Equality Commission,1) is a company which:

• Believes that women’s unique set of skills and experience are key to business success

• Has a clear strategy to increase the representation of women in the workplace

• Works to promote initiatives to support women in business and increase their confidence

• Has equal opportunity programmes in place to advance its female employees

Why is this important?Get Mobile is focusing on making sure that more

female graduates from under-represented areas

are encouraged to go abroad on placement to

increase career prospects. Gender inequality is

a common issue women face when they start

working. The barriers are especially intense

in certain business sectors, such as science,

business, engineering and technology, which are

traditionally male-dominated. Research (World

Bank, 2001) shows that:

• Young women are often discouraged to pursue

careers in business and science compared with

their male colleagues;

• Women in technical and scientific fields face

isolation, lack of access to relevant social

networks, mentors and lack of sponsorships

Benefits of being female-friendly • Women are generally agreed to have different

values than men do (Vivian Giang, 2012). Due to

women’s higher levels of empathy, they are more

likely to notice the needs of other employees

contributing to create a more friendly work

environment overall;

• Incorporating diverse gender talent to your

team will highly expand your company’s market

reach. Since 70% of women say that marketing

doesn’t speak to them, they will provide your

organisation with new and creative insights

on how to target new and diverse market

segments (Women Friendly Services, 2012);

• Women and men have different focus areas at

work, for example women are more focused on

developing long-term workplace skills than

men, who are more likely to move on to better-

paid jobs (Hobsons, 2005). This means women

can contribute to the creation of a long-term

business strategy for your company

Trainee in TurkeyHi,MynameisPınar,IgraduatedfromtheCityandRegionalPlanning

Department in Turkey. During my studies, I wanted to develop myself

in the field of Geographical Information Systems so I participated in an

Internship program with IAESTE.

I had an opportunity to work in the Scottish Forestry Commission

as a GIS Developer Assistant for three months. It was a wonderful

experience in my life,. It was very important to me to work with people

from different nations and also meet a lot of different people. This

experience helped me to plan my future in a very clear way. After my

studies in Surveying Engineering this internship program made it much

easier to find jobs. Now, I am working as a GIS Specialist in a private

corporation and doing what I wanted to in my professional life.

Success story

11www.getmobileproject.eu

Ways to improve the female-friendliness of your SME

The barriers facing women as they try to find jobs in the fields of business, technology and science often put them off from finding employment in those sectors. Once employed, barriers persist throughout their career frequently preventing their advancement. There are several solutions which companies can put in place to recruit and support the progression of women, particularly in under-represented areas:

The chapter at glanceHow to improve your company’s female-

friendliness:

• Focus on effective recruitment - make

sure your placement advert is female-

friendly!

• Retention - encourage talented females

to progress in their career by developing

a suitable work environment

• Ensure gender equality and equal

opportunities for career growth

The benefits of becoming a more female-friendly workplace:

• Due to their higher levels of empathy, women are more likely to

notice the needs of other employees contributing to create a

more friendly work environment overall

• Incorporating diverse gender talent to your team will highly

expand your company’s market reach - women will provide your

organisation with new and creative insights on how to target new

and diverse market segments;

• Women being more focused on developing long-term workplace

skills, they can contribute to the creation of a long-term business

strategy for your company.

Organizations need to ensure effective recruitment to capture the expanding number of women interested in

pursuing a career in science, business engineering and technology. This can be achieved through targeting your

placement advert or job vacancies, particularly to recent female graduates in under-represented areas. Make sure

your placement advert is female-friendly! You also need to make sure you are recruiting and selecting trainees using

the same equality methods as with regular members of staff. For example, make sure that staff involved in assessing

applications or interviewing placement trainees have been through equality training or awareness. You should also

monitor your placement advert to see numbers of men and women applying, to make sure your placement advert is

equally attractive to both.

1. Focus on effective recruitment

2. Retention – don’t let them go! 3. Ensure gender equality! Encouraging talented females to progress

in their career depends significantly on the

work environment. The ideal environment

is hospitable and supportive to women,

which is why informal practices to value

women’s contributions should be in place,

e.g. mentoring during a placement period.

Creating equal opportunities for the advancement and career

development of women starting out in their careers is a

fundamental element of a female-friendly work environment.

By hosting female graduate trainees you and your organisation

will be positively contributing to the first and fundamental steps

of their career advancement.

Useful links & TemplatesThe official website of the EUROCHAMBRES Women Network project,

particularly the “publications” section

http://www.echwomennetwork.eu/Content/Default.asp

Here you can find examples of positive effects of diversity:

http://www.mckinsey.com/locations/paris/home/womenmatter.asp

12

Company and country cultureOrganisations as well as countries have their

own “culture” – ‘how we do things around here’.

Business styles rely on a set of rules, these vary

from explicit to those which are unspoken. It

usually takes some time before a newcomer ‘fine

tunes’ their behaviour to fit in with the culture of

the organisation, and this is even more relevant for

placement trainees from another country. Being

proactive helps: the selection and preparation

phases are essential in order to provide the trainee

with preliminary information on your organisation

and country e.g. brochures, websites, etc. so that

they can begin to familiarise themselves with

your culture as soon as possible. Through the

support of the Mentor, as the placement starts

and as the trainee gets to know their colleagues,

activities and city/town that they will live in for

the next few months, the process of fitting in to

your organisation and country culture can begin.

The induction process should normally take a few

days, and include items such as office procedures,

IT systems, equipment and filing systems etc.

5. Cultural implications of hosting a placement trainee

Cultural differences, problems and solutionsWith placements abroad, a lot depends on the

extent to which the trainee gets in contact with the

“habitat” (lifestyle, mindset, habits) of the hosting

country. This is not limited only to language issues

– although fluency in the language does obviously

help. Immersion means having the right attitude

and motivation, as well as an adequate set of soft

skills - from communication to self-confidence

and adaptability. Placements abroad prove to be

an effective way to develop these skills, especially

problem-solving and self-management. In this

process that is both personal and intercultural

for trainees, the role of hosting organisations

is central. Your SME represents the trainee’s

“practical handbook” in the world of work and

also for the country’s identity and environment

(economic, social and cultural).

Having a mentor or coach in the organisation is

key to supporting the adaptation to a new culture.

They should support the trainee facilitating

their integration into the workplace as well as

providing a set of practical details and hints

about daily living in the host country. As Mentors,

it is essential to keep in mind that culture and

customs change from country to country. What

is considered as “the rule” in the hosting state

could be considered as “strange” and difficult to

understand elsewhere. For a Mentor, keeping the

right balance between independence and support

(always avoiding “parenting”) is essential in order

to reduce the potential for socio-cultural clash for

the trainee. Trainees will then be able to take the

best out of the placement experience – know-how

about job styles and professionalism; insights into

a new culture and the capacity to handle change,

diversity and uncertainty.

What I liked most is the fact that I had the

opportunity to develop a varied range of skills: soft, cross-cultural and technical

– a booster for my CV.

A placement trainee

from the UK

13www.getmobileproject.eu

Trainee in FranceMy name is Francesca, I am a graduate in International Science and

Diplomatic Relations. I did not know about mobility placements until a

friend told me. Having almost no experience in the world of work, the

prospective was appealing – improving my French and getting to know

a job environment at the same time! I sent an application to the Italian

Chamber of Commerce in Lyon: its role is to help Italian companies that

want to do businesses abroad.

The answer was positive, the grant awarded, the experience useful - I

had the opportunity of following an internationalization project from

the beginning to the end. What I liked the most is the fact that I had the

opportunity to develop a varied range of skills: soft, cross-cultural and

technical – a booster for my CV!

Success story

The best memory of my mobility experience was to get more responsibility than expected in all aspects. I also enjoyed nice non-work related experiences, like travelling

around the country and learning more about the culture of the UK.

A placement trainee in the UK

The chapter at glance• During a placement abroad the trainee gets in contact with the

”habitat” of the hosting country and faces issues such as linguistic

fluency, attitude/motivation, soft skills (communication, problem

solving, self-management)

• Hosting organisations represent the trainee’s “practical

handbook” in the world of work as well as in the country’s culture

• SMEs’ Mentors play the lead role in introducing trainees to the

company’s habits and business styles as well as facilitating their

fine tuning with the country’s daily life and identity

• Proactivity helps: provide the trainees with preliminary

information on your organisation and country so that they can

begin to familiarise themselves with your culture while still at

home

Useful Links & TemplatesUseful studies related to business

communication styles all over the world

http://www.globalnegotiationresources.com/

The portal of the EC DG for Employment,

Social Affairs & Inclusion

http://ec.europa.eu/social/home.jsp

Help and advice for EU nationals and their

family about travel, work/retirement, living

abroad, health and shopping. Featuring

Citizens/Business versions.

http://europa.eu/youreurope/index.htm

14

6. How to choose the trainee that’s right for your SME

You can use Get Mobile to search for suitable female trainees for your placement opportunity. Register at

www.getmobileproject.eu to find out how you can access the CVs of female graduates in Business and Science

looking to go on a placement abroad. Just as selecting the right employee for the job is crucial in an SME, so is

choosing the right placement trainee.

Follow these steps to help you recruit the most suitable trainee for your organisation.

Make sure you’re clear about the placement opportunity you have on offerIf you’re not clear about what role/tasks/activities you want the placement trainee to carry out

during a placement, then it will be difficult to make sure you’re attracting the most suitable

trainee with relevant skills and interests. Make sure you prepare a Placement Description

(similar to a job description) which outlines the placement role and typical tasks expected on

the placement. You can also prepare a Person Description that shows trainees what criteria you

think are essential for the placement role and which ones are desirable. This is also the chance to

make it clear to potential applicants about the conditions of the placement – hours, any financial

support available from the organisation etc

Make sure you’re advertising your placement in the best placesYou need to make sure that your placement opportunity is being seen in the best places across

Europe, to attract the best candidates. There are dedicated websites to advertise your placement

vacancies free of charge and you can also advertise on www.getmobileproject.eu. Think about

whether you are looking for a particular skill, e.g. marketing, and then you could approach

Universities abroad running placement programmes that will have students or graduates in

these areas. They can then send trainees’ CVs for you to look through. You might be looking

for a trainee from a particular country to help you expand your business in that country. You

can search for trainees by country on the online databases e.g. in Get Mobile you can see what

country a placement trainee is from and where they want to go on placement to. For a list of

websites to advertise your placement, please see Useful Links.

Interview candidates on Skype before making your final decisionJust as with any recruitment process, you need to have as much information about the placement

trainee before you make your choice on who would be the most appropriate trainee. Once you

have looked through CVs, you should make your shortlist of candidates you are interested in

and then organize interviews with candidates to help you make the final decision. Using Skype

is the most cost effective way of interviewing candidates abroad. Make sure you have your list

of questions ready before speaking to candidates so that you can ask each person the same

and compare them fairly. Once you have interviewed candidates you should get back to the

successfull trainee as soon as possible. Many placement trainees have to complete a placement

as part of their course and have tight deadlines for this, so they need to know from you if their

application has or hasn’t been successful as quickly as possible. It’s good practice to let those

candidates know that weren’t successful, again so that they can move on with applying to other

organisations for their placements.

2

3

1

15www.getmobileproject.eu

Success story

Trainee in UKMy name is Katrin and I am a recent graduate in European Studies

from Germany. I came to the UK to undertake a placement abroad and

worked as a Project Assistant for Inova Consultancy in Sheffield for six

months.

My decision for coming to work in the UK was motivated by increasing

my employability after graduation, gaining new experiences and

improving my language skills. I was very happy to get a placement

with Inova as the company focuses on supporting women in the labour

market and female entrepreneurs, and this was something I was

interested in. My placement with Inova was very useful and I learned

how to deal with different aspects of office work, such as how to write

good business e-mails or how to approach colleagues and clients. The

placement was also a good life experience and an opportunity to learn

things about myself and gain more self-confidence. As a small business,

Inova was able to offer me much more responsibility than I expected,

which made this a truly beneficial experience for me.

The chapter at glance• Use Get Mobile to search for suitable female trainees for your

placement opportunity - register at www.getmobileproject.eu!

• Follow these steps to help you recruit the most suitable trainee

for your organisation

• Make sure you’re clear about the placement opportunity you

have on offer: prepare a Placement Description (similar to a job

description) which outlines the placement role and typical tasks

expected on the placement

• Make sure you’re advertising your placement in the best places:

your placement opportunity is to be seen in the best places across

Europe to attract the best candidates

• Interview candidates on Skype before making your final decision:

it is the most cost effective way of interviewing candidates abroad

Useful links & TemplatesHints and templates for recruiting staff,

focused on SMEs support needs

http://www.smetoolkit.org/smetoolkit/en/

category/937/Recruiting-Hiring

Eures homepage

http://ec.europa.eu/eures/home.jsp?lang=en

Get Mobile homepage

http://getmobileproject.eu

Internationalization plays a key role in our activity, and the opportunity of hosting a motivated and resourceful graduate who can act as an “insider” in order to research a new market is definitely interesting

SME in Italy, hosted a placement trainee

16

7. Hosting a placement trainee – before your trainee starts

Communication between SME and trainee before their arrivalBefore the trainee arrives, clear communication

between the trainee and your company is

very important to prevent difficulties and

misunderstandings occurring later on. Try and

send the trainee general information about the

company, town or area. If you decide to take on

another trainee placement in the future, then

it could be the role of the current placement to

inform the next trainee about these aspects, in

order to put the new trainee at ease.

Once you have made a decision about hosting a

trainee, it is very important to prepare staff and

provide them with information about the new

team member. Staff should be encouraged to

make the trainee feel at home and help her fit into

the workplace. A good idea is to have a special

induction programme for her in the beginning (as

you would with any new starter), a tour of your

company and to meet all staff, not only on company

premises but also ideally in a social setting.

You also need to prepare for the trainee’s arrival

by making sure that a workspace is ready e.g. desk,

computer and Internet access. A warm welcome to

the workplace is very important so the trainee will

feel at home from the beginning, and settle into

their placement quickly.

Practical information for the trainee before she arrives. You can decide on the amount and type of

information to provide for trainees before their

placement. For example, you could provide

practical information regarding accommodation,

insurance, social services, health care and banking.

It is usually easiest to provide a list of useful

websites for trainees to be able to look through

before they travel so that they can feel more

prepared and ask any questions that are worrying

them before they arrive.

Mentoring during the placement periodIdeally, you will appoint a member of staff to be

a Mentor for the trainee. As with all members of

staff, the Mentor needs to know about the trainee

(their past skills and experiences) in order to help

them settle in and make sure that she is getting

the most out of the placement experience. The

Mentor can send a short introduction email to the

trainee before she arrives so that they can get to

know each other.

Success story

SME in GreeceMy name is Olga, and I am the Managing Director of Militos Emerging

Technologies & Services in Greece. Militos is an innovative firm that

renders high quality consulting services. Our fundamental objective

is that the collaborations we choose are unique, regardless of their

duration and magnitude. We strongly support the practice of work

placement trainees, having a clear picture of the benefits for both the

trainees and the companies, especially small and medium enterprises.

Actually, we are well known for training our people from scratch!

See… qualifications are not limited to a CV. It is not by chance that

Militos regularly hosts trainees, who eventually turn out to become

either our full employees or we have secured a job placement for

them in another company where they were given the opportunity to

widen their career horizons. It is our philosophy in doing business and

working with people from all over Europe, getting the satisfaction of

giving guidance to them, while raising the profile of the company. It

is actually a case of thinking outside of the box, making the best out

of our business aspirations, by treasuring talent and commitment

wherever it comes from.

Is it worth it? For sure!

17www.getmobileproject.eu

Supporting trainees to build a social network. Social networking is important for the

trainee, so preparation before she arrives is

important.

When the trainee arrives, it is important

for the Mentor to introduce her to the local

area; how to get to work; where to shop;

where the hospital is etc. The Mentor should

be aware of different cultural backgrounds

and inform the trainee about the culture in

the new country. You can put your trainee

in touch with local organisations who

could provide activities for international

students, for example, to help them meet

new people.

The chapter at glance • Pre-arrival 1: clear communication prevents difficulties and

misunderstandings occurring later on. Send the trainee general

information about the company, town or area, customs and

culture as well as practical information and useful links

• Pre-arrival 2: prepare staff and provide them with information

about the new team member, including ensuring that a workspace

is ready

•Select and train a Mentor

•Support trainees to build a social network

•Manage trainees’ and company expectations – shun

improvisation!

Useful links & TemplatesThe website of this EU LLP projects

provides templates and check lists

dedicated to SME Mentors.

http://www.evta.net/eumoveportal/

startpage_-3.html

Managing trainees’ expectationsWhen speaking to SMEs who have successfully hosted several

placement trainees, managing expectations comes up as

something that is crucial to ensure a successful experience for

both trainees and companies. Trainee expectations can vary

greatly from one trainee to another. Expectations can include:

increasing their knowledge of different cultures; learning

a new language; strengthening their network; or simply

increasing their skills in the workplace. In order to try and meet

these varied expectations, you need to have some information

from the trainee about what they are hoping to gain from

their placement experience (ideally discussed at recruitment

stage), before the placement trainee is selected by the host

organisation.

Managing company expectations It is important that you are clear about what the trainee should

focus on during her placement period. Whilst there is obviously

flexibility with any placement period, it is ideal to provide a

placement description in advance with a list of some of the

tasks and activities expected to be carried out by the trainee.

It is also useful to provide a Memorandum of Understanding

or placement agreement between the placement trainee and

your organisation which outlines place and hours of work, dress

codes, any financial contributions to be made, monitoring and

disciplinary procedures. This agreement can then be signed

by both the trainee and your organisation to provide a formal

record.

I find mobility opportunities an exciting option for our company. We will certainly look into the possibilities with the help of GET mobile.

SME in Iceland, interested in mobility

18

Good practice is to assign a specific project to the placement trainee that matches their skills, abilities

and interests. This means think “tasks not tea” (CIPD, 2012, p.16). It is important to keep trainees

active and engaged with the organisation, ensuring a positive and encouraging work experience.

A useful tip:

19www.getmobileproject.eu

8. Hosting a placement trainee – the first few weeks

Hosting a placement trainee can be an enriching experience for both trainee and host organisation. We’ve put together some information here to help you make the most of your trainee’s time with you.

The chapter at glance • Introduce your company - the placement trainee is to understand

your business – its aims, customers and working culture.

• Hot topics:

•The “what, where, why and how” of your company.

•Your team and working culture.

•Management of the trainee’s development.

• Assign a specific project to the placement trainees - keep them

active and engaged with the organisation.

Useful Links & TemplatesThe website of this EU LLP projects

provides templates and check lists

dedicated to SMEs Mentors

http://www.evta.net/eumoveportal/

startpage_-3.html

Introducing the company It’s important that the placement trainee

understands your business – its aims,

customers and working culture. Most

companies find it useful to arrange an

introductory meeting with their trainee

to cover the basics about the role and

expectations.

This meeting should include topic such as:

1. The what, where, why and how of your company

• Company history and current circumstances (how you were

set up, how you got to where you are now)

• Your business objectives and target customers

2. Your team and working culture

• Organisation and team structure (who they’ll be working

with)

• Working hours and breaks

• Location of amenities (e.g. toilets, canteen etc.)

• Health and safety at work

• Company’s expectations of behaviour (cover issues like

confidentiality, communication within the team, any

information about disciplinary procedures)

3. Managing the trainee’s development

• Clarify their role (what they will be doing, where they fit

within your organisation)

• Any training schedules (do they need to have training to

perform in their role?)

• Feedback or appraisal plan (many companies like to conduct

an initial review after the first few weeks/months, depending

on the length of placement, followed by a second one

further into the placement)

20

9. Hosting a placement trainee - support and monitoring

Ongoing supportIn general terms, a placement represents a transition between study and work. Very often, being on placement in an organisation will be a completely new experience for the trainee. The trainee should be accepted as an equal part of the team, with similar responsibilities. This is an advantage in small businesses, where tasks and responsibilities are often shared between small numbers of staff.

The chapter at glance • Always remember that a placement represents a transition

between study and work

• A monitoring system is useful to review the achievements,

progress and possible challenges encountered during the

placement

• The Mentor should assist the trainee also as regards networking –

both internal (staff) and external (customers and partners)

• Preliminary planning and task lists do prove useful during the first

weeks.

Useful links & TemplatesThe website of this EU LLP projects

provides templates and check lists

dedicated to SMEs Mentors.

http://www.evta.net/eumoveportal/

startpage_-3.html

Monitoring during the placement period. Once the placement trainee is familiar with the day-to-day practise

of the company, a monitoring system should be put in place to review

the achievements, progress and possible challenges encountered

during the placement. The trainee should be assisted by a mentor

or tutor selected by the company, who acts as a contact point. This

role would suit someone in the company wanting to develop their

training skills

Mentors need to provide trainees with: • Regular reviews and guidance

• Feedback, praise and recognition (constructive criticism where

necessary)

• Open dialogue

• On-going support

Networking Networking plays an important part in the placement experience.

Try and make sure that the trainee:

• Is connected with all the other staff members

• Is aware of other staff members’ tasks and responsibilities.

• Knows who to ask for day to day questions or if they want to

discuss their personal and professional development further.

From the point of view of external networking, the trainee should

be aware of both customers and business partners. This network

building should not only be encouraged for business reasons, but

also as an opportunity for trainees to develop potential career links

for their future.

21www.getmobileproject.eu

A placement period should be planned out before the trainee arrives. It doesn’t get things off to a strong start otherwise. For the initial weeks, a task list is recommended, as well as support with prioritizing

tasks to help the trainee into the day to day routine of working in your company.

A useful tip:

22

10. Hosting a placement trainee – evaluation and follow-up

It is good practice to carry out some kind of ‘exit interview’ with placement trainees. This could be part of a

final monitoring/appraisal review meeting between you and the trainee. This provides the chance for trainees

to give you their opinion on how the placement went overall, what they liked and disliked and any ways it could

be improved for future trainees. Many trainees have to write a report for their funding programme which they

could also share with you, although it should be kept in mind that this is likely to be in their native language.

It is always interesting to find out where past placement trainees go on to work following their placement

period in your company. For many trainees, this could include going on to further or higher study, going into

paid work or voluntary work, or deciding to complete a different placement to try out another area of work.

If you can keep in touch with your former placement trainees it forms a useful way of showing future trainees

that you’re a friendly place to work, as well as building up your contacts across Europe as the trainee moves on

in their career. If you have a Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin account, make sure placement trainees are signed up

as members and followers, as well as signed up for your company newsletters. Many trainees like to follow what

your company is involved in after completing their placement period. For women working in under-represented

fields it is especially important to keep involved in networks across Europe to progress their careers.

The chapter at glance • Carry out some kind of ‘exit interview’ with placement trainees

• Keep in touch with your former placement trainees - it is a useful

way of showing future trainees that you’re a friendly place to

work, as well as building up your contacts across Europe as the

trainee moves on in their career.

Useful links & TemplatesThe website of this EU LLP projects

provides templates and check lists

dedicated to SMEs Mentors.

http://www.evta.net/eumoveportal/

startpage_-3.html t

All these different countries‘ life experiences helped to build a good relationship with my customers in my business life.

SME in Turkey, hosted a placement trainee

23www.getmobileproject.eu

Are you interested in learning more?

Get connected

It is not choosing a job, it is about choosing a way of life.

A placement trainee from Turkey

www.getmobileproject.eu