Tapping into European Talent Best Practice guide for SMEs 1 www.getmobileproject.eu Tapping into European Talent `Finding and Hosting a Work Placement from Europe: Best Practice Guide for SMEs 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.
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Tapping into European Talent Best Practice guide for SMEs
1
www.getmobileproject.eu
Tapping into European Talent
`Finding and Hosting a Work Placement from Europe: Best Practice Guide for SMEs
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.
Tapping into European Talent Best Practice guide for SMEs
� 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 & Templates
Useful 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
Success story: SME
“My name is Umberto, I am
the co-owner of a consultancy
firm in Italy specializing in
web marketing and training
for the tourism and
enogastronomy sectors.
We ran 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!”
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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
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
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.
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The chapter at a glance
For 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 & Templates
The 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
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Success Story: Trainee
Hi, My name is Pınar, I graduated from
the City and Regional Planning
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.
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 The benefits of becoming a more female-friendly workplace
for all organisations include:
• 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.
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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:
1. Focus on effective recruitment
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.
2. Retention – don’t let them go!
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.
Framework for assessing gender equitable organizations (World Bank, 2001)
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“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
“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
3. Ensure gender equality!
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.
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The chapter at a glance
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
How 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
Useful Links & Templates
The 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:
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7. Hosting a placement trainee – before your
trainee starts
Communication between SME and trainee before their
arrival Before 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 period
Ideally, 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
“My 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!”
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“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.
“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
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.
Managing trainees’ expectations When 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.
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The chapter at a 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 & Templates
The website of this EU LLP projects provides templates and check lists dedicated to SME Mentors. http://www.evta.net/eumoveportal/startpage_-3.html
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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.
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)
A useful tip:
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.
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The chapter at a 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 & Templates The website of this EU LLP projects provides templates and check lists dedicated to SMEs Mentors. http://www.evta.net/eumoveportal/startpage_-3.html
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9. Hosting a placement trainee - support and monitoring
Ongoing support In 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.
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.
A useful tip:
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.
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The chapter at a 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 & Templates The website of this EU LLP projects provides templates and check lists dedicated to SMEs Mentors. http://www.evta.net/eumoveportal/startpage_-3.html
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“It is not choosing a job, it is
about choosing a way of
life”
A placement trainee from
Turkey
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.
Interested in finding out more about taking on a
female placement trainee from abroad?...
Are you ready to get started?....then Get Connected!
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The chapter at a 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 & Templates
The website of this EU LLP projects provides templates and check lists dedicated to SMEs Mentors. http://www.evta.net/eumoveportal/startpage_-3.html
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This guidebook is intended as an introductory guide to hosting a placement trainee and Get Mobile accepts
no liability for actions taken by individuals and organisations as a result of reading this guidebook.