At the end of January, a group of 15 students from Croatia carried out individual work placements and internships in Seville. Six members of the group worked in travel agencies, six worked on hotel receptions, and three in restaurant kitchens.
All these positions had a number of different tasks that the students were responsible for carrying out. The trainees working in the travel agencies collaborated with the travel agents to develop city tours, helped out in various booking processes, general client communication services and supporting the travel agents, and analyzing the objectives and features of responsible tourism. Those who were working in receptionist positions learnt how to assist in check-in and check-out procedures, other general administrative activities, as well as translating/interpreting when required. Finally, the students who worked in the restaurant/kitchen environments had the unique opportunity to learn about typical Spanish cuisine and local specialties particular to Seville and the south of Spain in the city where they come from.
Furthermore, the group also had the opportunity to experience some cultural activities alongside the work experience placements during their time in Spain. The first of these was a paella night where, under the guidance of a professional chef, the group created the classic Spanish dish for themselves, and paired it with another Spanish classic, sangria. Next, the trainees went on a tour of Seville with a member of the euroMind team, where they were able to experience the city from a historic and artistic point of view, as well as receive recommendations for good food and drinks places. Additionally, they also visited a few other cities in Andalusia. The first of which was a trip to Cordoba, where the group visited many interesting landmarks, including the Mezquita (a recognised UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Roman Bridge of Cordoba, and the Alcazar and its adjacent gardens. Finally, the group visited Granada, where they visited the famous Alhambra and Generalife gardens, as well as the Cathedral and a number of well-known squares.
The students really enjoyed their time in Seville, both culturally and through their placements, and will continue to apply the skills that they have learnt here to their work, as well as their global outlook back in Croatia.
Anamarija Senjanin
My internship was in a hotel with four stars that served just breakfast. The rooms were small and practical. My week started with my coordinator going with me to the hotel to meet my mentor and hotel manager. He introduced me to their way of work and my tasks for the week. I learned new Spanish words and my colleagues were very positive. Working with them was interesting, funny and the work atmosphere was relaxed without any stress. I loved my work weeks, and I learnt lots of new things!
Marin Mateljak
I carried out my internship at a restaurant. The restaurant could accommodate about seventy to one hundred guests, and mainly served Spanish cuisine. The staff were friendly and welcoming. The chefs were very experienced and wanted to pass on their knowledge to us. In the first week I learnt how to cook a lot of new things like fresh cod and chicken risotto which was one of their specialties. By the end of my work experience I had learned a lot more new things and further improved my abilities.
Sevilla
Project Title: Training and Internship in Companies in EU (Obuka i praksa u tvrtkama u EU)
Project Number: 2019-1-HR01-KA102-060606
Number of participants: 15
Country: Croatia, Makarska
January 2020