University graduates should consider applying for one of the 650 places under the winter traineeship scheme in the European Commission, the deadline for which is Monday.
This is the view of Labour councillor Niall McNelis. He said with so few jobs available for Irish graduates in the current climate, “this scheme is a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable experience at the heart of the European Union”.
The aims of the official in-service training with the Commission are to provide university graduates with first-hand experience of the workings of the EU, an opportunity to acquire practical experience, and knowledge of the day-to-day work of the Commission.
“The Irish actually do very well in Brussels and are to be found everywhere in the city,” said Cllr McNelis. “Already the most senior civil servant in the entire commission which employs over 30,000 people is Catherine Day, an Irish graduate of UCD. This is a chance for the next generation to follow in her footsteps.”
To apply for a traineeship scheme see http://ec.europa.eu/stages