Erasmus Plus internships : your frequent asked questions

Getting away from everyday life and participating in a mobility program such as ERASMUS + can offer a multitude of advantages and enriching experiences. Here are some reasons to help you make the decision:

• Personal Growth: Living in a foreign country exposes you to new cultures and experiences. This promotes significant personal growth by encouraging you to step out of your comfort zone and adapt to a different environment.
• Development of Intercultural Skills: Immersion in a different culture provides the opportunity to develop intercultural skills. Learning to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives is a valuable skill in an increasingly globalized world.
• Language Improvement: Choosing a destination where a different language is spoken allows you to significantly improve your language skills by being constantly surrounded by the language. This linguistic progress can be a valuable asset both personally and professionally.
• Expansion of Professional and Social Networks: Meeting people from around the world, including classmates, teachers, and local professionals, provides the chance to expand your social and professional network, which can be beneficial in the future.
• Unique Academic Experience: Participating in academic programs abroad grants access to different educational approaches as well as unique resources and perspectives, thus enriching your academic training.
• Increased Employability: International experience is often valued in the job market. Employers seek candidates with intercultural skills, high adaptability, and a global outlook. Participating in a program like ERASMUS can set you apart and enhance your attractiveness to future employers.

In summary, stepping out of the usual routine and engaging in a mobility experience like ERASMUS can be a valuable investment in your personal and professional growth, providing skills and perspectives that are beneficial throughout life.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers and organizations related to education can apply for funding in two ways:

• Short-term mobility projects (2 weeks to 1 month) for learners and school staff, with a duration of 6 to 18 months.
• Accredited mobility projects: These accredited organizations receive regular funding for mobility activities. No prior experience in the Erasmus+ program is required to apply.

For more information about the program, visit the official Erasmus site and our article on what an Erasmus mobility project is.

The Erasmus Plus program allows a wide audience to discover the member countries of the European Union and share the values of solidarity and knowledge exchange. Anyone who can pursue training or further their education can participate in Erasmus Plus, including:

• Students in schools (kindergarten, primary school, middle school, and high school)
• Higher education students (university and colleges)
• Educational and teaching teams
• Adults seeking internships abroad
• Job seekers.

• To prepare the most suitable mobility program, it is necessary to identify the needs of the trainees and the objectives of the internship at the heart of the training. The most important points to determine are the number of participants, the duration of the internship, the dates, the sector of activity, and the type of internship (discovery or practical).
• If a particular destination is desired, it is important to consider the language levels of the students and the relevant sectors of activity. Mobi Trainee helps you select the most appropriate destination for your mobility: Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla, Palma), Ireland, Malta, and Brussels.

Next, it is essential to identify the activities related to the internships (such as city tours, visits to historical sites, and language courses) and the preferences regarding accommodation, whether with a host family or in a youth hostel.

• The Erasmus agency maintains a pricing grid indicating the funds allocated for mobilities by destination. These rates take into account the cost of transport and accommodation expenses, indexed to the cost of living in the countries visited. All the information can be found on the website of the European Commission program.
• Mobi Trainee establishes a budget that closely aligns with the needs of each project. It ensures the quality of services by working with long-standing partners in terms of accommodation, activities, and transportation. Additionally, it provides advice for managing your budget.
• To complement Erasmus+ funding, you can rely on other aid from institutions (such as regional funding or other foundation programs) and various additional sources (feel free to contact us for more information).

Mobi Trainee takes special care to offer quality mobilities that meet the Erasmus+ quality standards.

• Commitment to Mobility Quality: High-quality internships are achieved by carefully selecting relevant host organizations. Our priority is to ensure that each participant acquires valuable professional skills.
• Personalized Support and Participant Well-Being: Attentive and individualized support is offered to each participant throughout their stay. We assist them in preparing for their mobility, respond to their specific needs, and ensure their overall well-being.
• Compliance with Safety and Protection Standards: The safety and protection of participants are at the heart of our concerns. We strictly comply with current regulations and ensure that living conditions are safe and appropriate.
• Continuous Evaluation for Ongoing Improvement: We conduct regular monitoring of mobility projects, evaluating outcomes and gathering participant feedback. This ongoing approach aims to continually improve our services, ensuring an optimal experience.
• Core Values: Inclusion, Diversity, Equality, Sustainability. Through our mobilities, we strive to promote inclusion and diversity, ensure equal opportunities, and emphasize the eco-responsibility of our projects.

• Internship: The details of the internship, such as the field, type of company, trainee preferences, duration, number of hours, and tasks to be completed, are discussed. This step allows students to choose opportunities that align with their professional goals. Once the contract is signed with a minimum notice of three months, the Mobi Trainee team begins the prospecting process, communicating with the project manager about the internship proposals encountered. Receiving CVs is required at this time. Students are primarily placed in pairs within companies unless otherwise indicated by the tutor or project manager.

• Accommodations / Type of Boarding: The students are placed in groups in host families, with a minimum of two participants per family, ensuring better cultural immersion and personal safety.

Preparation / Logistics: This includes travel arrangements, documentation, insurance, and pre-departure training sessions to ensure participants are fully prepared for their mobility experience.

Mobi Trainee is a seasoned placement agency. With its experience since 2016, it offers comprehensive support for your project.

• Support in a Variety of Destinations: English-speaking, French-speaking, Spanish-speaking, Portuguese-speaking, and Italian-speaking.

• • Presence in Three Destinations: Offices in Barcelona, Madrid, and Palma de Mallorca.
  • Consultant Assistance: A consultant helps the school to define the mobility project, from the choice of destination to the prospecting of companies on-site.
  • Collaboration Contract: A contract drafted and signed by both parties, ensuring safety.

• Assistance Service: A team available seven days a week, providing a listening ear in case of emergency.

• Personalized Support: Tailored support for everyone.

• Multilingual Team: A team that speaks multiple languages.

• Activities and Language Courses: Various activities and language courses offered.

• Tailored Accommodation Solutions: Accommodation options to meet everyone’s needs, along with arrival transfer options.

• 360° Vision of the Erasmus+ Program: A comprehensive understanding of the Erasmus+ program and its trends.

• The project manager plays a central role in supporting mobility. They ensure the connection between the school, internships, and host families before, during, and after mobility, thus facilitating harmonious coordination and effective monitoring throughout the process.
• They approach companies to find high-quality internships that meet the expectations of the students and align with their capabilities.
• They conduct a preparatory and informational meeting for students and accompanying persons before mobility.
• They manage arrival and departure transfers.
• They organize the schedule for the first and last days of the internship.
• They transmit and gather evaluations from the internship supervisors.

During the preparation, the project manager is responsible for finding companies, booking accommodations, organizing activities, arranging transfers, and securing transportation cards, as well as organizing the schedule for the first day of the internship.

They organize an online meeting with teachers and students to present the Erasmus+ internship mobility in detail.

If possible, they can join the students and chaperones on the first day of the internship to translate and assist with signing agreements, if necessary.

During mobility, they remain reachable 7 days a week for support and to resolve any issues.

The host family option allows for:

• Shared rooms for 2 to 4 people.
• Linguistic and cultural immersion.
• Support for the trainee, including logistical help (meals, assistance with transportation and health issues, emotional support).
• Meals with the host family and a packed lunch (sandwich) for their workday, depending on the chosen meal plan.
• Additional information relay and curfew management.

The youth hostel option allows for:

• Shared rooms for 2 to 12 people.
• Access to a kitchen; meals are self-catered.
• A shared daily life for the whole group, making it a practical solution for monitoring the trainees, strengthening the group, and developing autonomy.
• Trainees must sign a code of conduct specifying the rules and obligations to be respected. They can communicate any issues to their school and Mobi Trainee to ensure necessary adjustments are made.

The transfer arrangements vary depending on the place and time of arrival. Two options are highlighted:

• Dropping off the students at the host families or youth hostel with a private transfer: practical and comfortable at any time.
• Arriving in the city center by public transport: economical, but not suitable for arrivals before 7 a.m. or after 8 p.m., as host families do not travel during these times.

Mobi Trainee offers arrival services, including assistance with drop-offs to host families or youth hostel accommodations and the distribution of transport cards.

• If requested, Mobi Trainee organizes the drop-off of trainees at their internships.
•  Mobi Trainee provides a guide containing information about the internships, accommodations, and other practical details to facilitate mobility. Information about life in host families, staying at the hostel, daily commutes, and available resources is included to help trainees adapt to their new environment.
• The signing of internship agreements takes place on the first day during the drop-off of trainees at their internship sites.

• The consultant in charge of the project is constantly in contact with the companies.
• Mobi Trainee organizes tutor/supervisor meetings, covering mid-term and final evaluations, to ensure the presence of tutors in the companies during evaluations. The final meeting is an opportunity to review the internship and collect the necessary documents, including attendance certificates.
• Our team organizes a review of the entire Erasmus internship mobility upon the group’s return, to identify positive aspects and areas for improvement.

Once the mobility is completed, it is important to showcase the learning experience at all levels: internships, companies, families, trainees,  activities, support, etc.

To do this, we encourage the students and supervisors to take photos and videos throughout their stay.

The creation of feedback allows the student to reflect on their mobility and measure their achievements while creating content that can be published on social media, which will increase the Erasmus visibility of their school.