IRIO Placement Report – Representation of the Free
State of Thuringia to the European Union
Name:
Dominic Kranholdt
Student number:
s3574008
Study program:
MA International Political Economy
Institution:
Representation of the Free State of Thuringia to
the European Union
Department:
Economic affairs, state aid, regional policy
Location:
Brussels, Belgium
Supervisor:
Mr. Pol Bargues-Pedreny / Drs. E.M. Feringa
Time period:
25.06.2018 – 10.08.2018
Table of content
1. Introduction 1
2. Preparation 2
3. Expectations prior to the placement 5
4. Tasks of the Representation of Free State of Thuringia to the EU 6
5. Tasks undertaken during the placement 7
6. Placement supervision 11
7. Housing & Surroundings 12
8. Tips for future placement students 13
9. Conclusion 14
1. Introduction
During my masters of International Relations and International Organization, I specialized in International Political Economy. Within the specialization, I chose IPE for Sustainable Change and European Policy-Making as my research seminars, which could be seen as a furthering of my bachelor degree in European Studies. Looking back, this decision was very good since I not only enhanced my academic knowledge, but I developed personally. Being committed to the university as well as a 40-hour-a-week job prepared me for the future labor market. After successfully fulfilling two research seminars, the introductory lecture “Advanced Theory of International Relations” and my Capita course “International Political Economy”, I was proud of myself to get all the courses done without any delay. During the semester, it became clear that I wanted to do my placement before I was going to write my master thesis because I had the feeling that I needed some practical work. After months of conducting research regarding a placement, I found one at the Representation of the Free State of Thuringia to the European Union.
Within this report, I am going to describe the length of the application process, the actual preparation of my placement and my expectations prior to the placement. This includes my personal goals that I had prior to the placement. Afterward, I will give a short insight of the company itself. In the following part of the report, I am going to explain my undertaken tasks during the placement. Additionally, the report includes the difficulties that I came across as well as how I tried to overcome them. Furthermore, I will evaluate my supervision on site. Finally, I describe the housing and my surroundings and I will give some helpful advices to future students, who are considering doing a placement at a German representation. I will conclude with my personal learning progress, my weaknesses and strengths that I came across and how they are connected to my personal goals and to what extent the placement shaped my future job orientation.
I will continue with the preparation period of my placement, including my struggles and disappointments.
2. Preparation
I started the application process right after the beginning of the master program in February 2018. During the first intake meeting, I already sent applications to several companies, which my supervisor Mr. Bargues considered very ambitious. First of all, I applied for several placements positions at the German Corporation for International Cooperation in the field of sustainable economy and EU trade policy, which basically represented my research seminars at the University of Groningen. After several rejections, I got an invitation for a job interview at their headquarters in Bonn in the field of sustainable economy and digitalization. Once there, it became clear that they were looking for a different candidate and even the time period was not ideal for me, but I went there anyway since I was convinced that I needed the experience of a job interview for my future life. I suggest anyone doing as many job interviews as possible in order to feel more confident about it due to the fact that one will definitely need it for future job applications. After getting rejected, I decided to change my plans and to set up several alternatives. Later on, I applied to German embassies in several parts of the world. Ranging from Amsterdam to Madrid, Stockholm, Buenos Aires, Lima, Bogota, London and New York City, I tried to enter the German Foreign Ministry via a placement. Several friends of mine did placements at German embassies and advised me to apply for placements, even if the chance to get into an embassy is about 10%. I wrote a letter of motivation, adjusted my CV and applied online. After not hearing from the Foreign Service for 3 months, I decided to look for alternatives. I applied for a German Think Tank that is doing research on several policies and advises the German Parliament (Bundestag). The Think Tank called the German Institute for International and Security Affairs and is situated in Berlin. I particularly applied for the research group of the European Union, more specifically in Dr. Raphael Bossong’s research group "Justice and Home Affairs in the EU, Crisis Management, Terrorism, and Migration policy". Since I wrote my bachelor thesis about terrorism, I thought that I would have good chances to get in. After several months I got rejected as well.
Simultaneously I applied for a placement in the public management sector at the biggest consultancy firm in Germany called “Kienbaum”. Unfortunately, I got rejected another time. During this time of the semester, I was really depressed after not getting a single confirmation. However, I saw the handling of rejections as part of my personal progress since it will happen more often in the future. In the end, I
decided to include the topic that was always attached to my studies from the beginning – namely Europe.
Given my educational background and my high affinity to European topics, it became clear to me that I wanted to experience the European Union (EU) in practice at some point and not solely learn about the institutions in class. Questions like, “How does the EU work internally and what happens in the plenary sessions and in the working committees?” concerned me during my studies in Groningen. These affinities lead to my decision to go to Brussels, the capital of Europe. Additionally, I am strongly attached to the region of Thuringia, since I was born and raised in the capital of Thuringia called Erfurt.
Trying to connect my origins with Europe, I decided to apply for a placement at the Representation of the Free State of Thuringia to the EU. Luckily they offered placements during the summer, which suited me very well. I was impressed by their interdisciplinary nature, accumulating policy officers from economic affairs, state aid, regional policy, research and innovation, social issues, education, employment, agriculture, environment and energy to finance, justice and home affairs. The opportunity to decide on special fields of interest and the small number of staff members convinced me to do my placement at the Thuringian representation to the EU.
The representation offered placements on their website and demanded a letter of motivation and a comprehensive CV. After applying online, I soon received a confirmation that I could do a seven-week placement. Unfortunately, they did not offer longer placements, which would also be fine for me and even in my bigger interest. The policy officer of economic affairs, state aid, and regional policy quickly asked me to work with him, to which I agreed instantly.
Working in the field of economic affairs truly represents my interdisciplinary studies in Groningen. The intersection between political issues and economic affairs is exactly what IPE is all about. Therefore, I took the chance to turn my studies into practice. Not solely because of the topics, but also because of the confidence they had in me without really knowing me.
In order to be prepared for the placement, I did research about the responsibilities and the duties of the representation on their website. Additionally, I read the EU-newsletter, which gets published every two weeks and contains the major topics that are going on at the EU-level. I concentrated especially on economic
affairs to be better prepared for my arrival. Additionally, I dived into the federal government strategies of Thuringia. I needed a comprehensive picture of the political situation in Thuringia, wherefore I had to read the regional newspapers. Since my preparation time was quite short, and I was finishing a research paper just two days before I started the placement, I did not have the time to extensively prepare myself. It took me one week of preparation time in total, while simultaneously doing research for my paper.
Beforehand it was not clear to me whether the representation is compensating me to any extent or not. In that sense, Ms. Marx, the public relations officer of the representation, was truly helpful to me. We exchanged several emails about my expected duties and responsibilities, which were written down in a document created by earlier interns. Since monetary compensation was not explicitly mentioned on their website, I assumed they would not pay for the placement. However, after asking Ms. Marx, she told me that the representation has its own apartment with a kitchen, a living room, and a bathroom, which would be free to use. Considering the rental prices (500-600€) in Brussels and the fact that I would not have to take care of looking for a room, I was very happy to accept that offer. Furthermore, Ms. Marx sent me several documents that I had to sign and to read, including data protection rules, the use of electronic services and the instruction of the alarm system at the representation. That was particularly significant to me because I would live within the building of the representation, which seemed at the first glance strange for me. Nonetheless, I could not reject that offer due to my limited budget.
Prior to the placement, I contacted my insurance company and clarified the terms of my insurance in Belgium. After arranging my insurance, I needed to take care of my financial situation in Brussels. Considering the free rent and the support of my parents and the German government, it became clear that I could realize the placement even without being actively paid. Since the preparation was frictionless, I was excited to start my placement in Brussels, a city I have never been to before. Belgium as itself was completely new to me, too.
In the following chapter, I will describe my expectations prior to the placement and my personal goals I had before.
3. Expectations prior to the placement
My overall expectation prior to the placement was to gain practical experience on a European level and get more confident when working in a totally new working environment. I expected to conduct a lot of research regarding legislative acts, writing summaries and reports about economic topics and to support everyone in the office where help would be urgently needed. Additionally, due to the small number of staff members, I expected to work closely with my colleagues. In other words, I supposed decentralization and a flat hierarchy within the company. I hoped to join staff meetings and I thought going directly into the EU institutions would be a big asset for me since I solely knew the EU institutions from a theoretical perspective. However, I was not entirely sure about “out-of-office” meetings due to the fact that I was just an intern. Therefore, I considered sitting solely in the office as well. I expected to work closely with the Thuringian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Knowledge and Digital Society or at least other Thuringian authorities.
Regarding my allocated field "economic affairs, state aid and regional policy", I expected to learn new aspects that I did not have in my studies. Particularly state aid was a topic completely new to me. That is why I hoped I would make a significant progress within my placement, building confidence to work in a highly international environment. In terms of internationality, I was quite sure that Brussels would be the most international city where I have ever lived or worked. Next to the duties and tasks I would perform at the representation, I really hoped to expand my professional network and get useful contacts for my further career path. Besides that, I expected to develop on a personal base. Having working experience in such a prestigious working environment can boost your confidence personal-wise and academic-wise. Since I can imagine writing my master thesis about EU trade policy, I hoped to get a certain standpoint on that topic, which could help me for my further academic path at the Rijksuniversiteit in Groningen. Next to the mentioned personal goals I expected to learn how to write reports and comments for a ministry since I do not have any experiences in it. In general, my goal was to be as open and as eager as possible and to learn as much as I can within the seven weeks.
The next session will cover the general tasks that the Representation of the Free State of Thuringia to the EU fulfills.
4. Tasks of the Representation of the Free State of Thuringia to the EU
The Representation of the Free State of Thuringia to the EU has several tasks and objectives. First of all, the office represents the interests of Thuringia towards the EU institutions and therefore provides a platform for the Thuringian government in Brussels. Furthermore, the representation acts as an early warning system. The office informs the state government about planned activities of the EU, filters, which drafts are of particular importance for Thuringia’s politics and suggests how to react. It observes the legislative process and informs interested parties.1
The third objective is to open new doors. Through networking, the office provides useful contacts in EU institutions. The final task is to showcase and present Thuringia and its cultural diversity in Brussels by engaging in the Committee of the Region, which gives local and regional representatives a direct voice within the EU’s institutional framework.2 24 seats out of the 350 members are taken by Germany. Three of them belong to Thuringia. In order to fulfill all these tasks adequately, the representation is divided into seven policy areas, the secretariat, the administration, budget and event manager and the head of public relations. The following policy areas are represented by the representation:
• Key Questions (Head of Office)
• Employment, Social Affairs, Public Health, Education, Committee of the Regions (Deputy Head of Office)
• Justice, Home Affairs, Consumer Protection • Taxes, Financial Affairs
• Economic Affairs, State Aid, Regional Policy • Agriculture, Environment, Energy, Transport
• Research, Technology, Innovation Policy, Cultural Affairs3
Since the report should focus on my experiences and my tasks, I will not further go into detail about the representation.
1 https://www.thueringen.de/th1/tskbxl/index.aspx, last retrieved 25.08.2018
2https://www.thueringen.de/en/the_free_state_of_thuringia/delegation_brussels/office_activities/index. 2https://www.thueringen.de/en/the_free_state_of_thuringia/delegation_brussels/office_activities/index.
aspx ; last retrieved: 25/08/2018
The next part will deal with my major and minor tasks that were undertaken by me during the placement.
5. Tasks undertaken during the placement
• The first week
On my first day in office, I was immediately involved in the working processes of the representation. I took part in the weekly group meeting, where all departments come together and discuss the daily agenda of the European Parliament (hereafter EP). Every single head of division had to scan the agenda and be prepared about important topics concerning his field of expertise.
Overall my first week was packed with meetings in other German state representations and plenary sessions of the EP. For example, on the first day I attended a meeting of the committee on the budgetary control called “state aid and EU funding – are they compatible?” I was responsible to take notes and discuss them bilateral with my supervisor. Also within my first week, I joined the EU qualifications seminar of the Thuringian agricultural group on a plenary session called “Dieselgate. Whats next?”, which was particularly interesting to me since I wrote a research paper in my course European Policy-Making about the European Automobile industry and how they influenced climate policy during the last two decades. I was even able to contribute some input on my second day at work since I explained to the group how VW and other big car manufacturers lobbied regarding CO2 emission targets. After this session, we got a short briefing of the assistant manager of the MEP Jacob von Weizsäcker on EU legislation, lobbying and working groups of the EP. Since I did research on EU lobbying in Groningen, I could engage in the discussions. During the qualification seminar, I attended a meeting in the representation of Salzburg about the environmental priorities of the Austrian EU Council presidency, which are highly concentrated on CO2 emission and emission trading. The purpose of the EU qualification seminar was to give employees of the Thuringian Ministry of Infrastructure and Agriculture an insight of the working processes on EU-level. I was glad that the representation immediately involved me in this seminar.
Furthermore, I attended a conference organized by the fraction of the social democrats on the regulation of online platforms, where I had to write my first short report. I was pretty nervous due to the fact that I did not know how to structure a
first report my supervisor discussed the report with me in detail and gave me constructive criticism on how to structure it.
My personal reflection of the first week
The first week in Brussels was kind of overwhelming. I realized that the language of the European institutions is fully packed with abbreviations and specific terms and I did not understand any of them in the meetings and plenary sessions at the beginning. First of all, I did not know my colleagues and it was hard to anticipate how to interact with them. Secondly, the country and the city were completely new to me. Thirdly, I recognized, despite Brussels being a multilingual city (the official language in Brussels is French and Flemish), most of the people speak French in Brussels and I am not able to speak the language. In the Netherlands, I was used to an extremely high level of English, which is not the case in Belgium. Despite speaking four languages, I was confronted with language barriers several times during my daily life. Fourthly, the topics of digitalization and state aid were kind of new to me, which led me feel uncertain at the beginning.
I felt lost in many regards. Since I experienced the same manner at other placements abroad, I decided to give myself time in order to adjust. During my tasks in the first week, writing summaries about the sessions and starting my first report, I felt very insecure and nervous, which I constantly communicated to my supervisor. After having a meeting about my insecurity at work, I could overcome this problem in the course of the time. Additionally, I felt a bit uncomfortable by living in the representation and therefore being surrounded by my working environment all the time.
• Main tasks
One of my main tasks during the placement was to do research on the digital strategy of the European Commission. I investigated the overarching program of the Commission called “Digital Europe 2021-2027" and wrote several reports on the EU strategy regarding artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, cybersecurity and digital capacities. Additionally, I had to do a lot of research regarding data protection, the e-government strategy of the EU, and the free flow of
non-personalized data, where I wrote several reports as well. During my research, it was important to connect the EU digital strategy with the Thuringian digital strategy. The connection between the EU and Thuringia was the most important aspect since this is the main task of the representation. Questions like:
• What is Thuringia doing in the area of e-Government, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and high-performance computing?
• To what extent could Thuringia benefit from EU strategies?
• And to what extent could Thuringia benefit from the financial means that the EU is offering to member states and regions?
had to be included in my research. Therefore, I not only needed to investigate the European strategy but the Thuringian one as well.
My personal reflection of the main tasks
Since this field of investigation was partially new to me, I learned a lot during the writing process. I would not call myself an expect in digitalization and data protection rights, however, one can truly say that I gained a deep knowledge about the projects regarding digitalization and data protection on an EU-level.
Particularly challenging was the fact that my supervisor wanted me to think outside the box and add my own thoughts to the reports. In the beginning, I was not entirely sure what he meant by that, however, over the course of the time, I learned how to make the reports interesting for the corresponding reader at the Thuringian ministry. My supervisor explained to me that my reports have to be short but precise and the style of writing is indeed important. After the first weeks, I could definitely see improvements in my writing skills. My first reports were too long and contained unnecessary information. My supervisor showed me how to structure a report. Many of my reports had the following structure:
1. Background information on an initiative or a proposal
2. Summary of the proposal or the communication of the European Commission 3. Real life examples illustrated by current projects the EU is funding
4. Connection to Thuringia and how Thuringia could profit from the proposal/initiative
5. Annexations (factsheets, proposals, etc.)
• Research and reports on minor issues
During the entire placement, I had to do a lot of research regarding upcoming proposals or initiatives of the European Commission and the corresponding statements of the EP. Besides my main research topic on digitalization and data protection and e-Government, I was responsible for several minor research activities, as for example, writing a short report on SME-definitions or the legal rights for 3-D printers regarding intellectual property rights and third party liability. Another highly interesting research topic was the re-use of public sector information. Public information such as weather or traffic information, economic and social data can be very significant for further innovations, therefore companies should be able to use this information provided by the public sector in order to develop new apps and technologies that will lead to economic growth. Real-life examples are weather apps or map apps, which are important for farmers or truck drivers.
Additionally, I was responsible to do research and write a comment about the blockchain technology. In particular, I had to investigate the EU Commissions strategy and connect them to the German digital agenda 2014-2017. In the beginning, I seemed lost because I just had superficially heard about blockchain, and I was not aware how the technology works. After diving into the topic, I was able to understand the importance of such a technology for future data processing and consequently, I understood how important blockchain could be for Thuringia.
Other research tasks included a compilation of background information, interviews, speeches and political statements of Nicola Danti, a MEP of the Social Democrats faction, Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General of DG Connect and Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director General of Digitaleurope, which are future interlocutors to the State Secretary of the Thuringian Ministry of Economy, knowledge and digital society.
One highlight of my placement was a speech of the former Minister-President of Baden-Wuerttemberg and current European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources at the representation of Hessen. He talked for one hour about the
upcoming multiannual financial framework of the EU. Afterward, I was able to ask him questions on the EU budget in person. This was indeed an outstanding experience for me. In general, I attended many working groups of the German states with special regard to economic affairs and cohesion policy.
The following chapter will cover my placement supervision.
6. Placement supervision
I was very happy with my supervision. Mr. Margraf constantly gave me feedback and constructive criticism. He answered all my questions extensively and he never gave me the feeling that he was stressed about me. Since the representation solely consists of eight employees, the representation offered a flat hierarchy where I could always step into the office of my co-workers if I had any doubts. I told my supervisor and the head of the representation that I felt very nervous in the first week and they reacted in a very nice and encouraging way, telling me I should not worry and that mistakes will happen and are even important for the learning process.
At the end of my placement, my supervisor got sick, which was not foreseeable. Therefore, I was on my own for a week. However, Mr. Margraf and I communicated always via E-mail where he gave me my work assignments. Since the other colleagues helped me out during this time, I could not see a lack of supervision despite the sudden illness of Mr. Margraf. After the first weeks, Mr. Margraf even let me go to meetings on my own as for instance a meeting at the German Chamber of Commerce about the relationship of the EU and Japan considering the newly signed Free Trade Agreement called JEFTA. This indicated that he developed trust in my work habits, which personally gave me more and more confidence. At the end of my placement, I had two closing meetings. One was with the head of the representation, Ms. Holeschovsky, and the other one was with my supervisor Mr. Margraf. Both of them asked me for my opinion of the placement and what they could improve in the future. Vice versa they told me what I could improve and gave me some useful tips for my further career. One point was to tackle tasks more unhurried especially in the first week.
A further point of improvement would be a better period of vocational adjustment, which superficially happened at the beginning due to the fact that the corresponding secretary came one week after the begin of my placement. I addressed that in the
feedback sessions and Mr. Margraf told me that this was an unfortunate situation since the secretary normally does it. By period of vocational adjustment, I mean an introduction into the computing and data processing of the representation.
The upcoming paragraph will deal with the housing and surroundings in Brussels, including rental price, the cost of living and life in general.
7. Housing & Surroundings
Luckily, I did not need to look for an apartment since I could stay in the apartment owned by the representation. However, the apartment was in the building of the representation, which made it particularly difficult for me at the beginning to cope with this situation. First, I perceived it as mentally stressful to be always surrounded by my workplace. In the course of the time, I saw the huge advantages such as having no journey to work. After the first two weeks, I adjusted to this situation. Despite not getting any salary, I was better off with the apartment, since it was in a very good condition. I had a huge bedroom with an extra bed in case someone would visit me. Additionally, I had a small corridor and a bathroom. The kitchen was very good equipped and during the week used by my colleagues as well. All in all, I was glad to stay in the apartment. According to other interns, the average rental price is between 400€ and 600€ depending on the location. The costs of living do not noticeably differ from Groningen.
Brussels as a city is highly international. I recognized that everyone is speaking at least two foreign languages. The official language is Brussels region is Flemish and French. However, I experienced that French is predominantly spoken in the city. Another asset of Brussels is the vibrant European atmosphere and the contacts one could make. I met several people that work in either the European Parliament or the European Commission. Additionally, I have met several diplomats and was even able to get their contact details. Although my working language was German, I spoke mostly English and Spanish in my spare time since I tried to get in contact with the international community and avoid Germans. My research was also mainly done in English. Therefore, I could even improve my languages skills. Every Thursday there was a big gathering at one of the main squares in front of the Parliament, where one could socialize and connect with other interns or professionals
of EU institutions. Especially the exchange of experience with other interns helped to abandon my initial nervousness.
8. Tips for future placement students
§ Working language is German or at least a C1
§ Being able to speak English fluently, since a lot of documents are published in English
§ Speaking French is an asset and will help you in daiy-to-day life § You do not have to be from Thuringia to do the placement
§ Own initiative is strongly required at this job
§ Assign yourself to a policy officer and therefore to a specific topic beforehand § The dress code (suit or pantsuit) is important at least when you have
outside-office-meetings
§ Flexibility is a must, since you not solely work with one policy officer but rather get involved with the field of knowledge of other colleagues, therefore the ability to think interdisciplinary is highly significant
§ Having experience and interest in writing reports or comments is an asset § Connect with other interns in order to get invitations to events
§ Attend presentations and lectures after work in order to broaden your horizon and get connected to other employees that are working in EU institutions § Be a team player but be able to work on your own
§ If one is doing a placement in Brussels in general one should buy a metro card and charge it with 14€ for 10 journeys since it is cheaper than a single ticket
9. Conclusion
Overall, I was very satisfied with my placement at the representation, even when considering the short amount of time that I spent there. Nearly all my expectations that I had at the beginning were fulfilled. I gained a lot of practical experience and I feel more comfortable in writing reports and comments on a professional level now. I made a lot of contacts, as well as in the private sector as in the public sector. Besides that, I gained a lot of insider knowledge about the European Union. I would never have acquired this information during my Bachelor degree in European Studies or my master program of International Political Economy. However, I did not anticipate that there were so many outside meetings at the European Parliament and other German and Austrian federal representations, which I appreciated.
Another aspect that I underestimated was the networking activities after my regular working day. In Brussels, it is essential to voluntarily network after work, which meant often times that my days ended foremost at 10 pm. After a while, I got used to it and even enjoyed it. One expectation that was not fulfilled was my involvement in trade policies. I wished I had worked more on that due to my tremendous interest in EU trade policy. However, my supervisor offered me his support regarding my upcoming master thesis, which will deal with EU trade policies. Additionally, I expected that I would be directly in contact with the Thuringian ministries, which was not the case. After asking my supervisor to which extent I would be in contact with the ministries, he kindly told me that this would not be the task of an intern and that solely the policy officers are responsible for that. I accepted it, but I wished I had built a stronger network with the Thuringian authorities.
Furthermore, I could take advantage of my academic background knowledge that I acquired during my master program in Groningen. Especially important was my interdisciplinary way of thinking that I enhanced during my Master in IPE. It helped me to undertake different tasks in different policy areas, such as economic affairs, agriculture, and regional politics. Additionally, my degree program in Groningen helped me to cope with the intersection between politics and economy during my placement since I was mainly engaged with economic policies. Furthermore, I already knew how to do research which was a big asset for me due to the fact that this was one of my major tasks during the placement. Therefore, I could see a strong
connection between the placement and my studies. Moreover, I was used to study 40h a week in Groningen, which prepared me adequately for my 40h working week in Brussels. My strength of conducting research and process information fast but accurately was clearly an asset. Additionally, I could benefit from my strength in terms of communication, which helped me in the end to get several contacts from the head of office. This in turn, fulfilled my other personal goal getting closer to job opportunities and do professional networking. Despite not having many experiences in writing reports and comments before, I could make a use out of my good ability to write papers, which I learned predominantly at the Rijksuniversiteit in Groningen. This could be a reason why I adopted quickly and why the policy officer was very satisfied with my reports at the end. However, I experienced that a main weakness of mine, namely being nervous and insecure in a completely new working environment had a huge impact on me during the first week. Being more and more confronted with unknown situation could help me to overcome this weakness. Another weakness of mine that I experienced during the placement was my impulse to analyze a certain aspect into detail, which cost time at the beginning. Sometimes it is difficult for me to foresee what exactly is expected from me and I tend to overdo my tasks since I am not satisfied with it. However, after addressing this to Mr. Margraf I could boost my efficiency after the first week in a perceptible way.
Regarding my future orientation and prospects, I can imagine working in this field later on. However, it is not a typical entry-level job. Nevertheless working as a policy officer is particularly interesting to me. At the end of my placement, my boss gave me useful inputs and hints in what direction I could go with my academic and practical experiences. In that sense, the placement opened my eyes. Initially, I wanted to start working for the European Commission after the master program though this changed after my placement since I experienced that the Commission is a big bureaucratic organization where you are a very small portion of the whole. My boss gave me specific contacts in the area of policy consulting for which I am really thankful to her. The placement supported my view that working in a foreign country is highly wanted by me. Working in different languages suits me as well, which I experienced while I was doing research in English. After all, I got an idea what it means to work in the public sector and I can truly imagine working in the public sector. I am also certain about the fact that my future career path should be somehow connected to Germany. I am thankful that this placement could clarify my
considerations. Since I like to work in the public sector, I decided to do a second placement at the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations in New York City. All of a sudden, after not hearing several months from the German Foreign Ministry, I got a confirmation for a placement where I will be able to work closely with the German ambassador to the UN. I am convinced that my experiences made during my placement in Brussels will help me a lot in order to be prepared for this new challenge. One personal learning goal was to get more secure in the work I do right from the beginning. I am convinced that the placement at the Representation of Thuringia to the EU contributed to a certain extent to the achievement of this goal afterward. As one can see, I will continue my path in the public sector.
10. Bibliography
§ https://www.thueringen.de/en/the_free_state_of_thuringia/delegation_brussels /office_activities/index.aspx
§ https://www.thueringen.de/th1/tskbxl/index.aspx
