The Scholarship of Engagement for Politics: - Higher Education ...

Learning, Capability and Employability: Student Perspectives
having great optimism in achieving, for instance, full employment by 2010,
my confidence in both the EU and regional capabilities to do so started to
waver within my second week. I had discovered the internal politics that
graces every working environment from Brussels to Birmingham. It was
not necessarily personal-based issues but instead the priorities of the RDA
which became apparent. I hoped to put to rest the claims of a
businessman’s Europe, but this became hard when WMiE had contact with
its RDA. I must also note at this point that keeping track of the endless
abbreviations and acronyms that referred to projects, organisations and
policy programmes was like having to learn a new language, alongside
Flemish and French.
The second week allowed me to play a logistical and hands-on role. I
was certainly more settled, and, since the redrafting of my policy briefing
was complete, I offered my services in an administrative capacity. This
enabled me to understand the other departments of the organisation.
Whilst I was on placement with WMiE so too were other students;
stagiaires filled some of the facility-based roles. However, Jenny, a student
from Leeds University, was on a one-year internship in the business and
marketing department. A few of us around the same age often had lunch
together and discussed the pros and cons of our placement schemes.
Sophie, my adopted mentor, provided me with confidence and professional
support. She explained to me her history of working for the European
Commission and discussed the vast network of stagiaires and interns
placed within the Euro-district. This junior level has become competitive,
mirroring the domestic public-sector apprentice markets. A point I cannot
reiterate strongly enough is that, to my knowledge and experience, the UK
is not establishing itself sufficiently amongst the other twenty-six member
states in this area.
The highlights of my placement certainly appeared in my second
week. I was allowed to participate as a delegate in the events, which
included the superb lunches. As I was paying for my meals in Belgium, I
took full advantage of the ‘working lunches’ and ‘networking buffets’. I also
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