RISEBA Student Kristiāna Avotiņa Becomes an EU Careers Student Ambassador
RISEBA Public Relations and Advertising Management student Kristiāna Avotiņa was selected to participate in the international EU Careers Student Ambassadors programme, which offers students the opportunity to learn about the work of European Union institutions, explore career and traineeship opportunities, and share this information with fellow students. In early October, Kristiāna travelled to Luxembourg to take part in the programme’s training sessions alongside students from across Europe.
What is it like to work for the institutions of the European Union? What opportunities do they offer students and young professionals? And where should you start if you are interested in pursuing this career path? These were the questions Kristiāna set out to answer during her trip to Luxembourg.
An Insight into the Everyday Work of EU Institutions
The training programme was packed with meetings, discussions and practical workshops. During the visit, we had the opportunity to learn about the work of EU institutions first-hand and speak to their employees about their professional experiences and day-to-day responsibilities.
At the European Parliament, we explored traineeship opportunities and heard about what it is like to live and work in Luxembourg. This gave us a broader understanding of what it means to build a career in an international environment – working in a multinational team, experiencing different countries’ workplace cultures and developing professionally beyond familiar surroundings.
The training also placed particular emphasis on the practical aspects of pursuing a career in the EU. How does the recruitment process work? What traineeship opportunities are available to students and graduates? Where can you find relevant information, and how can you navigate it effectively?
We learned more about the selection procedures used by the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) to recruit staff for EU institutions, as well as the European Commission’s Blue Book traineeship programme. We discussed the application process, the different stages of selection and what to focus on when preparing an application.
The short, informal conversations with EU staff members were particularly valuable. They gave us the opportunity to ask questions and find out how they had reached their current positions, what professional challenges they had faced and what everyday life is like in an international working environment.
Throughout the programme, we also considered how to share the knowledge we had gained with others. During a storytelling workshop, we explored how to craft a message that engages an audience and makes complex information easier to understand. As a Public Relations and Advertising Management student, I found this topic particularly relevant. Being an EU Careers Student Ambassador also means finding ways to communicate broad, sometimes complex information in a way that helps other students recognise the opportunities available to them and understand how these could benefit their own futures.
The people we met were another important part of the experience. I met students from different countries, and our conversations allowed us to compare experiences, exchange ideas and discuss plans for our future work as student ambassadors. A team-based treasure hunt in the centre of Luxembourg also gave us a welcome break from the training sessions, allowing us to explore the city and work together. It was a wonderful opportunity to get to know one another outside the training room.
I returned from Luxembourg with a much clearer understanding of my role in the EU Careers Student Ambassadors programme. I want to help RISEBA students discover opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed amid their everyday studies and encourage them to explore what is available.
This experience also reminded me how valuable it is to ask questions, engage in conversations and remain open to new experiences. I hope to help other students learn about these opportunities and feel confident enough to explore them – even if they are still figuring out whether a career within the institutions of the European Union might be the right path for them.
Find out more about the EU Careers Student Ambassadors programme and career opportunities within the institutions of the European Union on the official EU Careers website.
