Wednesday 3 December 2014

Pursuing a Career or work experience within the European Union Institutions - over 80 Aberystwyth University students participated

A post by Lillian Stevenson, Academic Services Manager and Law Librarian

EU Careers event

The Welsh Government’s EU Policy Office Team invited Marco Odello from the Centre for European and International Legal Studies (Department of Law & Criminology) and Lillian Stevenson, on behalf of Aberystwyth University’s European Documentation Centre to host an EU Careers event in the Thomas Parry Library on the 18th of November 2014.

Over eighty students from different departments across the university attended the event to find out more about the procedures for getting jobs and traineeships within EU Institutions, and to hear from people who are working or have worked for the EU.

Three speakers spoke about the recruitment cycle and their own personal experiences of applying to and working within EU Institutions. The speakers related that EU institutions are interested in students from all disciplines. The speakers were :

  • Victoria Joseph EU Careers Ambassador at Aberystwyth University 2014 to 2015
  • Charles Whitmore, European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) Ambassador at Cardiff University 
  • Thomas Fillis, Regional Manager Europe, Asia and North America at Women in Parliaments Global Forum, Aberystwyth University alumnus 

 It was inspiring to hear from Thomas Fillis,  a former AU student about his work within the EU and exciting to see so many Aberystwyth students interested in future careers in the EU.  The event demystified the application processes and encouraged those present to consider applying for careers within the EU.

We hope this will be the first of many similar events which will highlight and help support AU students with an interest in pursuing a career opportunities in the EU. The appointment of an AU student ambassador highlights the importance which the Welsh Government’s EU Policy Team place on promoting the EU as a future career for Aberystwyth University students. The Library was pleased to be invited to collaborate in this initiative.