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Internship Program

OVERVIEW 

As an international organization, the EPLO is characterized by diversity.  It is comprised of people from different backgrounds, cultures, work styles, values and ways of thinking. This is reflected in the Organization’s internship program, which offers its interns to gain work experience  in various areas, such as law, education, human rights,  political science, international relations, public  administration, human resources,  conference organization, IT,  finance, communication, marketing, web developing, web design and library support services.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The EPLO Internship Program has two main objectives:
•    To provide interns with an opportunity to develop professionally and personally
•    To provide staff of the EPLO with assistance and access to fresh talent and skills

 

The organization of the EPLO Internship Program is based upon three pillars:

A.  Work experience

In the current competitive professional environment, studies have shown that university students that conduct internships are more likely to find jobs quickly after graduation and in a field of their choice. In following with this, the primary goal of this program is to provide students with on-the-job work experience in a field of their interest.  During their time at the EPLO, students will develop technical skills related to the department in which they are placed, along with personal skills necessary for every career, such as interpersonal skills, speaking skills, time management skills and organization skills. 
Upon arrival at the EPLO, interns will be assigned to a EPLO staff member and will be given a work plan that covers the duration of their time at the EPLO. This work plan will be formulated in cooperation with the Coordinator of the Internship Program and the intern’s supervisor in order to ensure that interns have the opportunity to learn about areas of their interest and to dedicate time to their own personal development goals. For longer internships period, students will have a mid-term evaluation to evaluate their progress and provide more in-depth feedback. 
Prospective interns should note that as the activities of the EPLO are based largely upon an academic network located throughout the world, during periods of time throughout the year, much of the work of the organization is conducted through electronic means. Additionally, as the EPLO also has administrative offices in Plaka and in Kolonaki, interns may occasionally be transferred to these offices to facilitate their cooperation with staff of the EPLO. In the event of such a transfer, interns will be informed by either the Coordinator or the Tutor.
In additional to tasks related to their placement, all interns will be required to support the general functions of the EPLO including serving at the secretariat at Legraina, assisting the EPLO library with book reviews, and offering support related to the preparation of large EPLO events. Additionally students participating in the three month and six month internship program will be assigned a project to present to their peers. This project, along with the work that they have undertaken during the period, will be valuable additions to their portfolio, which they can present to potential employers. 
 

B. Training   

The three and six month internship program will necessarily be comprised of several training programs, both formal and informal, to assist students in understanding the way the EPLO functions, as well as job-specific tasks. These trainings will be determined by the Coordinator of the internship program in accordance with the activities of the EPLO and will be presented by the EPLO staff. Some examples of the informative trainings that may be offered include: 
•    A presentation of the EPLO and international organizations
•    Skills development courses: presentation and communication skills, negotiation skills, management skills, official letter writing, general administrative support, dress code, how to form a CV and more.
•    Professional Courses: performance appraisal system, conducting market research, how to organize conferences and official events, protocol, professionalism in an intercultural environment, interviewing skills, European funded projects, technical assistance projects, research, book reviews and more.
 

C. Culture

The EPLO program is offered in a wonderful country recognized throughout the world for its rich history and unique culture. The fact that Greece stands at the cross-roads of East and West and North and South at such a critical time in modern history will enable interns to bear witness to the complex interactions of various cultures and belief systems. Moreover as the EPLO itself is comprised of staff from various countries throughout the world, the intercultural experiences that they have are indispensible and essential for their intellectual, professional and social development. The internship program offer includes many opportunities for cultural education and interaction such as:
•    Elements of the Greek language
•    Visits to the city of Athens
•    Participation in EPLO events related to Ancient Greek culture
•    Visit to the temple of Poseidon at Sounion

 MORE ABOUT THE EPLO INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The Internship Program has been one of the Organizations’ most successful and attractive programs and is attended by attires students from Universities from throughout the world.

The EPLO program is innovative in the sense that it combines real work, training and culture in an international organization located in a wonderful country.

Eligible candidates are undergraduate and post graduate students, also young graduates with academic studies in the broader areas of law, political science, international relations, finance & economics, sociology, information technology, events management, sales and marketing, communication, web development, graphic design, and library support services.

 There are three forms of placement, namely:    

  1. Agreement between the Sending University and the EPLO for internships on a regular basis;
  2.  Agreement between the Sending University, the EPLO and the Student (i.e. Erasmus Placement);
  3.  Individual applications (self-funded or through other scholarship programs).

The Internship Program is supervised by the Internship Program Coordinator, who is assisted by an EPLO officer serving as Tutor. The Coordinator has oversight of the entire program and is responsible for ensuring smooth cooperation with sending universities, the EPLO management, and other stakeholders. The Tutor is responsible for assisting interns with their administrative affairs, and is also an important first contact for any personal concerns that may arise during their time of service. Additionally, each intern’s will receive work and guidance on a daily basis from their work supervisor. on a daily basis by his/her supervisor. The objective of the EPLO is to create a layered support system for each intern, ensuring that their professional and personal development goals are met.

Educational Outcomes of the Internship Program:

In the short term, students will learn to adapt to another country and culture, overcoming “culture shock” and become self-sufficient in a supportive environment as they manage their relationship with the EPLO and their supervisors, as well as their own accommodation, financial matters, subsistence and free time. 

In the medium term, interns will become familiar with the structure, function and areas of activity of the EPLO, as well as the way that different departments of an organization work together to achieve goals of the organization. Additionally, students will learn transferrable and technical skills related to the tasks that they are assigned.

In the long term, interns will have developed the professional and personal skills to not only manage complex situations, but more importantly to manage themselves.

The Benefits of attending an Internship Program at the EPLO:

  • Understand the functions, mission and management of an International Organization.
  • Be exposed to different perspectives related to key issues confronting the world.
  • Gain exposure to real-world problems not usually included in textbooks.
  • Understand the needs and challenges related to knowledge transfer between developed and less developed countries.
  • Become adaptable, resilient and a creative problem solver in a changing world.
  • Use your experience to build a strong and marketable résumé. Evaluate specific careers and environments prior to committing to full-time employment
  • Ease transition from being a student to entering the workforce.
  • Increase self-confidence
  • Grow a  personal and professional network
  • Be able to apply knowledge, academic concepts, and principles in real world cases.
  • Have personal growth experiences and exposure to different job opportunities.
  • Further important benefits include: skill development, perspective, understand management procedures & structure, professional connections, academic credit, the opportunity to provide service to others
  • Interns also profit from special prices on the EPLO Educational Programs. Information can be provided by the competent staff.

The Premises: 

The internships are held at the EPLO premises in Legraina, by the Cape Sounion bay and the Temple of Poseidon, overlooking the Aegean Sea. The premises offer an excellent work environment that promotes study and research activities, as well as a healthy lifestyle.
The EPLO premises in Sounion also host the European Public Law Library with a catalogue of over 30,000 volumes.

The facilities also include:

- a large-scale conference hall 
- an interpretation system in four languages
- four seminar rooms
- a basketball court
- a tennis court
- a volleyball court
- an outdoor open theater
- a garden of 30.000 square meters

Structure of the Program:

Applications: are accepted throughout the year

Duration: varies from 2 to max. 6 months (special exceptions to this time frame are upon request and approval of the Internship Coordinator).

The internship program is normally carried out on a full time basis, five working days a week from 9:00 am-5:00pm, with the exception of special EPLO events at which interns will be requested to participate.

Knowledge of English is mandatory, at least at the B1 level or equivalent, as it is the working language of the EPLO. Knowledge of other languages, such as French, Russian, Spanish, and German are also an asset.

Annual Leave: Interns are entitled to the same days of annual leave as the EPLO staff, i.e. 20 working days or five (5) working days leave for three (3) months of internship.

Financial obligations:

During the Internship period the interns, if they wish, may reside at the guesthouse of the EPLO premises in Legraina, Sounion, subject to availability and payment of relevant rent (availability upon request).

Students must pay a one-time administration fee, which includes inter alia transportation from and to Athens airport, a visit to Athens and Sounion, and use of the EPLO facilities.

Please find attached a financial breakdown of the two month, three month and six month program.

Terms and Conditions:

 The EPLO accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness occurred during the internship.

 Before their arrival selected students are requested to:

  • Provide proof of enrolment in a health insurance plan which covers also days of travel.
  • Send a medical certification completed by a doctor as per the attached template
  • Send a criminal record check issued by the competent national authority, upon request.

Upon arrival the interns are requested to agree upon and undertake the following obligations:

  • To abide by all applicable rules, regulations, instructions, procedures and directives of the Organization;
  • To refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on the EPLO or on the receiving department/ office and will not engage in any activity that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the EPLO;
  • To respect the impartiality and independence required of the EPLO and of the receiving department/ office and to not seek or accept instructions regarding the services performed from any Government or from any authority external to the Organization;
  • To keep confidential any and all unpublished information made known by the accepting office or department during the course of the internship that has not been made public, and except with the explicit authorization of the EPLO, not to publish any reports or papers on the basis of information obtained during the program, both during and after the completion of the internship;
  • To provide the receiving department/ office with a copy of all materials prepared during the internship;
  • To provide immediate written notice in case of illness or other circumstances which might prevent the completion of the internship;
  • To complete, if asked, an internship evaluation questionnaire at the end of the internship and submit it to the officer in charge of the internship program at the duty station;
  • To return the identification pass to the officer in charge of the internship program at the duty station

How to Apply

In order to apply please send to info@eplo.int  a CV in Europass format with a photo ID, a motivation letter and the EPLO application form for internships which can be downloaded from our website. Documents should be written in English.

For your queries, please contact:                                         

Email: info@eplo.int Tel: +0030 211 311 0678