Malena Hillje is in her third year of training as a chemical laboratory technician at the University of Oldenburg. In October and November, she spent an internship abroad in Ireland. An experience that not only enriched her academic appointment.
Malena Hillje had been looking forward to her five-week internship in another country for a long time. She applied in May and was quickly accepted. But she didn't yet know exactly where she would be going. Her departure was planned for 10 October, and her excitement grew as the day approached. "Where will I be working and living? I was very curious about that," says the 21-year-old. "Then the letter finally arrived a week before departure and I received all the information." Her journey took her to Dublin, where she lived with a host family and worked at the renowned Trinity College, which was founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592.
A different language, new people, new ways of working: "The programme I took part in is run by the Bildungswerk der Niedersächsischen Wirtschaft and is called 'Ready for Europe'," says Hillje. The university enables its apprentices to take part in this programme and covers part of the costs. The participants can use the programme to expand their academic appointments abroad.
Before they start their temporary job for four weeks, they attend a one-week language school. "There, we mainly practised speaking English in everyday life and business English," says Hillje. "I learnt the technical terms for the job in advance in Germany." This paid off, as communication with her colleagues at Trinity College went well.
Malena Hillje had her workplace at the Trinity Biomedical Science Institute. "That was perfect," she says. For the research of a postdoc working in cancer research, she mainly produced organic substances and carried out fractionated column chromatography of porphyrins, a separation process for organic chemical dyes. "I had done many of my tasks in Dublin before and was therefore able to really get involved," she says. That was a great feeling. "I went through several departments during my training at university and therefore already had experience," explains Hillje. "An internship abroad like this is generally really good for your own development," she says. "I had to find my way around a foreign city and was often left to my own devices. For example, I had to organise how to get from my host family to work. These experiences made me more self-confident."
At the weekends, Hillje went on excursions with other trainees, her colleagues from Trinity College or her host family. "I really made friends with my host mum Rachel and her daughter Stevie," she says. "Living with a host family was good for my language skills. I was practically forced to speak English in my free time and I improved a lot." Malena Hillje has been back in Germany since the end of November and already misses her colleagues and host family a little.
Her conclusion: "I would do an exchange like this again at any time and can only recommend it to other trainees," summarises Hillje. "Not only do you learn something for work, but you also take a lot away with you personally." She finishes her apprenticeship in June and may want to study chemistry afterwards. "And then back to Trinity College for a semester abroad, that would be great!"
