I'm a teacher at Lycée Technique Agricole (LTA), a vocational school for green careers in Luxembourg. As a project coordinator for Erasmus+ opportunities, I help to organise internships for young people who are pursuing careers in green jobs. I was inspired to take on the coordination role because the Erasmus+ internships are so important for our students’ development. LTA’s participation in Erasmus+ also means I can teach international apprenticeships, which involves working abroad. I very much enjoy the flexibility and mobility this gives me.

We offer our apprentices three ecology courses: Agriculture; Forestry and the Environment; and Horticulture. My students also take an internship abroad in their second or third year. Many of my recent graduates enjoyed this so much that they decided to do another internship outside of their formal education, or during their holidays.

Erasmus+ helps us to train our students (future entrepreneurs and employees in green careers) as well as our staff with a focus on open-mindedness.

During their time abroad, I keep in contact with the students to support their learning through phone calls and pre-arranged visits. We believe these visits are valuable as they reassure the internship trainee and allow for direct collaboration between LTA and the internship host.

The content of each internship varies, so each student gets something different out of their experience, in terms of skills, knowledge and competencies. I am proud of the candidates I work with because they all succeed in enhancing open-mindedness and improving their language skills, which will be so important for their future careers.

I would encourage everyone to consider getting involved in Erasmus+. For me personally, the contacts and partnerships I’ve established in other countries have been the greatest benefits. Overall, the programme has given me a better perspective on Europe and on myself. Ultimately, Erasmus+ inspires open-mindedness!