Working abroad

Do you have a degree? Finding it hard to get employment because employers want experience? APPLY NOW for the opportunity to gain valuable, funded work experience abroad. We intend to run the June-September 2012 phase of the programme Spain (Barcelona), France (Bordeaux), Germany (Hamburg and Berlin) and possibly Italy (negotiations in progress). This phase of the programme will run subject to funding for our 2012-2013 project being confirmed.

Our Leonardo Outward programme, which is three months long, enables participants from Wales to study a language and undertake a work experience placement in another EU member state. It is funded by the EU and HEFCW and promoted in partnership by GO Wales and ectarc.

Who is this programme for?

To be eligible for any phase of our Outward programme, you must be a graduate living, working or studying in Wales. Students at Welsh HEI's who graduate in summer 2012, but who may not be resident in Wales after this, will be eligible to apply for the June-September and September-December 2012 phases (i.e. must be resident in Wales at the time they make their application). You will require at least good basic foreign language skills for France or Spain, but placements in some fields are available in Italy and Germany for those without foreign language skills. You need to be a citizen of the UK (or of another EU member or EFTA state, provided you have permanent resident status in the UK). The ectarc Leonardo programme has an upper age limit of 35.

Where can you go?

Destinations include Bordeaux (France), Berlin or Hamburg (Germany), Florence (Italy) and, in Spain, Seville or Barcelona (summer phase only). Hamburg, Germany's second city, is our new destination for April 2012 and we are delighted to have established a partnership with a host organisation there to provide more places in our most popular destination country

What does our Outward programme include?

• An induction week and intensive language course at our headquarters in Llangollen (accommodation, breakfast and evening meal, and language course funded).
• A language course in the host country, which lasts 2, 3 or 4 weeks.
• A work placement in the host country, which lasts 9, 10 or 11 weeks (total programme length - 14 weeks).
• Most travel costs are included. 
• Accommodation abroad is included and is usually in shared self-catering apartments (with a food allowance of 70 Euros per week). Bordeaux operates a family hosting scheme.
  Remember: you will need to bring pocket money with you for your social life.

There is a table showing which elements of the programme are funded, under 'Downloads - Applications'.

How can you apply? 

Fill in an application form (available under 'Working Abroad', ' Downloads-Applications') and return it to jane.trudgill@ectarc.com along with your CV in English. If your application is successful at this stage you will be asked to attend an interview and information session at ectarc in Llangollen, where you will also have an opportunity to ask questions and find out more about the programme. Applicants for France or Spain will need to supply a CV in French or Spanish at this stage and ALL applicants for Italy must use the Europass template for CVs in either English or Italian (see 'Downloads - Applications' for templates) . Beginners in Italian or German are not expected to supply a foreign-language CV. We normally try to let applicants know within a fortnight of the end of the interview period whether or not they will be offered a place on the programme. As soon as we receive confirmation from our Partner Organisation abroad that your application has been accepted by them, we will send you a confirmation letter and contract. If your application is not accepted, you will be informed by e-mail or letter.

When can you go?

January-April 2012: The application process for this phase has now closed.

Induction week: January 9th-13th
Travel abroad: January 14th
Return to the UK: April 13th

April-July 2012: The application process for this phase has now closed.

Interviews: January and February 2012
Provisional dates for this phase:
Induction week: April 16th-20th 2012
Travel abroad: April 21st 2012
Return to UK: July 20th 2012
 

June-September 2012: The application process for this phase opened on Friday February 3rd 2012.
Applications close on Friday March 9th 2012
Interviews:  March and April 2012
Provisional dates for this phase: 
Induction week: June 11th-15th 2012
Travel abroad: June 16th 2012
Return to UK: September 20th 2012

Autumn 2012: 1 further phase beginning in September
To receive an automatic alert when applications for the autumn phase open, please e-mail jane.trudgill@ectarc.com

Do you want to know more? 
From the 'Working Abroad' tab, click on Destinations, Case Studies, Downloads - Applications, Downloads - Case Studies & Newsletters and FAQs. 

If you require any information not covered on this and the associated pages, please write to: jane.trudgill@ectarc.com