Interested in working for the EU?
Rebecca Melzer, a 21-year-old student at the University of Münster, has been internationally-minded almost all her life: from holidays in the Netherlands as a child to work placements in France during her school and university years. For Rebecca Melzer, who is studying Political Science and Law in Münster, a job at the European Commission is what one might call the crowning achievement of her career and the pinnacle of her internationality. As a possible stepping-stone to a future career in Brussels, she worked for one year as a voluntary ambassador for the administrative centre of the EU, which employs 55,000 people working for the European institutions and the European Commission.
Where did you get the idea to become an ambassador for a EU career?
The idea had not crossed my mind before I found out about it on Facebook, through news posted by the "Europäische Bewegung" (European Movement). Since these EU Careers Ambassador positions already existed at several universities but not yet at the University of Münster, I decided to apply. You could say that I am the first EU Careers Ambassador at the University.
What kind of training did you have to undergo?
Together with other ambassadors from many different EU countries, I underwent a short training course during which we learned above all about the customs and traditions of the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO).
What was your "job" and what did it actually look like here in Münster?
This position is about advising people who are considering a job with the EU. I informed everyone who wanted to know more about a EU career about application conditions and procedures. What I found particularly interesting was that there are very different and diverse ways to get from the university to the EU, that there are no strict age limits and that there are many different jobs to be had, not just as a translator or interpreter, the two jobs most people associate with the EU. All in all, I spent a few hours a month working as an ambassador.
Where did your inner conviction for the job come from?
I simply love the idea of Europe itself – this crossing of borders, the community, the cultural and linguistic diversity, but also the things that connect Europe. And I myself am dreaming of getting a job in Brussels one day.
Your year in this voluntary job has just ended. What does the future hold for the "EU Careers Ambassador" project at the University of Münster?
A successor has already been found: Laura Mack, a student of Political Science and Economics. She will start in October.
Kasten:
Contacting the "EU Careers Ambassador" in Münster:
email: eucareers.muenster@eu-careers.eu