Are you a company interested in a collaboration with our Global Training programme and host a professional trainee with no cost for 6 months? Please read the following F.A.Q. ...what if this become the beginning of a fruitful collaboration?

WHAT IS THE GLOBAL TRAINING PROGRAMME?

The Department of Industry, Innovation, Trade and Tourism of the Basque Government (North of Spain), in collaboration with the University of the Basque Country, in its objective to find operative solutions for emerging new realities and future challenges, both for European and global spheres, launches the programme "Internship Grants Abroad" programme,  known as "Global Training", which promotes transnational mobility among young people from the Basque Country to carry out activities and projects related to their academic and professional profile in companies/organizations in foreign countries, with a practical, previously planned training programme.

Aims of the programme:

• To promote internationalization among young people by carrying out international internships directly linked to a professional activity.
• To promote economic and social cohesion through cooperation between different agents and the generation of mutual benefit for both the young professional and the host company.
• To reinforce the role of practical international learning as a generator of citizenship, knowledge, intercultural dialogue and an opening towards other peoples and cultures.

WHERE IS THE BASQUE COUNTRY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY?

The Basque Country a prosperous region stretching along the Atlantic coast of northern Spain, the people of the Basque Country are the custodians of one of Europe's most ancient languages and cultures. Yet, not only do they have a high esteem for tradition, but are also remarkably forward-looking and have established a highly regarded industrial sectorThe region's success and scientific and technological progress are underpinned by the University of the Basque Country, a vibrant 30-year-old institution with 45,000 students, 5,000 world-class academic staff and state-of-the-art facilities.

Following our motto 'Give and spread knowledge', the University of the Basque Country is an integrating institution willing to produce knowledge, experience and research in order to forward them to the general public. Our courses catalogue consists of 67 Bachelor´s Degrees in all fields of knowledge. At postgraduate level, we offer 103 official master programmes, 44 professional & expert diplomas and 71 PhD programmes.
We believe in education as a means to arouse our students´ awareness of the world and develop precious skills both for career and life. Our surveyed graduates appraise, among the competences acquired while attending our institution: the improvement of their teamwork and leadership skills, the reinforcement of their decision-making and problem-solving ability and the unfolding of their creativity.

WHEN DID THE GLOBAL TRAINING PROGRAMME START?

The Global Training programme started in 2012. It was launched by the Basque Government and managed by the University of the Basque Country, being part of the international strategy of the Basque Country.

All the feedback received during these years from the collaborative companies and institutions that have been  partners of the programme and from trainees is really positive. Most companies/institutions have repeated their collaboration in following editions, and have played a key role in the growth of the programme.

During these years we have received more than 5500 applications from graduates, we have managed about 700 traineeships, and have worked with almost 150 different collaborative companies/institutions in about 20 different countries and offering trainneships for more than 35 fields of study.

CRITERIA OF CANDIDATES SELECTION

The participants that opt for internship grants abroad must meet the following requirements:

• University Diploma or Graduate.
• Age below 30 years the same year as the programme is announced.
• High English level for the function to be developed and the destination country of the host company.
• Adaptation of the candidates to the profile required by the foreign host company or institution.

WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF THE TRAINEESHIP?

The duration of the Internships is 6 months. The host company has the chance to prorogue the lenght of the programme between 1 and 6 months, being in that case the total duration of the internship between 6 and 12 months. The internship will begin with a training period which will be given to those persons selected before they join the host company.

IS THERE ANY COST FOR THE COLLABORATIVE COMPANY?

No. For the minimum length of the programme (6 months) all the costs are funded by the Basque Government. The economic amount for each Internship grant will be of 1.600€/month. During this time, the intern will not receive any economical additional retribution of the enterprise or organism, because he/she receives an assignment which it's entirely covered by the Programme Global Training.

Just in case the collaborative company wants to extend the programme (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 months) would pay a previously determined monthly payment for the extension.

The intern will be considered an intern of the Program of scholarships Global Training  in very moment and total effects (including extra months).

WILL THE TRAINEE BE INSURED DURING THE TRAINEESHIP?

Of course. The Internship grant will also include payment of accident, medical insurance and civil liability insurance for the first 6 months of the internship period. The assignation of the scholarship, like the correspondents of the assurance of accidents and diseases during the first 6 months, in no case is transmissible or imputable to the enterprise.

WHAT KIND OF COMPANIES/INSTITUTIONS CAN PARTICIPATE AND HOST A TRAINEE?

There are no specific requirements in order to participate. The only requirement is to offer an interesting project for future candidates. During these years we have collaborated with small and huge companies, international offices, start-ups, public institutions, university departments …

There are also no limits in terms of country; we are opened to the entire world. These are the countries of some of the collaborative companies/institutions.

During these years we  have worked with almost 150 different collaborative companies/institutions in about 20 different countries and offering trainneships for more than 35 fields of study.

WHICH KIND OF CANDIDATES CAN PARTICIPATE AT THE GLOBAL TRAINING PROGRAMME?

All of our candidates have finished their university studies. All of them are under 30 professionals, and in most of cases they have postgraduate studies and Masters, and also a professional experience. 

WHICH WILL BE THE STATUS OF THE TRAINEE DURING THE TRAINEESHIP?

The scholar in no case will have a work relationship with the enterprise, for it's not possible to formalize a work contract between them during the traineeship. Establishing a labour relationship before the end of the scholarship, will require a refusing of the application of the Programme Global Training and also there will be need a written communication of it, with the OK of the enterprise and its intermediary

DOES THIS TRAINEESHIP INVOLVE AN IMPORTANT PAPER WORK FOR THE COMPANY or INSTITUTION?

Absolutely not.  All the paperwork and selection process is managed by the University of the Basque Country. We will just  ask you for some information about your company/institution in order to publish your offer at our website.

We will take into account the following points to select candidates:

• Suitable professional profile for the work to be carried out for the foreign host company
• Specific training in the field of activity the foreign host company carries out
• Knowledge of the language of the destination country or the working language of the host company
• Motivational factors in relation to the programme and activities offered.

HOW THE SELECTION PROCESS IS DONE?

The University of the Basque Country does about the 95% of the selection process.

Our selection process:

• Only candidates who are graduated can participate
• There is an English level test for all the candidates
• A Curriculum Vitae review is done, taking into account their fields of study, professional experience, postgraduate education, and motivational factors.
• Personal interview with most valuated candidates.
• Once we have selected the best 3-4 profiles for each offer, we send them to companies/institutions so that they can select the most suitable trainees (having a Skype call in case they want). Companies/institutions can ask for other documentation they need (a more extensive CV, portfolio...)

WHEN WILL THE CALL OF THE PROGRAMME BE OPEN? WHEN WILL THE TRAINEE START WORKING IN OUR COMPANY/INSTITUTION?

• FEBRUARY-MARCH : we contact with the companies/organizations in order to know if they want to participate and the number of trainees the company want to host.
• MARCH : we send the project of internships to the Basque Government, as they are the sponsor of the programme.
• JUNE-JULY : we publish the call for the programme and the selection process starts.
• SEPTEMBER : we finish the selection process and we send to the companies the best 3 profiles, in order to they can select the trainees they prefer.
• OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY: the selected candidates start the internships in their host institutions/companies.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE COMPANY/INSTITUTION?

The company/institution should provide an interesting project and activities to the selected trainees.
 

What level of supervision (in terms of time) would we expect from companies? Candidates are graduates with professional experience. So, it is true that this programme has to be formative for them, but most of the times, the best way to learn is to work. So, the level of supervision has to be less than that the one a student would need; and as far as possible, slightly higher than the level of supervision a normal worker will have. Our idea is that the trainee could learn about you all, but without disturbing you. They go to add, not to detract.

WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE TO COLLABORATE?

In case you want to collaborate with us and to be one of the collaborative companies  in the next edition of our Global Training programme, please contact us.

CONTACT

Coordinator of the Global Training programme:
Iñigo Gonzalez: inigo.gonzalez@ehu.eus