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On 25 October, the Department of Political Science and International Relations of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (KAP FF UWB) was visited by Tereza Sanjuan from the Representation of the European Commission in the Czech Republic, Zdeněk Nevřivý from the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zuzana Šafrová and Ondřej Böhm, who study at the Faculty of Economics of the University of West Bohemia and are now EU Careers Ambassadors. Together they presented a pilot practical workshop to prepare students for careers in the EU.

"Every year, the European Union institutions advertise for around 1 300 job vacancies. This makes the European Union a very significant employer and a natural destination for our graduates. In particular, students of the European Studies specialisation, which we offer as part of the Bachelor's and Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations, have repeatedly requested a similarly focused event," said Helena Bauerová, the workshop organiser.

The guests introduced the students to the conditions of employment and internships that can be completed during their studies. In addition to European institutions, the debate also focused on the issue of internships at Czech consulates, where dozens of positions suitable for university students open up every year. The guests emphasised the role of knowledge and skills acquired during university studies, which are important from the point of view of potential employers and increase the employability not only in the EU institutions.

"Personally, I most appreciated the practical information, such as the explanation of the criteria for selection procedures or the presentation of the most common mistakes made by those interested in working in the EU. The workshop definitely broadened my horizons as to where to go after my studies," added one of the workshop participants, Ilia Rasputnii, who is currently studying the third year of the Bachelor's degree in International Relations - Area Studies.

Due to the great interest of the students and the positive feedback, the representatives of the Department of Political Science and International Relations plan to follow up on the practical workshop and organize similar events in the future. "We are considering a seminar focused on EPSO tests used in selection procedures for EU institutions, or other more specific topics. The future employment of graduates in the field is an important priority for us," concluded Helena Bauerová.