Case studies : Engineer: Emily

Emily received a MEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Bristol in 2008. The third year of her four year course was spent in Paris as part of the Erasmus programme and culminated in a three month work placement in a French company.

I wanted to do a work placement in France to deepen my experience of French culture and polish my linguistic skills. As I looked for a placement, I spoke with other students, the French university's internships (‘stages’) coordinator and lecturers who had industry contacts. I eventually found my placement by visiting a trade show in Paris.

At the show, I asked questions at various stands until I found a company that had a placement that suited me. EU citizens don’t need visas or work permits to work in other EU countries, so that wasn’t a problem.

I commuted daily to a suburban industrial park from the student halls of residence in central Paris. My project was to undertake market study and preliminary research, then design an electronic component to be used in a satellite. I also had to answer the phone and speak to customers when the head of marketing was absent.

During my placement, I gained software experience that is integral to my current graduate job. I think the combination of experience with the particular piece of software and the fact that I had worked abroad stood out on my CV and helped me get my current job.

Working abroad gave me a much better understanding of the difficulties in communicating across cultures. Making links, putting things in context, and being able to explain concepts in different ways is hugely helpful in making
yourself understood. It also took me out of my student bubble and gave me everyday contact with ‘real’ French people. Where I worked, there seemed to be a healthy work-life balance, and that has stuck with me. None of this eating at your desk or staying late every night! People just got their work done and went home.

There were many aspects of France and French culture that I really liked. Although it's still Western Europe, and much of it is similar to the UK, I enjoyed meeting people from all over the world and comparing and contrasting their lives with life as I knew it in the UK. One of the frustrations about living in central Paris was that all the shops were closed on a Sunday, but if you got up early, you could get to the massive food market which I loved!

The most difficult thing about working abroad was trying to fit into the culture of the company where I did my placement. I found it very difficult to work out where I fit in with office politics and hierarchy. I sometimes missed out on the nuances and subtleties of the language. I also found the pedantic bureaucracy wore me down - especially the banking system. However, it's probably exactly as frustrating for people coming to work in the UK.

To anyone considering working abroad, I would say go for it! The culture shock can be significant, and it will be tough for a while. But once you've settled in, it can be a brilliant experience.