Erasmus+ Internship
administrative assistance sector
The team of the Associazione Art. Cult. “A Rocca” and EProjectConsult International department, in cooperation with Agrupamento de Escolas n.º 1 de Gondomar took the role of intermediary partner for group of people from Godomar, Portugal in the frame of Erasmus+ programme. During the project named “Mission Possible: New Work and Country” we hosted 10 selected participants. The internship was in the field of administrative assistance, thereby they gained experience in their field of studies and become acquainted with the traditional Italian and Sicilian approach.
The subject of the placement for participants was administrative work in the office and secretaries. The interns had the opportunity to learn skills needed for a future professional career in this field. The internships were located in the town of Barcellona P.G.
Cultural Programme
In the free time they had chance to visit some beautiful places in Sicily, and know Italian cuisine thanks to the local restaurants.
Internship
- Joana Catarina Oliveira Ramos: Giorgianni Francesco s.r.l. (address: Via T.C.P. Arcodaci 9, Barcellona Pozzo do Gotto (ME), Sicily, Italy). Timetable: Monday to Friday: 09:00-13:00 and 17:00-19:00. Giorgianni Francesco s.r.l. is an accountant and administrative office dealing with economic aspects.
- Daniela Sofia da Costa Moura: Desìo s.r.l. (address: Via Marconi 157, Bercellona Pozzo di Gotto (ME), Sicily, Italy). Timetable: Tuesday to Saturday, 09:00-13:00 in the morning and 16:30-20:00 in the afternoon. Desìo is supplier of wedding gowns, special event dresses, wedding party dresses and accessories (including wedding shoes, shawls, etc).
- Inês Miguel Moreira Alves Ferreira, Joana Rita Andrade Oliveira and Patricia Santos Coutinho: Terza Generazione srl (address: Via Roma 103, Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto (ME), Sicily, Italy), working hours per day: 6. Timetable: Monday to Friday: 09:00-13:00 and 16:30-18:30. Terza Generazione srl is a telephone shop and also provides telephone operator services. In 2015, the chain opened a franchise store that sells clothing and accessories.
- André Filipe Afonso Castro and Raquel Maria Peixoto Abreu: Securprotect srl (address: Via Sant’Andrea 215/E, Bercellona Pozzo di Gotto (ME), Sicily, Italy). Working hours per day: 6. Timetable: Monday to Friday 09:00-13:00 and 15:00-17:00. SecurProtect s.l.r. has a 'wide experience in the field of protection and safety at work and provides a wlinkide range of products that fully meet all the needs of the client. Clients are assisted in the selection of equipment that solve the most of all the issues involved in various work situations, including prevent and protect of individual risks.
- Ana Sofia dos Santos Lopes: Asociación Etnográfica Ambiental “Jalari" (address: Via TCP Arcodaci 44, 98051 Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto (ME), Italy), working hours per day 4. Timetable: Monday to Friday, 09:00-13 :30. The Asociación Etnográfica Ambiental “Jalari" extends on a surface of 35 hectares surrounded by hundreds of stone sculptures and fountains. Its architectural style is particular so that combines reconstructions of Sicilian dominations, columns of Greek art, Arabic domes, the severe scallops of Norman castles etc.
- Fortunato Filipe Ferreira Cardoso: Free Born Group (address: Via Carducci 30, Bercellona Pozzo di Gotto (ME), Sicily, Italy), working hours per day: 6. Timetable: Monday to Friday: 09:30-13:00 and 15:30-17:30. Born Free Group is a marketing and communication company that helps to build and enhance the visibility of companies, organizations and institutions.
- Lara Felicia Gonçalves Soares: F.N.A. Consal Messina (address: Via Roma 266, Bercellona Pozzo di Gotto (ME), Sicily, Italy), working hours per day: 6. Timetable: Monday to Friday: 09:00-13:00 and 16:00-18:00. F.N.A. Consal Messina as part of EPAS is a body institution that provides social assistance to the local people of in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto. They provide services that informs workers, pensioners and young people both on new legislation affecting them in terms of the protection and social interests, because often the rights provided are in fact denied because of bureaucratic problems and complications of still existing laws. The EPAS offers social security services, social and fiscal through its regional offices.
Skills and professional competences acquired:
- nterpersonal and team-working skills
- Organisational and time management skills
- Decision-making and problem solving skills
- Strong research skills, by collecting, organizing, understanding and using data
- Knowledge and understanding of the core principles of economic situations in SMEs and the nature of market economy;
- Understanding the concept of economic efficiency and the profit maximization principles within a SME;
- Understand the motivations and consequences of trade agreements during the financial decision making;
- Ability of independent working and implementation of tasks related to economic sector;
- Improvement of communicational and interpersonal skills;
- Compare the economic trends of the host country with the country of origin;
- Analyse mathematical and statistical reasoning;
- Critical thinking about the economic context of the market and competitors.
Activities/Tasks performed:
- Daily office tasks: typing, filing, answering telephone calls, operating the switchboard;
- Maintenance of the office;
- Handling of correspondence and emails;
- Meeting organizing
- Handling of various administrative tasks upon the request of the supervisor
- Monitoring the economic trends of the hosting enterprise;
- Conducting research related to the competitive enterprises of the sector (examine market decisions, price analysis, competitive products etc.);
- Collecting and analysing data needed;
- Marketing promotion of the enterprise;
- Recording and merchandise ordering.
Evaluation of the project
The evaluation of the project is excellent. Employees of the “A Rocca” Association and persons involved in this project hope it was a rich and useful experience for all the participants. The monitoring team did its best in order to satisfy the expectations of each participant and to ensure the communication with the sending organization at each stage of the project.
Participants had chance to see the way of working in Sicily. Certainly, they had an opportunity to get to know a lot of useful information about the functioning of Sicilian enterprises, which are related to administrative work. Those participants who had a previous experience in the field of administrative work also could compare all the similarities and differences of these related enterprises in Sicily and Portugal. All participants gained valuable experience in working in team, cooperation with colleagues and individual work according to the individual skills of the each candidate.
At the end of the project, participants received “A Rocca placement certificate” and EUROPASS.
Most importantly the participants gained professionally experience in their sector and they will be more competitive in the labour market in Portugal.
Conclusion
Our monitoring team did its best in order to satisfy the expectations of each participant. We were always ready to offer help, advice and solve any doubts with our guaranteed 24-hour availability; in any case they needed some assistance. Consequently, the participants seemed to be satisfied with this project. According to their opinion, it was an interesting and useful experience. We hope they found inspiration and got new ideas about how to deal with their future career in their country!
