InternshipConnect: a European project to improve work placements and career progression
We are pleased to present the first newsletter from the InternshipConnect project, an Erasmus+ initiative aimed at improving the quality of work placements and facilitating the entry of young people and learners into the labour market across Europe.
O f f i c i a l l a u n c h o f t h e p r o j e c t
i n A b b e v i l l e ( F r a n c e )
The project was officially launched at the end of November 2025 in Abbeville, in Picardie Maritime, during the first transnational meeting organised by the lead partner, Mission Locale Picardie Maritime.
Over three days, partners from six European countries came together to:
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present their organisations and areas of expertise,
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set out the consortium’s working arrangements,
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and define the project’s initial stages.
A highlight of the meeting was a round-table discussion involving 21 local stakeholders (young people, businesses, training centres), which helped identify the key factors for a successful work placement: clear preparation, structured support and effective communication between stakeholders.
These discussions laid the foundations for the future European model for work placement support, organised around three phases: preparation – monitoring – evaluation.
A c o m m i t t e d E u r o p e a n p a r t n e r s h i p
The InternshipConnect project is based on a diverse and complementary consortium, bringing together:
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Mission Locale Picardie Maritime (France) – project coordination
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Le Cube Consultants (France) – communication, dissemination and knowledge transfer
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Ballymun Job Centre (Ireland) – youth integration and guidance
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Hotel Management College (Latvia) – expertise in international work placements
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Vocational Training School (Italy) – mobility and training
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Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia (Slovenia) – link between businesses and training
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Aventura Amaral Clube (Portugal) – informal education and employability
This partnership enables us to combine different approaches and build an innovative model at European level.
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🇱🇻A f i r s t s t a g e o f c o o p e r a t i o n
i n L a t v i a
From 24 to 26 March 2026, the partners met in Riga (Latvia) for the second transnational meeting (TPM2), hosted by the Hotel School – Hotel Management College.
This meeting provided an opportunity to:
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take stock of project management and communication,
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make progress on the creation of the pilot model (WP2),
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engage with students on work placements and professionals,
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discover local practices and strengthen intercultural cooperation.
In particular, the partners took part in:
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round-table discussions with students,
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company visits,
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exchanges of best practices and educational innovations.
L e a r n i n g f r o m t h e b e s t E u r o p e a n p r a c t i c e s
At the same time, the partners analysed 25 examples of good practice in work placements from six European countries.
This study highlights several key elements:
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cooperation between training organisations and businesses,
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the importance of structured mentoring,
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the role of work placements in developing young people’s skills and confidence.
It also highlights common challenges:
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the sometimes limited duration of internships,
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the need for training for mentors,
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and language barriers in mobility schemes.
These findings will inform the creation of the InternshipConnect model, with the aim of offering higher-quality, more inclusive and impactful internships.
S t a g e s o f t h e c h a i n
The project continues with:
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the joint development of the European model,
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its piloting in partner countries,
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and the development of practical tools for professionals.
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the development of an app
Further meetings are planned in Slovenia, Ireland, Portugal and Italy, ahead of a final conference in France in 2027.
📢 Stay tuned!
We’ll be sharing updates on the project and the initial results soon.