2. During the internship
2.1 Receiving Trainees
What?
The host organisation will meet the trainees on arrival and show the facilities in the local area so that they can easily manage everyday life on their own.
Sometimes, mainly when the trainees are underage, it is advisable that a trainer from the sending organization accompanies the trainees, either at the beginning and/or end of the stay, or even throughout the whole period in the hosting country.
Why?
The trainees have to get into the daily routines quickly, since the internship at the company often starts at once. If the host organisation helps the trainees to settle down in the area, many small problems can be avoided.
How?
The trainees and the coordinator of the host organisation will have a look at the apartment together. The coordinator will hand out a map of the area. They can take a walk in the area and show bus stops, restaurants and where to withdraw or exchange money, buy food and bus tickets. It’s important to exchange phone numbers so they can get hold of each other during the internship period.
If a trainer from the sending organization accompanies the trainees, his/her responsibilities would include paying visits to the hosting companies to make sure everything is working according to expectations, dealing with unexpected situations, witnessing and helping with the final evaluation of the internship.
2.2 Tutoring: Introduction & Follow up on the Workplace
What?
The trainees must be introduced to the company, either by the tutor of the sending partner, who usually accompanies them on their first day at the workplace, or by the coordinator of the hosting organisation.
If the training agreement has not been signed previously, it must be done at this point
The tutor and the supervisor (sometimes the trainee will also take part in the decision) agree on the procedure for the supervision of the trainee. Even if the supervisor has the main responsibility, the coordinator of the hosting country will visit the company to verify that everything is being carried out according to the agreed conditions.
Why?
For the trainee, a work placement may represent a completely new situation. So, it’s very important to make the introduction/reception welcoming for the trainee.
The trainee is carrying out a training activity that will require a validation, so it is important to regularly monitor the learning process during the internship.
How?
On the first day in the company, the trainees can go on their own or accompanied by the tutor of the sending partner, the coordinator of the hosting partner, or both. Sometimes, if there is an intermediary organisation, the tutor of the hosting partner can also be present. They revise the conditions previously agreed and other relevant information.
Sometimes the placement agreement has already been signed by all parts before the arrival of the trainee in the company. However, in most cases, this document is signed by the company on the first day of the placement. It should not be signed later, since it is the document marking the start of the activities for the trainee. General conditions such as timetable, insurance and other aspects are revised. The tutor presents the documents to be used for monitoring the work placement (Monitoring notebook for work experience in Europe or equivalent)
It is advisable to keep a record of the daily activities, so that they can be evaluated and certified by the company and validated by the sending partner. The trainee should have regular meetings with the supervisor and have mail contact with the sending organisation. If the trainee has written a monitoring notebook, it should be revised and approved by the supervisor during the last week of the internship
Sometimes, the tutor of the sending partner or the coordinator of the intermediary organisation in the hosting country will visit the trainee in the workplace in order to check their progress in the company.