For many AEGEEans, the idea of a real, serious job may appear alien compared to the fun and inspiration we find in AEGEE. But maybe there are ways to leverage AEGEE to find a job that is (almost) as cool or European? The AEGEEan spoke with our Alumni network, Les Anciens d’AEGEE, about their Career Training for AEGEEans.
AEGEEans are consciously devoting time and energy to AEGEE. It is fun and it contributes to the greater good of a borderless Europe. But are we also conscious about what we gain, both personally and professionally for our future lives? According to AEGEE Alumni, it usually takes a couple of years after leaving AEGEE until one realises the impact of the experience, and that the spirit actually does not go away.
“Our Career Training for AEGEEans wants to accelerate that insight, and help graduates make the most of their AEGEE related skills from the outset,” summarises Pierpaolo Vittoria, training coordinator of Les Anciens d’AEGEE. Our European Alumni organisation realised that supporting AEGEEans in their transition into their first post-AEGEE job is actually a win-win-win idea for AEGEEans, Les Anciens d’AEGEE and AEGEE as it:
- Strengthens the profile of AEGEEans in their job search and application processes
- Shows the value of our AEGEE Alumni network
- Fosters the brand and mission of AEGEE on the European and local levels
How it works: A modular approach to respond to different needs
As AEGEEans approach their graduation, and hence their job search, different questions may occur during that phase. Distinct career training modules reflect and respond to these questions, including:
- Foundational session (creatively labelled ‘A’) on identifying your AEGEE skills and how to leverage them on your CV and in personal branding
- Job market sessions, focused on how search and selection work for (‘B1’) Private Sector careers or (‘B2’) EU Institutions & EU Bubble careers
- Development session to plan a European career for the future (consequently named ‘C’)
“As this is a new offer, we do not yet know the priorities or needs of current AEGEE graduates first-hand, so we have created a pre-registration form,” explains Pierpaolo. The form allows AEGEEans to indicate which sessions they are interested in and in which months they could participate.
“A demand-based approach just makes more sense at this time”, Pierpaolo adds. He also warns that a match might not always be possible – depending on availability of trainers etc. – but the flexibility of the online format will certainly help.
Encouraging insight – enabling implementation
While the sessions have a clear outline and will always cover the basics, their content and delivery will have a degree of variability: different trainers from the AEGEE Alumni Community will design and deploy them, and each trainer will customise the format according to their personal skills and background.
“What the sessions have in common,” describes Pierpaolo, “is that they will focus on the resources of the participants. We want to ensure that they have a chance to identify their unique skills and describe their personal strengths, as to leverage them for their future success”.
The trainer pool includes Alumni from different AEGEE generations, various industries and a range of job functions as well. This reflects the diversity of the AEGEE Alumni community which naturally emerges from the unique diversity of AEGEE. Pierpaolo himself has been working in the corporate sector for 25 years, and after completing a second degree in Learning Sciences, he decided to volunteer as AEGEE Alumni’s training coordinator. He will connect AEGEE graduates with Alumni trainers and facilitate the preparation of training sessions.
Just one of many things AEGEE Alumni offer to AEGEE[ans]
Many AEGEEans have noted in recent years that Les Anciens d’AEGEE is changing and becoming more connected to and with AEGEE. After its founding, in 1990, the Alumni network was mainly aiming at providing a platform for former AEGEEans to keep in touch and offered on-demand support to AEGEE as well as financial project aids, e. g. via The Continuity Fund or the FATF.
“Talking with AEGEE locals and CD over several years has shown that there are many more areas where Les Anciens d’AEGEE and AEGEE can be connected in a valuable way,” says Michael Stuber, Strategy Director and Acting Co-ordinator of Les Anciens d’AEGEE. He is the mastermind behind a multi-stranded portfolio that includes different offerings for AEGEE and AEGEEans including:
- INSPIRE sessions that help motivate AEGEEans by showing the value and impact AEGEE has had on individuals and their professional and personal lives
- LOCAL support for AEGEE in maintaining and growing their membership and their local Alumni groups – or re-founding former locals
- Mentoring for active AEGEE members and career training for AEGEE graduates to support their personal and professional development
All these activities rely on the interest and participation of us, AEGEEans, and we can all stay informed about and connected to Les Anciens on various channels so we do not miss an invitation or announcement: https://linktr.ee/lesanciens
If you are an AEGEEan that graduates in 2022 and interested in the described Career Training, you can
- Find more information on this website https://www.anciens.org/support-for-aegee/career-training/ or
- apply to participate with this Pre-Registration Form:
