The FEMIP Internship Programme: promoting young Mediterranean talent

The EIB-FEMIP Internship Programme aims to build human capacity in the Mediterranean partner countries by offering young graduates from the region an opportunity to gain work experience in a multicultural international environment.

Testimonials

Ahmed Abdelsattar, 22 years old, Egyptian

I would start by saying that my FEMIP internship at the EIB was the experience of a lifetime. In 2010/2011, I spent a year at the EIB in Luxembourg working in a team of 15 people of eight different nationalities. I gained extensive exposure to the EIB’s business activities in different regions of the world such as the Balkans and South-Eastern Europe.

I worked as a global loan assistant for the Central Allocation Unit, which helped give me a sound understanding of how EU targets are being met with the EIB as lender and promoter of projects in EU Member States and Candidate Countries. I also learnt how the EIB cooperates with the European Commission. Thanks to this professional experience, I have been granted a scholarship to do a master's degree in economics at a prestigious university in Germany. One day I will surely travel back home to Egypt with an impressive CV and harness my potential to contribute to the development of my country.

Geeda Haddad, 26 years old, Jordanian

This year-long internship provided me with unique and priceless work experience, as I not only observed but also took part in the whole work cycle. For instance, I actively participated in meetings and was offered the opportunity to express my ideas. The multicultural nature of the EIB greatly adds to the experience and gives full expression to what is meant by an integrated world, not just an integrated Europe.

Coming from Jordan, I met people from all over the world, which demonstrated the exceptional nature of this internship. My time spent working for the EIB has definitely been an invaluable experience, both personally and professionally. For once, I would say that the reality fully lived up to the high expectations I had.

Mohamed Larbi Meddoun, 26 years old, Moroccan

In 2010/2011 I spent a full and productive year as an intern in Luxembourg under the EIB’s FEMIP Internship Programme. The working environment at the Bank is undoubtedly of international calibre and enabled me to work with many people from different cultural backgrounds and of different intellectual levels. This diversity is one of the EIB’s main assets.

The EIB is ‘the place to be’ as I was fully involved in numerous projects concerned with development in the southern Mediterranean countries. I was able to familiarise myself with the wide range of financial products used by the Bank to help these countries. It has been a worthwhile experience in human as well as professional terms and I would no doubt jump at the chance to repeat it.