Master´s Degree, International Affairs, Conflict Resolution & Civil Society Development ‘19
Master´s Degree, International Affairs, Conflict Resolution & Civil Society Development ‘19
Internships are learning experiences. In their internships, Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ students apply the knowledge they’ve acquired in the classroom and hone skills that will help them succeed in their future careers. Sometimes students learn more about themselves than they expect. Internships allow them to test-drive possible careers while the stakes are still relatively low.
In this issue of Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ Intern Profiles Patricia Molinos Ruperez tells us all about her internship with the OECD.
I was born in the beautiful, dynamic and multicultural Mediterranean city of Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, Spain. As an intrepid and extremely curious learner since a very early age, I have always loved traveling away from the comfort of home and exploring new places where my main priority is to live as and interact with locals. These trips, where I often combine responsible tourism with volunteer work, have brought me to a wide range of countries from Palestine to the Dominican Republic, including Morocco, and India. My passion for world politics, international development and security, human rights and gender equality as well as the other SDGs, also took me to Turkey (Izmir), France (Paris) and Lebanon (Beirut), where I lived for more extended periods of time.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operations and Development (OECD)
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Paris, France.
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October 2017 - April 2018
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Policy Analysis Trainee
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As a Policy Analysis Trainee supporting the OECD-DAC Network on Gender Equality, I:
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The two working languages of the OECD are French and English. However, I also used my native Spanish and practiced my high-intermediate Arabic when interacting with development partners from the Latin American & Caribbean and MENA regions, respectively.
The internship at the OECD-DAC GENDERNET was of more relevance and help than I could have expected when I started: towards the end I was offered a Junior Position that I accepted! As a Consultant on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, my work is to support the work streams of the Secretariat, which allows me to keep building the first steps of a promising career in the International Affairs, Development and Gender "industry".
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My parents often remind me that at the time they were young(er than now), job offers would fall from the sky even before university finished. Today, however, everybody has high education degrees, is very prepared and has a CV that is worth a contract. Competition with candidates that we perceive as readier and more qualified than us will always be there. What one needs to do is using that as a motivation to work harder rather than letting it push us back. Internships are the best way I can think of to differentiate ourselves from others and add skills and experience to our valuable profiles, so I encourage all students to find one and use their time - and Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ rich resources - wisely!