After the success of our second project "Discovering Europe: FLS apprentices get mobile" (2018-2020), we wanted to offer interested students further opportunities for learning abroad. A total of 29 student placements were projected in Spain and France. Three vocational students had already booked flights for April 2020 and all learning agreements were signed. Due to the pandemic, these three mobilities did not take place and trips planned for October 2020 also had to be cancelled. The Hessian Ministry of Culture did not allow trips abroad again until March 2022, and the project was put on pause during all this period. Our Erasmus manager - Ms. Torres - requested an extension, which fortunately was approved for one year. A total of nine mobilities took place between April 2022 and August 2023. This result is far from what we had envisioned in February 2020 (in our application), but we are pleased that normality has returned and that our students are showing interest again.
After two successfully completed projects, Erasmus is an integral part of the school program at the Friedrich List School. A subsequent application was a matter of course and we were very pleased that the project was approved by the BIBB from 2020. This project was primarily intended for students at the Higher Vocational School for Foreign Language Secretariat and for vocational students. The Higher Vocational School provides a two-year, full-time education with a strong emphasis on foreign languages (English, Spanish, French), office management and international commercial correspondence. During their studies, our students complete a four-week internship in a selected company in Germany or abroad. After this internship, the students wishing to obtain FOS must complete a second six-month internship. It is recommended that the latter be conducted abroad. The primary goal of our project would be to offer prospective and trained commercial assistants the opportunity to implement and further develop the above-mentioned theoretical knowledge that they have acquired in an international context. Thus, the problem of limited opportunities for practical experiences could be partially solved. Another problem is that although our vocational students show interest in these internships, they cannot afford a stay abroad. Our commercial trainees (legal clerks, justice clerks and administrative clerks) also have the opportunity to complete an internship abroad under the same conditions.