In an increasingly interconnected world, opportunities to live, study or work abroad are in considerable demand. The practical part of a course of study is considered very important at Landshut University of Applied Sciences, and many courses include a compulsory internship abroad. And as Emily Winter is pleased to report, everything still worked out – despite the current pandemic. The 22-year-old is studying International Industrial Engineering at Landshut University of Applied Sciences, and completed her DAAD-funded “ERASMUS+” internship abroad in marketing at YoungCapital in the Netherlands for a semester.
“My original plan was to go to Spain,” explains Emily. “I have also been studying Spanish as my second foreign language.” The rampant coronavirus pandemic threw a spanner in the works, though. Partly according to the principle of elimination, Emily found an internship in Hoofddorp, which is about 20 minutes from Amsterdam. During her posting, she largely focused on the area of online work. Her remit included business-to-business pages (B2B), website support and SEO. “I was also able to develop a new social media concept,” highlights Emily.
Settling into a foreign country quickly – despite the coronavirus
Just like almost everyone else the world over, Emily’s biggest challenge was dealing with the coronavirus pandemic: “Despite the harsh circumstances, I consider myself very lucky. I lived in a great flat share with a fellow intern and worked for a first-rate company.” YoungCapital regularly organised online events, with employee health always taking priority. Emily was particularly enthusiastic about the culture of the Netherlands. “The internship really broadened my horizons,” emphasizes the Landshut student. “For all its similarities to German, though, I often found Dutch difficult to understand.”
The 22-year-old would grasp an opportunity to complete another internship abroad. “Not only did I gain a lot personally, I also improved my skills. For example, in HTML programming,” explains Winter. Her time in the Netherlands was a unique experience for the intern, and one which she can only recommend to everyone else: “I met great people from different countries and cultures. I have memories that will last a lifetime!”
If you would like to find out more about the possibilities for spending some time studying or working abroad, you are welcome to contact the International Office at any time. An overview of what is on offer is available at
Photos: Emily Winter
(free to use where source is indicated)
