Internship

The internship at the FES was all about three things to me:

• 1. First and foremost, it was an exciting journey to figure out how theoretical insights gained from previous education could be used in practical work.  
• 2. Second aspect of the work was exploring various job tasks – each having its own inner detailed specifics - and, most importantly, how all of these are interconnected and how to be able to do them all simultaneously in an effective manner.
• 3. And finally, it was fascinating to learn colleagues' specialization and working projects. That type of diversity within the FES environment makes you think more comprehensively about your own research plans.

My name is Danel. My internship at the FES lasted 4 months and it became important professional experience for me. During internship, I had a time to work on various projects, meet new people and find out a lot of new insights. Working at foundation I especially liked its versatility: I was engaging in youth research, worked on leadership projects, participated in book presentations and panel discussions. After the completion of an internship, I participated in new projects of the foundation. I would like to mention professional skills and high work ethics of the team. My colleagues became my role models. It is important for me since internship was my first (offline) experience within a team. By the time of my work, I could open and trust my abilities. At foundation I have always received help and support, and such environment in team helped me to cope with anxiety and take a responsibility. I am glad for having such opportunity.

I started my summer internship at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation while participating in the Young Leadership Program project. The internship, originally planned for one to two months, was eventually extended to four months.

The events, which could not be organized for almost six months due to the epidemic, took place in just three months of the summer: YouLP modules, presentations of research, meetings with German politicians, etc. Accordingly, I had the opportunity to see and learn a lot during the busy period of work. The work processes were most interesting, as the FES team treats and directs its interns as colleagues.

As part of the internship, I saw how carefully and responsibly the foundation's employees approach projects. There were enough mistakes from my side, but colleagues always treated me with understanding and encouraged me to correct myself. Thanks to the internship, I developed the organizational and communication skills that are so necessary for my career and met well-known public figures and scholars.

I believe that an internship at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Kazakhstan is a real necessary experience for proactive young people.