The French Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture in Romania (CCIFER) is launching the project “START STUDENT – Your Career Begins with an Internship”, SMIS code 311871, a program aimed at increasing the relevance of students’ professional training by organizing internships with employers.
“Through the START STUDENT project, we aim to bridge the gap between education and the labor market by providing students with concrete professional development opportunities. EU funding allows us to support 260 young people in their transition to a career, equipping them with the skills and experience needed to become successful professionals. This project reflects CCIFER’s commitment to supporting youth training and contributing to the development of a well-prepared workforce that meets the demands of today’s economy.” – Adriana Record, Executive Director.
Project Objective
The main objective of the project is to improve the relevance of professional training for 260 students from less developed regions by facilitating 260 internships in companies over a 24-month period. The project aims to enhance the quality, inclusivity, effectiveness, and relevance of education and training systems for the labor market by validating non-formal and informal learning, developing entrepreneurial and digital skills, and promoting dual training and apprenticeship systems.
Project Description
The project targets 260 students who will benefit from internships with employers over two years. It is estimated that over 60% of participants—157 students—will successfully complete their internships. Additionally, the project promotes inclusion and accessibility, with 52 participants (20% of the total) coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. Internships will be available for second- and third-year undergraduate students as well as first- and second-year master’s students. The program also includes entrepreneurial training activities tailored to the needs of emerging sectors such as the circular economy, bioeconomy, energy, and climate change.
Benefits for Students
Participants will develop entrepreneurial and digital skills while improving their qualifications through relevant internships in their field of study. The project also boosts motivation and engagement by offering financial allowances for participation and organizing professional competitions with prizes. Another key benefit is raising awareness of the alignment between professional training and labor market demands through strategic analysis.
The project is co-funded by the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) under the National Education and Employment Program (PEO) 2021-2027, with a total value of 4,865,295.20 LEI, of which 3,928,724.09 LEI comes from EU grants, 693,304.25 LEI from the state budget, and 5% of the total value contributed by CCIFER. The implementation period is 24 months.
Implementation and Funding
The “START STUDENT – Your Career Begins with an Internship” project is implemented under Policy Objective 4: “A more social and inclusive Europe through the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights,” within Priority P07: “Improving the quality of education and vocational training offerings,” under Specific Objective ESO4.5.