Internships are an important part of the solution for ending cyclical unemployment. They cater to inexperienced but capable applicants and give them the opportunity to gain a foothold in their chosen career, while accessing training and acquiring skills.

In Portugal, the ‘Professional Internships’ project is financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) to help equip young and unemployed or disadvantaged people to find long-term employment. The project supports young people stepping into the career ladder and to break the cycle of unemployment.

Implemented by the Portuguese Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), the project matches  young graduates and other unemployed people’s skills and background with the requirements of a wide range of internships – and upskills them through work placements aligned to their profiles.

Nuno was among those to benefit from the project. After having been unemployed for several years, he was matched to an internship as an assistant in the field of geriatrics. This placement led to a full-time job in the Portuguese veteran’s service. Nuno says, ‘I am lucky to still work [here]. I started to have a better life.’

Ana began a pharmaceutical internship with help from the project. She found it to be ‘a unique opportunity to enter my professional career. School gave us the foundations of knowledge, but internship learning is also important’.

Catarina was unemployed before beginning an internship in a chocolate factory, which she describes as ‘essential for my integration into the labour market.’ She particularly values the hands-on experience: ‘With the internship I was able to really understand what day-to-day life is like in a company and to develop and apply all the knowledge I have acquired over my years of training.’

Ana, another participant in the project, appreciates the project’s contribution to her success in mechanical engineering: ‘During this period I am very grateful to the team [for] developing my knowledge and following my development, both personal and professional.’

By opening up new pathways to work, the Professional Internships project continues to be a career entry point for young and disadvantaged people in Portugal, enhancing their confidence and skills in the process.