Internship Feedback

Uveřejněné zprávy z praxí neprošly ani jazykovou ani textovou úpravou. Proto, prosím, omluvte chybějící „hacky a carky“, stylistické a gramatické nedokonalosti textů.

Bachelor Jan Riedl, CTU Prague,

ročník 4

Faculty

Faculty of Chemical Technology

Field of study

Metallic materials

Field of internship

Material Science and Engineering

Specialization of Internship

Materials Engineering

Internship period (from - to)

1.9.2022 - 28.2.2023

Internship duration (weeks)

Transport (means, price)

81 euro/3 months for public transport

Insurance/Insurance company

40 euro per month

Visa/Work permit (yes/no)

Price of Visa

City of Internship

Belgium, Ghent

Internship reference number

BE/2022-035UGE

About the country

Location of the place

Ghent is one of the biggest cities in Belgium, it has more than 200 thousands inhabitants.

City

Ghent city, one of the biggest in Belgium, really close to borders with Netherlands. It is huge student's city. Students are everywhere, so it is not problem to find people for party, traveling...

Surroundings (possible trips, ...)

Traveling all around Belgium is easy, by train for 5,5 euro you can get almost everywhere. I traveled to Bruxelles, Antwerpen, Oostende, Brugge and other cities. By flix bus or train you can go visit different cities in Netherlands like Haag, Rotterdam or Amsterdam. It is also quite easy to get to Paris or London.

Employer

OCAS has around 140 employees. They do research of several topics. They are accepting several trainees during whole year so they are used to have a lot interns.

Work description

My main goal was to prepare my material for heat treatment, than I did several mechanical testing and microstructure observations. From these result I had to conclude some results.

Salary (sufficient for local conditions?)

If your salary will be sufficient really depends on the accommodation you will find. My first accomodation was for 830 euros so my salary wasn't enough for living in Ghent. When I moved out to different accommodation, the price was 375 euros so then you are able to live in Ghent with the rest of the money you will keep.

Language requirements

In OCAS you will work in a multicultural team so everyone speaks English. Also, native Belgian people can speak English fluently.

Accommodation (price, who provided it)

My first accommodation was a studio close to the city centre for 830 euros, everything included. After a few weeks my landlord increased the rent by 50 euros so from the beginning of January I moved out to a shared house provided by the landlord who has a contract with OCAS company and she is providing rooms for trainees working in OCAS. The price is 375 euros or 425 depending on if you choose a smaller or bigger room. You can share a house with up to 3 other trainees and a landlord.

Social life

Meeting IAESTE members (pick-up at the airport, organized events...)

Local members of IAESTE went once for a beer with us, that was everything. No one will pick you up.

Meeting other foreign students

We had a WhatsApp group with other interns in Ghent so we could meet together. During my internship also a lot of other students were there for an internship so we could travel or spend time together.

Sport and culture

In Ghent you can find everything you need for sport or culture. Ghent and surounding areas are nice for biking.

Food, local specialties

You definitely have to try Belgian beers, chocolate, fries or see food. I also tried Ghent's waterzooi. Definitely go to Dulla Griet - 1,2 litre beer!

Other information

Possibilites to communicate with the Czech Republic

I had my Czech sim card and I could use it the same way as I was in the Czech Republic. I didn't have any problems with calls or the Internet.

Recommendations for students who will go to the same place

Definitely start looking for accommodation at least 3 months before your internship starts. A lot of students are coming to Ghent and my internship was approved 1 month before I should start and I was really struggling with finding accommodation.

What not to forget with you

If you will work in Zelzate you should come by car, there is no public transport there also bike could be handy.

Benefits of the internship

You can meet people from all over the world. You can gain a lot of experience with modern technologies. You will get nice experience to your CV, you can improve your english, you can get new contacts.

Cooperation with IAESTE in the foreign country

There was nothing like cooperation.

Overall experience with IAESTE

If I had know that I could just contact OCAS on my own without IAESTE I would have done so. Communication was terrible, no one really helps you and the fact that they will ask you for money for providing the internship which basically I had to provide myself on my own is joke.