Hi everyone, I’m Esmeralda Yuste, a third year Politics and International Relations undergraduate at the University of York. I am currently doing an internship at the Spanish Chamber of Commerce where I´m working as a Foreign Trade Assistant.
The main part of my job is working on Trade Agendas, where I help either Spanish or British companies to find a suitable market in the other country. Trade Agendas involve doing research on the company and identifying the companies that would be a good fit for them to collaborate with. It is a long process of communicating with companies via email and phone calls but it’s really rewarding to give companies the opportunity to get in contact with each other and talk about beneficial partnerships.
My role also involves helping with any ongoing projects of the Chamber, which could range from finding internship opportunities for students through the Eramus+ programme, to promoting events in Spain to British companies such as Exporpymes. Working in the Foreign Trade Department involves working on big ongoing projects with great flexibility, but sometimes I find myself meeting strict deadlines. Even when I feel like the task may be undoable, I always feel rewarded when I accomplish challenging tasks.
One of the perks of working for the Spanish Chamber is that you get to attend different events. From events in the Embassy, to Business Breakfasts, business fairs… All of them offer a great opportunity to meet and talk to new people, making connections that would be advantageous and valuable in the future.
One thing I would highlight about the Chamber is its flat hierarchy. Everyone in the team sits side-by-side in the office, and you can easily approach anyone. The members of the team are always keen to help out and solve any questions you may have.
Obtaining work experience has undoubtedly opened up the possibilities of my future career. So for anyone considering doing an internship at the Chamber, I would completely recommend it. Even if it’s just for a short period of time, an internship is always a good memory to look back on and smile.