„Būti Europos Audito Rūmų auditore labai įdomu. Turėjau galimybę dirbti įvairiais klausimais, tokiais kaip palydovinės navigacijos sistema GALILEO, ES vandens politika, ekologiškų produktų sertifikavimas, atsinaujinančioji energija ir kt. Kalbėdamiesi su įvairių sričių ekspertais sužinome naujų įdomių dalykų ir galime suprasti audituojamų temų niuansus. Europos Audito Rūmuose esame privilegijuoti, nes matome visus elementus: ES taisykles, Komisijos vaidmenį, kaip organizuotos įvairios valstybės narės, ko reikia naudos gavėjams ir ką jie galvoja, kaip padėtį vertina lobistai ar veiklos grupės ir kokių uždavinių kyla įgyvendinant politiką.“

Europos Audito Rūmų I kolegijos „Tvarus gamtos išteklių naudojimas“ pagrindinė auditorė

After gaining 15 years of experience in the private sector (mainly in internal and external communication), I joined the European Commission in 2013 and took up my current position at Directorate-General for Translation (DGT).

As a translation assistant at the European Commission, you are always in the middle of the news. Whereas in other Directorate-Generals the focus is on one policy area, at DGT all possible themes are covered. And we receive all types of text formats, such as legislative proposals, decisions, speeches, press releases, letters, etc. We are therefore always involved in current EU policy.

As an assistant you are at the service of others: translators, the head of unit, other assistants, etc. There is always someone who needs your help. Moreover, translators work to strict deadlines. Being able to quickly assess what is important, i.e. recognising priorities, is therefore a must. Especially as these priorities can change. In order to deal with unexpected twists in the planning, you need to have talent for organising. Good teamwork and communication with colleagues are also crucial.

As a translation assistant, you have many diverse responsibilities. It is therefore a plus if you like multi-tasking. Moreover, you work very independently: each assistant handles (every aspect of) the translation requests within his or her portfolio. The work is therefore varied. Translators count on you to spontaneously jump in where you can, so that they can focus on their work.

When I started out as a translation assistant, I had a lot to deal with. Fortunately, DGT provides all the necessary training. Moreover, during your induction period you are coached by experienced colleagues, either from your own or from another language department. Continuous training is encouraged. And this is very welcome, because the translation world quickly evolves, also from a technological point of view. Only if you master new applications quickly you can offer the best possible support.

Dutch and Flemish people work together in our department. The working atmosphere is surprisingly informal, more than you might expect from an EU institution. There is a lot of collegiality. This not only ensures that we deliver high-quality translations as a team, but also that it is a pleasure to work here, even in periods of heavy work pressure.

The official language in our department is Dutch, our mother tongue. That is quite special in such an international environment. It makes working together comfortable. We also use other languages - mainly English and French - on a daily basis in our contacts with colleagues from other departments.

As an assistant, you work with people at various levels within the organisation. Strong language and communication skills are therefore essential!

Working as a translation assistant at the European Commission means, above all, helping to steer the work of translators, the head of unit and your fellow assistants in the right direction. In this way, you contribute to the communication with EU citizens.

Linguistic assistant for the Dutch Translation Unit at European Commission (Directorate-General for Translation)

Esu ekspertas pagrindinių teisių srityje, pagal išsilavinimą – istorikas. Europos Komisijoje dirbu nuo 2015 m. Anksčiau ėjau kovos su antisemitizmu koordinatoriaus pavaduotojo pareigas, dabar esu ES vertybių, pagrindinių teisių ir Europos atminimo sričių finansavimo programų vadovas.

Savo karjerą pradėjau Švietimo ir kultūros GD generalinio direktoriaus pavaduotojo biure. Per šešerius Europos Komisijoje praleistus metus dirbau keliuose skirtinguose departamentuose, pvz., Švietimo ir kultūros GD Jaunimo politikos skyriuje ir Migracijos ir vidaus reikalų GD Prieglobsčio politikos skyriuje.

Mano darbas labai įvairus – nuo ES finansavimo pristatymo pilietinės visuomenės organizacijoms iki naujų finansavimo mechanizmų, kurie padėtų kovojant su rasizmu, diskriminacija ir antisemitizmu, formavimo ir glaudaus mūsų politikos prioritetų lygybės srityje suderinimo su parama, kurią galime suteikti suinteresuotiesiems subjektams, užtikrinimo.

Žydų istorijos trečiosios pakopos studijų Ludwig-Maximilians universitete (Miunchenas) metu vienus akademinius metus praleidau Jeruzalės Hebrajų universitete. Taip pat esu įgijęs Europos studijų magistro laipsnį Europos kolegijoje Varšuvoje (Natolinas). Aktyviai dalyvauju didžiausiame proeuropietiškame jaunimo judėjime „Jaunieji Europos federalistai“, anksčiau buvau jo Užsienio reikalų komiteto pirmininkas. Esu Amerikos tarybos Vokietijos klausimais jaunųjų lyderių konferencijos auklėtinis, iki šiol dalyvauju jų darbo grupėje įvairovės, lygybės ir įtraukties klausimais.

„ES institucijų pareigūnu tapau 2016 m. po daugiau kaip 10 metų darbo privačiajame sektoriuje informacinių technologijų srityje. Nuo 2021 m. vasario mėn. esu Europos Parlamento Inovacijų ir technologinės pagalbos generalinio direktorato darbuotojas.

Eidamas savo pareigas atsakau už informacinių technologijų projektus daug žadančioje skaitmeninės darbo vietos ir skaitmeninės transformacijos srityje.

Mane įkvepia galimybė matyti, kaip IT sprendimai, už kuriuos esi atsakingas, ir įdėtos pastangos padeda veikti sudėtingos struktūros institucijai ir keliems tūkstančiams darbuotojų bei suinteresuotųjų subjektų.

Reikalaujamas bendras atsakomybės jausmas skatina mane būti kuo profesionalesniu, nes mano darbo rezultatai labai matomi ir tiesiogiai susiję su kasdieniu Europos Parlamento narių ir vyresniųjų šios institucijos pareigūnų darbu.

Darbo aplinka yra išskirtinė, ji suteikia galimybę imtis iniciatyvos ir panaudoti savo gebėjimus ir kompetenciją. Vadovai mus palaiko ir rūpinasi, kad sklandžiai integruotumėmės į Europos Parlamento kolektyvą. Ypač vertinu daugiakultūrę aplinką – kasdien bendrauju su kolegomis iš įvairių Europos šalių.

Turime įvairiausių mokymosi galimybių ir investuojama į profesinį tobulėjimą, kuris yra nepaprastai svarbus tokioje sparčiai besivystančioje srityje kaip informacinės technologijos.“

Europos Parlamento Inovacijų ir technologinės pagalbos generalinio direktorato Organizacijos informacinių sistemų skyriaus IT projektų vadovas

I started working for the European institutions in 2014, moved around a lot as contract/temporary agent in the Council and the European Commission, before finally joining the Quality of Legislation Directorate (DQL) in 2019 as assistant to lawyer-linguists.

Working in the DQL is quite challenging and interesting at the same time, as we are the final instance before something gets published in the Official Journal of the EU, so we have to be very attentive and have an eye for eventual typos and/or other kinds of mistakes.

The thing about working here that I like a lot is that, although we are in a multicultural environment, in our rather small tandem teams we are in constant touch with our mother-tongue.

Another very important aspect is that, on the one hand, we are not at all micromanaged by the hierarchy, while, on the other hand, managers do take care of their staff's needs by empowering them to get adequate training to guarantee the best possible service.

Lingustic assistant in the Croatian-Slovenian lawyer-linguist tandem team at the Council of the European Union

My name is Tessa, I come from Spain and I work as a lawyer-linguist assistant in the Dutch team.

When I finished my master's degree in legal translation, I thought that my next step would be to work as a freelancer, but I am proud to say that the European institutions offer opportunities to motivated young people eager to be part of the European project.

Working at DQL – where we check the drafting quality of legal acts of the European Council and of the Council – is both challenging and rewarding, as you get to participate and gain an insight into the process of adopting legislation. It is most motivating to be part of a multicultural team with colleagues from different academic, professional and social backgrounds where you are constantly encouraged to continue growing personally and professionally, while benefiting from good working conditions, a wide range of training opportunities and the possibility to change jobs between services and institutions.

If you always wanted an international challenging and interesting career, I highly recommend working for the European institutions. Besides, life in Brussels is enriching and interesting with many activities and events to enjoy.

Lawyer-linguist assistant in the Dutch team in the Directorate Quality of Legislation (DQL) at the Council of the European Union

„Gimiau už Europos Sąjungos ribų, už vadinamosios geležinės uždangos, bet augau pokyčių laikais. Baigiau Sofijos technikos universitetą. Netrukus mano šalis įstojo į ES ir aš pradėjau dirbti Europos Sąjungoje, nes keliauti į kitas šalis, dirbti užsienio įmonėje ir gyventi užsienyje tapo lengviau. Kelerius metus dirbau ir gyvenau Europos Sąjungoje, o dabar dar ir dirbu vienoje iš jos institucijų.

Po 7 metų patirties privačiajame IT sektoriuje 2011 m. tapau vienos iš 34 decentralizuotų ES agentūrų laikinuoju darbuotoju. Joje supratau, kad darbas Europos Sąjungos institucijoje yra ne tik patirtis daugiakultūrėje aplinkoje, bet ir savo gebėjimų bei kvalifikacijos panaudojimas bendrai įvairių šalių, kurių kiekviena gali veikti skirtingai, gyventojų gerovei. Mano, programų portfelio valdytojo, užduotis buvo užtikrinti tinkamą įdiegtos SAP ERP programinės įrangos veikimą. Su specialistų komanda analizavome atnaujinamus veiklos reikalavimus ir diegėme reikiamas papildomas funkcijas.

2012 m. dalyvavau tokiame pat kaip šis EPSO konkurse – Europos Sąjunga ieškojo kvalifikuotų ir patyrusių IRT specialistų, norinčių tapti jos institucijų darbuotojais. Laimėjęs konkursą pradėjau dirbti Europos Parlamento Naujovių ir technologinės pagalbos generaliniame direktorate (ITEC GD), kuriame tebesu ir šiandien. Organizacijos yra kaip gyvi organizmai – procesai jose bręsta, duomenų ir pajėgumų daugėja, kuriami, vykdomi ir baigiami projektai, nuolat (dažnai pasikeitus prioritetams) kažkas vyksta.

Per pastaruosius 8 metus Naujovių ir technologinės pagalbos generaliniame direktorate pareigas pakeičiau tris kartus – buvau projektų vadovu, buvau atsakingas už programas, o dabar esu padalinio vadovas. Darbas organizacijos, atstovaujančios 450 mln. ES piliečių interesams, IT padalinyje yra ir atsakomybė, ir įsipareigojimas, kur gebėjimas gerai dirbti komandoje tėra pradžia. Tai taip pat neįtikėtinas karjeros kelias berniukui, kuris pasuko į IT sritį, nes mėgo kompiuterinius žaidimus.“

Europos Parlamento Naujovių ir technologinės pagalbos generalinio direktorato Organizacijos IT sistemų skyrius

My name is Ann, I am Belgian and I speak Dutch as mother tongue as well as English, French, Spanish and German. I joined the European Commission in 2003 with a temporary contract and became a permanent official in 2005. With good preparation and determination, passing an open competition is certainly not a mission impossible!

Working for the EU has been nothing but a positive experience. You work with enthusiastic, dedicated and competent colleagues. You can constantly develop your professional and personal skills through a large variety of courses. The institutions promote job mobility, so you can acquire experience in different positions throughout your career.

I worked in four different positions before I joined Directorate-General for Translation (DGT) Dutch language department as a linguistic assistant. I like the variety of my tasks and the independent way of working. I can put my language knowledge, eye for detail and practical approach to good use. Good word processing, prioritising and communication skills are also important, as well as a proactive attitude.

In my work for DGT, I deal with different types of texts related to all domains in which the EU is active. I will never forget the process leading to the Brexit-agreement. It took a whole team of translators and assistants to ensure timely delivery of the translations involved. International crises, such as the war in Ukraine, also have an impact on your work. Events like these, both foreseen and unexpected, show how much our work – that of assistants included – is subject to the ins and outs of EU-politics.

I also love working in an international and multicultural environment. When you walk through the building, you see posters and newspapers from different countries. In the elevator or cafeteria, you hear different languages. When you socialize with your colleagues, you learn a lot about their culture and habits. Even though my direct colleagues, from the Dutch language department, all speak Dutch as a mother tongue, comparisons between Flemish and Dutch from the Netherlands can lead to amusing and animated conversations.

Linguistic assistant at the Dutch translation unit at the European Commission (Directorate-General for Translation)

I joined Parliament in 2017. Previously, I had worked as a translator in Croatia and my linguistic background helped me to master various tasks involved in this job, but it was not a prerequisite. I work with colleagues from diverse academic and social backgrounds and I am happy to say that I have learned a lot from them, as the work of a translation assistant is very diverse and dynamic.

What I enjoy the most about my job is the feeling of belonging and contributing to the European project – especially given the essential role that the EP's multilingualism policy plays in protecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Union. It promotes transparency and understanding – values that are also highly respected in our work environment.

With its wide variety of training opportunities and emphasis on professional development, the EP is a great place to learn and develop. The work environment is welcoming and allows you to take initiative and use your skills and expertise for the greater good, while its multicultural nature gives you an opportunity to meet incredible people from all over Europe who share similar values.

Translation assistant at the Croatian Translation Unit, Directorate-General for Translation (TRAD), European Parliament

I decided to participate in an EPSO competition for translation assistants; I passed it, and joined Parliament in 2008! Being an open, active and communicative person, I made the most of it and enjoyed every single day of my working life here – and I still do.

My work involves the use of a range of both linguistic and technical skills, which makes it very dynamic. Given that we use a variety of different tools and working methods, and that our technical instruments are always being developed further, there is always room to grow personally and broaden one’s knowledge.

For me, working for DG TRAD at Parliament is like building a linguistic bridge between the political world and the citizens of each member state. The EP’s newest projects bring us closer to people, and help us to connect and interact with them. I see myself as part of a big structure: as it is the case with all complex, multi-faceted mechanisms, every single part of the system is important. Only together do we make it work!

Linguistic assistant at the Estonian Translation Unit at European Parliament (Directorate-General for Translation (TRAD))