Brussels meshes together European cultures, languages and politics and despite the seemingly relentless rain; it is a hive for talented graduates from all over Europe.
Being lodged in a convenient spot in Europe, Paris, Germany, The Netherlands and now London are all reachable in less than three hours by train.
UK degrees are highly regarded in Brussels and native English speakers are sought after for a variety of roles. Although these roles tend to be geared towards the European institutions, other sectors, namely: recruitment, telecommunications and IT should not to be overlooked.
The most popular route for those seeking to work for the EU institutions is through an internship either at the Commission as a stagier or as an assistant to a European Member of Parliament, both of which do require you to have a working knowledge of one of the 23 official European languages, other than English. The Commission recruits stagiers on a six monthly basis and a small stipend is offered (usually about 1000 EUR) which in Brussels is enough to cover basic costs with enough left over for spending.
The stagier community is lively and well organised and in some ways like university – fresher parties, events and groups are part and parcel of the experience. Parliamentary assistantships do not have the same selection process and each MEP decides where and when they advertise for assistants and they may last for the entire term the MEP is in office. It is usually worth contacting your MEP directly for this post.
A Masters degree is not a requirement but you will be up against many European candidates hold post-graduate qualifications. Many British graduates arrive in Brussels, work and then to decide to go on to specialise in European affairs and study for a Masters. Classes are taught in either English or French at one of the two universities in Brussels (the VUB and the ULB). The universities in Brussels are well-regarded internationally and doing a Masters degree here is a fraction of the price of doing one in the UK.
Graduate Alexandra Culliford who moved to Brussels from London and now works for a communications company in Brussels, said: "Of course it depends on the industry you work in, but Brussels doesn't seem to have the same culture of working extremely long hours that many graduates in London experience.
"In many areas of life money seems to go a lot further in Brussels than in the UK. This is particularly true in terms of renting property: it is possible to rent a large flat in one of the nicest areas of the centre of Brussels. Commuting to work also really doesn't have to be a hassle. Many people live close enough to work to walk, but the public transport system is also reliable and significantly cheaper than in London.
"Brussels is a fairly small city, but it has excellent leisure facilities - it's not the clubbing capital of Europe but it does offer something for most tastes, and there are countless bars and restaurants."
Henry Wasung agrees. He works at the European Commission, having studied Law and Spanish at Cardiff University. He moved to Brussels in May 2007. "Like most, I came here for work," he said. "Brussels is a nice city, and well -ocated for travel - there's also a fair amount going on here. The only negative is that living in Brussels its all to easy to stay in the EU bubble, where everybody you meet is an expat."
Amber Keilty studied English and German Law at Liverpool. She worked in Brussels for Grayling Political Strategy and for Hill and Knowlton. She recently returned to the UK.
She says that working in Brussels provided her with a more intense experience and exposure to a wider range of professional environments (from NGOs, to International Organsiations, multinationals, lobby groups, private and public sector) than she have would otherwise got in the UK.
"Brits are under represented and in that sense it is an untapped resource for graduates– native English speakers are considered a hot commodity."
It is often only the graduates who have done an Erasmus exchange or followed languages as part of their degree programme who gravitate towards Brussels. Yet, those considering a less well-trodden route into their first job or those not seduced by the bright London lights should take a peek at this option.
