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About This Project
In early 2025, five Swedish students arrived in Portsmouth for a two-week Erasmus+ work placement organised by IBD Partnership Group. Jessica, Jasmine, Emelie, David and Max, aged 18 and 19, were accompanied by their teacher Charlotte and placed across a range of employers in Portsmouth including retail, print, healthcare, and customer service. Watch a video recap of their experience here!
The programme focused on skills-based learning and job shadowing, combining real workplace experience with English language development in a professional setting. For most of the group it was their first extended time living and working abroad.
At the end of the placement the group spent a day in London with IBD, visiting Camden Market and Westfield before the journey home, certificates in hand.
What the Students Did
Each student was placed with a Portsmouth employer from their first working day with real daily responsibilities rather than observation-only roles. David gained customer service and communication experience in retail. Jessica and Max worked in retail and print, building practical workplace skills and professional English in sector environments directly relevant to their studies. Jasmine worked in a care setting, developing interpersonal skills and cultural awareness alongside her practical responsibilities. Emelie’s placement in retail gave her daily customer contact and a working understanding of how British businesses operate.
Beyond the workplace, evenings and weekends with British host families gave the group a window into daily life in the UK that no classroom preparation can replicate. By the final week all five were operating comfortably in a professional English environment, a step change from where they had started.
The London day out at the end of the programme was a highlight. Camden Market, Westfield and a certificate ceremony on the way to the train rounded off two weeks the group will not forget.
Feedback from Participants
“Using English in a different place, a different country, not just talking with friends in Sweden. That is what I came for and that is exactly what I got. Every day at work I had to think, speak and respond in English. It changes something in you.”
Max, age 18, Sweden
“Travelling, seeing other places, living abroad and doing something you never thought you would be doing. I felt a bit outside at first, not knowing the place. But after a few days everyone was so kind and I realised I had nothing to worry about. I feel great about what I did here.”
David, age 19, Sweden
“I was nervous about not knowing the city or how to get around, but it was all so easy in reality. Within a few days I knew the buses, I knew the streets, I knew my way to work. I even surprised myself with how quickly I settled in.”
Jessica, age 18, Sweden
About IBD Partnership Group
IBD Partnership Group has been organising Erasmus+ and international work placements for European students in the UK since 2005, welcoming more than 50,000 participants from across Europe. We handle everything from employer matching and host family accommodation to welfare support, airport transfers and all Erasmus+ documentation.
If you are a school, VET college or sending organisation looking to place students in the UK from 2027 when Erasmus+ reopens to UK destinations, contact us today.
