The project was supported extremely well by the participating employers.

John Paterson, Store Manager for Dobbies Braehead who had three students - Benjamin, Marcus, and Malthe - on placement in store said:

They are very hard working lads, who have been a massive support to the store. The boys settled in well and integrated brilliantly within the store.

The boys even attended the Dobbies Store night out, giving them the full retail workers experience!

Jon Delaney, store manager at M&Co provided a placement for retail student, Julie Karger Jauernik, he commented:

Julie has been fantastic. She’s hardworking and friendly with all the customers. All the staff really like her as well.

The students were also all very positive about their experience in Scotland. Malthe Bernholm Johannsen said of his experience:

Everyday was fun. It's the best 3 weeks of my life. I enjoyed the amazing atmosphere in the store and the way the staff were towards each other. I did my best and was happy that they trusted me enough to give me the responsibility to do things properly on my own.

Marcus Ipsen Holmquist said of his work placement in Dobbies:

I really enjoyed my 3 weeks in your store, it was a really good experience for me to try, since I’ve never tried working in other countries than Denmark. Working at Dobbies was really something special for me. I had a great time getting to meet and getting to know the workers. Working at Dobbies was really fun for me, since I had to start from the bottom, using another language, not knowing all of the workers, and not knowing what type of costumers you have”

Benjamin Schmidt said of the Erasmus Programme:

I am so happy for the opportunity to have had international work experience at Dobbie’s.  I really had a good time in Scotland. I think the work experience have improved me as a person in just the way, I had wished for prior to my stay in Scotland.

Frieda Elleby Pickardt who fulfilled a 2 week placement with Boots said:

I´ve never met so many people, who were interested in me and in helping me find out what retail is all about. Every person we worked with, where very helpful and committed to their work. It makes me happy to see other people happy.

In Boots someone always had our backs, and where always so happy to be around. They taught me that retail is about what´s behind the store and that the store must be good looking.

It was a great opportunity to try working in another country and in Boots. And thank you for taking me to Glasgow and see how other retail stores do customer services. I knew that it was important, but you really showed me why.

Cecilie Kathrine Wrang, who joined Frieda in Boots said:

The staff in Boots have been so nice and sweet and that I really appreciate. It has been a great experience and I have learned so much I will use in my future. I’m already planning a trip to Scotland again!

Thank you to the managers and teams of the participating stores, Dobbies, Boots & M&Co and intu Braehead for their continued support in providing placements and valuable work experience to our international Erasmus+ students.

Also funded by the Erasmus+ Programme we are delighted to currently have a group of 11 students participate in an educational overseas trip. A group of 4 students from Professional Cookery & 7 students from our Computing faculties have travelled to Aarhus Tech in Aarhus, Denmark to take up placements. Watch this space for updates on how they got on!

Watch the vlog created by our Danish visitors and brush up on your Danish language skills: