Our colleague Mara is a trainee office management assistant at syniotec. You can find out why she traveled to Malta and what she experienced there in this article!
Mara joined syniotec in 2021 as an apprentice in the field of office management. As she is responsible for a constantly growing area of work, we have enabled her to take part in further training to become a European businesswoman as part of her training. But it is in the July Traveled to Malta for 3 weeks. Find out what she experienced there and what special experiences she had here.
As part of my additional training as a European business administrator at syniotec, I flew to Malta with Paragon and with Erasmus funding. In preparation for this trip, I filled out a europass online, which basically works like an international application folder. Selected companies were then able to view these applications on site and select interns. Blueprint Periti chose me, so on my first day I set off to find the office.
I arrived in Malta late in the evening on the first day and then had to go to my new job on my own the next morning. I immediately noticed that buses in Malta are definitely different to those in Germany – rarely on time and all equipped with air conditioning. Why? Because it’s around 30 degrees every day.
My everyday working life in Malta
As I am training to be an office administrator, I carried out typical tasks for this area. I worked there independently as an office administration assistant and was responsible for document filing, folder structure, project management, research tasks and generally keeping the office tidy. In addition to these activities, I was in constant internal communication regarding the various projects in order to clarify their status and the necessary upcoming tasks with the people responsible. Because updating the project status was also one of my tasks – digital and analog.
Exciting project for the international campus
I traveled with a friend from my vocational school class and we stayed in a room together. On site, we cooked together with the other trainees every evening. Supermarkets in other countries are always a very special experience for me – Malta was no exception. It took a few days to find your way around and find the equivalent of normal cream, for example.
The university is currently building a new campus for international students. We were accommodated there. A lot was still under construction, but the important things were already finished: A large pool, modern rooms and communal kitchens and, of course, a Starbucks right on campus. The future vision of this construction project is to simulate a small city center on the campus, as any shopping facilities were not so easy to reach, despite the rather central location in Msida.
Lagoons, cruises and unique architecture: my highlights from Malta
At the weekend, we tried to soak up as much Malta as possible. The island of Gozo in the north was a special highlight – early in the morning we jumped on a boat which, after a stop at the Blue Lagoon, went straight to Gozo. The Blue Lagoon is a bay with crystal-clear water, which was pleasantly warm at this time of year. It is a popular tourist destination and I now understand why. On Gozo, we opted for a bus tour to see as much of the island as possible before the ferry had to take us back to Malta.
We also visited Valetta, the capital of Malta. There was so much to see there that we were there for 3 days. I was particularly impressed by the many old and authentic buildings in which small restaurants were run today. The many shady shopping opportunities offered a welcome change from the hot sun that shone all day.
Malta’s architecture in general is very special – lots of buildings thrown together, with modern splashes between the old walls. Everything is kept very tight, the struggle for space and expansion of living space prevails.
Our office in Malta
Despite the buildings often looking old and inconspicuous from the outside, you are surprised when you walk in; our office in particular had a narrow, inconspicuous door, but was very modern inside. The open rooms spread over 4 floors created a pleasant and modern atmosphere.
There were many parallels here with our office in Germany. Open spaces, home office options and a rather small company with a maximum of 10 employees.
Of course, every room, or every floor, was also equipped with air conditioning. This made working very bearable, especially during the hot midday hours. The team on site was very open and welcomed me well.
… and so I really enjoyed working in a small team in Malta, as well as the country itself with all its special features. An experience I wouldn’t want to miss – and I know where I can go on vacation next time! 🙂
