A contribution by Jan Haß:
Erasmus + Internship Abroad as part of the apprenticeship to become a materials tester at Lacroix + Kress GmbH
As part of my apprenticeship to become a materials tester at Lacroix + Kress, I had the opportunity to complete an Erasmus+ internship abroad. This is also possible in other apprentices and is highly recommended. The requirements for this are having completed the intermediate examination, sufficient good grades, applying with a motivational letter and CV, and the approval of the company. The whole process is organized through the vocational school, in my case the BBS Brinkstraße. They have partner schools in various countries that also participate in the Erasmus+ program and are in contact with the companies that offer the internship positions.
Everything happened much faster than expected, my application for a six-week internship in Vigo was accepted, flights as well as accommodation were booked, and my classmate and I landed in Porto. During the bus ride to Vigo, we already had great impressions of the enchanting landscape in Portugal and Spain. We stayed together in a holiday apartment in the center of Vigo, a metropolis with almost half a million inhabitants, on the Atlantic coast of Spain. The city itself impresses with elaborate murals on many buildings, beautiful beaches (especially on the Islas Cíes, see photo), interesting restaurants with great culinary offerings, and nice bars.
We were engaged at the AIMEN Technological Center, a company located about 25 kilometers south of Vigo that conducts tests for other companies. The customers come from various industries such as the automotive, shipbuilding, and aerospace industries. There we spent three weeks in each department and then swapped: I was first in the department for metallography and corrosion testing, where I was able to learn many testing methods that I was not previously familiar with from the everyday copper wire industry. I also worked with materials that I usually do not test, such as steels, aluminum, nickel alloys, as well as solid and liquid plastics. The other department was for mechanical testing, where I was able to learn methods that I had never performed before, such as fatigue, bending, and fracture tests. Personally, I found one test setup particularly interesting, in which a tensile test was conducted on a tow hook or rather car bumpers.
Furthermore, I was able to deepen my existing skills in both departments. Aside from professional development, I also enjoyed the Spanish culture, which shines with hospitality and calmness. The latter was particularly evident when there was a power outage across the entire Iberian Peninsula on April 28, 2025; this situation was handled with a calmness that would not be conceivable in Germany, where there was neither chaos on the streets nor panic among the population, and everything in the supermarkets remained orderly.
In summary, I would like to give a clear recommendation for this offer and thank the school and the company for the opportunity not only to further my professional education but also to gain insight into a country and culture that were previously unfamiliar to me – an opportunity that will not come again soon.
