Report on the two-week Erasmus+ 2026 internship in Vélez-Málaga by Jonas Schüssler, Sebastian Birth, and Philipp Roth
First of all, we would like to express our sincere thanks to Ms. Göpfert for making this special opportunity possible. Through the Erasmus+ program, we were able to travel to Spain to gain new professional experience, to get to know the local culture, and gain valuable insights into different working methods.
We are Jonas Schüssler, Sebastian Birth, and Philipp Roth. Through our school, we were given the opportunity to participate in a two-week Erasmus+ internship in Vélez-Málaga as part of a group of 15 people. The goal of the trip was to gain international professional experience and expand our technical knowledge.
During our internship, we worked together at a wastewater treatment plant. At the start, we received a comprehensive introduction to the entire facility and its various processes. In addition, we visited other sites belonging to the same company that focused on different aspects of wastewater treatment.
The insights into the electrical systems were particularly interesting. The electrician in charge explained the control and drive technology to us and showed us the various control cabinets and their respective functions. This allowed us to gain valuable practical experience and observe the technical processes up close.
The photo, for instance, shows us cleaning control cabinets and then using a thermal imaging camera to check for potential faults. This method allows us to detect issues such as uneven temperatures on individual conductors within a supply line, which can indicate technical problems. As part of this work, we even had the opportunity to replace a defective contactor.
Communication occasionally posed a challenge, as many employees spoke little or no English. Consequently, explanations were usually given in Spanish. Fortunately, one of us spoke Spanish, so—in addition to digital translation tools—we had a “personal translator” with us.
There was plenty to do outside of working hours as well. We used our free time to explore Vélez-Málaga and the surrounding area. We also took trips to Granada and Málaga, where we had the opportunity to discover these impressive cities, their culture, and their landmarks. A particular highlight was our visit to the Alhambra; its history and architecture left a lasting impression on us.
We also made sure to spend quality time together in the evenings. We often went out for meals as a group or gathered on the rooftop terrace of our accommodation, winding down the day with dinner and game nights.
Looking back, the Erasmus+ trip was an incredibly valuable experience for us. Beyond the professional skills we gained during our internship, we gathered new impressions and created unforgettable memories. We are very grateful for this.
