Student Summa breaks through the glass ceiling of the European Parliament

Nisreen Hakrash, a legal, insurance & HR services student at Summa, is well on her way to making history. This 20-year-old vocational student has done something no one thought possible: she broke through the glass ceiling of Brussels bureaucracy. The European Parliament doesn't normally accept vocational interns. But thanks to her determination and a clever move by MEP Mohammed Chahim from Helmond, change seems to be on the horizon.

It all started with a dream. After a school visit to the European Parliament in 2023, Nisreen knew for sure: "This is where I want to work when I grow up." From her Citizenship program at Summa Business Services, she became the first junior ambassador for Europe. And when an internship opened up in December with GroenLinks-PvdA in Brussels, she jumped at the chance. Apply? No hesitation. Do it!

Three successful rounds of interviews later, everything seemed to be in order. Until the bureaucratic process threw a wrench in the works. What turned out? The European Parliament has rather… exclusive tastes when it comes to interns. Vocational students? Nope. Only students who can go straight to university are welcome. And it just so happens that vocational students require a stopover via higher professional education.

MEP Chahim has been advocating for vocational internships in parliament for three years. And recently, he came up with a trick: he had the GroenLinks-PvdA delegation registered as an accredited vocational training company.

Smart? Absolutely! Enough? Unfortunately, not. Brussels kept the gates closed. But after some additional parliamentary pressure, the matter now rests with the highest authorities of the European Parliament. A final decision is expected in March. "A major step towards equal opportunities," says Nisreen. "Vocational students still have fewer opportunities than students in higher professional education and university."

For Nisreen, the outcome came too late, but that didn't stop her from pushing through. She's now happily interning at another company and is completing her studies without delay. "I was lucky that a company offered me a great opportunity!" And although she hasn't been able to find work in Brussels (yet), she's proud that her application has sparked something much bigger. "Hopefully, future vocational interns will soon be able to walk into the European Parliament without having to navigate a half-assed obstacle course of regulations first."

And Nisreen herself? She hasn't forgotten about Brussels just yet. The GroenLinks-PvdA party has already invited her to come as a trainee after her studies. "I'm not giving up! This adventure has only made me more determined."

In addition to her studies, Julieta is committed to inspiring prospective students to study at Summa. "I give presentations, facilitate open evenings, and visit pre-vocational secondary schools. Many students don't know exactly what a service-related degree entails. I enjoy giving them a realistic understanding of this and showing them the opportunities they have in the business world later on."

Curious which program is right for you? Come find out what suits you best at Summa's information evening on Thursday, March 20th. Check out our activity calendar.