Technische Universität Berlin

Internship GuidelinesDepartment of Urban Development

2020

Internship Guidelines

2 Campus El Gouna – 2018

ContentRegulations on internships 3

General 3

Objectives of the internship 3

Content, businesses and institutions for internships 3

Procedure and organization 4

Finding an internship in Germany 7

Where to apply 7

How to apply 8

Appendix 11

General

3Department of Urban Development

Regulations on internships

General

The internship coordinator is responsible for all questions and inquiries associated with the internship program as part of the Urban Development master course. This includes accreditation, alleviation, and exemption.

The current internship coordinator is:

Papon Kumar Dev

dev@tu-berlin.de+49 30 314 75921Ackerstr. 76, ACK 4-113355 Berlin, Germany

Objectives of the internship

The goal of the practical training is to enhance and compliment the academic training at the university. The students will have the possibility to get to know a work environ-ment, interact and collaborate with employees and observe business structures and processes – ideally in a country different from their country of origin.

To summarize, the internship aims at helping students to:

• Apply their technical and methodical skills to the work place• Get to know the essential work processes and structures of urban

planners and developers• Get acquainted with their future work environment• Gain job orientation and find a field of specialty

Content, businesses and institutions for internships

It is recommended that students will do their internship outside of their country of origin. An internship abroad (even in the country of origin) will be accredited if it com-plies with the guidelines and a certification and internship report in German or English is turned in on time. If the certification and/or the report is in a language other than those two, students may be asked to submit a translation. Previous consultation with the internship representative is advised.

Internship Guidelines

The intern should work in businesses or institutions covering the following fields of work:

• Urban and regional development businesses, urban planning anddevelopment project management, architecture, or constructionproject development companies

• Consulting firms that are active in the field of urban development(e.g. GIZ)

• International entities or institutions that are active in the field ofurban development (e.g. UN Habitat)

• NGOs or sponsors of urban and social development, urban rede-velopment, renewal and district management

• Administrative entities or governmental institutions focused onurban planning and development (federal / land / district / com-munal)

• Institutes of urban research (including university institutes)

Procedure and organization

Extend and timing of the internship• Minimum of four (4) weeks (20 working days / 40h per week)• The minimum of four weeks can also be achieved by completing

several internships that total four (4) weeks or more• Internships with a duration exceeding four weeks can be appro-

ved by the internship coordinator IF the place of internship is unwilling to provide an internship for only four weeks AND the student’s studies are not compromised

• Three (3) CP will be accredited for successful completion of the internship (including submitting a report and certification)

• In general, the internship is to be completed between semester two (2) and three (3). Any alterations are subject to approval by the internship coordinator.

ApplicationApplying for an internship position is the responsibility of the student. Applying ahead of time is recommended. Students can approach the internship coordinator if they are having problems securing an internship position.

Internship contractA contract is required between the intern and his place of internship. Requirements, duties and privileges will be specified in the contract.

CompensationThe place of internship has authority over whether an intern is entitled to a monetary compensation and how high that compensation will be if it does not violate any other laws (see below).

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Procedure and organization

5Department of Urban Development

According to §22 MiLoG the employer is not required to pay minimum wage for the duration of a mandatory internship (in this case for four weeks). If he wants to employ the intern for longer than that there is a need for an additional contract for a “freiwilli-ges Praktikum” (voluntary internship). The employer will be exempt from paying mini-mum wage for the duration of three months for a voluntary internship. To summarize how long employers are not legally required to pay the intern minimum wage:

Minimum duration obligatory internship (here four weeks) + three months = maximum time without minimum wage

Internship certification and reportThe internship must be validated which consist of a certification by the place of interns-hip and an internship report written by the intern.

The certification must contain the following details:

• Name and address of business / organization / institution• Contact information of internship supervisor at place of interns-

hip• Start date, hours per week and duration of the internship• Your full name, date of birth, and nationality• Short list of the tasks carried out or involved in during your interns-

hip• Date, signature and stamp of the organizationThe internship cer-

tification must be in English or German.

The intern should summarize the work performed and the knowledge and skills gained during their internship in the internship report.

The extent of the report is to be between five (5) and seven (7) pages (DIN A4, 12pt, 1  ½ spacing) including illustrations, sketches, drawings, etc. and the report should be in Eng-lish.

The following elements should be included in the report in the following sequence:

• Type of business / institution / organization• Scale of business / institution / organization (employees, regional

/ national / international)• Field of work of the business / institution / organization• Description of the work processes and tasks that were part of the

internship• Description of knowledge and skills gained and/or applied during

the internship• Reflection on the company’s understanding of “urban develop-

ment” and how it differs from the approaches taught in UrbanDevelopment Master’s program

Internship Guidelines

• Personal reflection on the internship (criticism, value, personaltakeaway, etc.)

Work samples that do not violate any company regulations, copyright and confidentia-lity agreements, can be included in the appendix of the internship report for illustration (no more than two pages).

The internship report may be published on the website of the department.

Accreditation The intern must submit the original internship certification and report in paper and via email (as a PDF attachment) to the internship coordinator no later than one month after completing the internship to obtain accreditation. In case of multiple internships that amount to four (4) weeks or more the deadline is derived from the last internship com-pleted. Certifications must be submitted for each individual internship.

If the student has met all criteria for accreditation he/she will be awarded 3CP.

Alleviation and exemptionStudents who are unable to complete an internship as intended due to an established disability can be granted alleviation by the internship coordinator.

In case of severe disability or handicap, students can be exempt from the required internship on application.

ExceptionsThe internship coordinator can allow deviations from the required contents of the internship. In that case the students must supply proof that there is a sufficient connection between the sought internship and the urban development master course.

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Where to apply

7Department of Urban Development

F inding an internship in Germany

Where to apply

Advertised internshipsYou will find many internships advertised online and sometimes in newspapers. Search online platforms like Indeed (see appendix) for keywords and see if there is anything in your field open for applications. Vary the keywords to get better results: Some urban planning or development positions are hidden away behind the architecture banner. Also geography and sociology and project management might give interesting positi-ons.

If an internship is not advertised online, it does not mean that it does not exist. Someti-mes companies also have a paragraph on their website about whether they take interns (look for the ‘work with us’ page).

Directly with the company or organizationNot all internships are advertised, and some companies and institutions take interns all year round. This is the case for UN Habitat for example where you can apply through a designated website. Applying through online form can be tedious work, so consider creating a word document where you can store frequently asked questions or required information so that you can just copy+paste it to the website.

It is always good to follow the rules first (apply the way you are supposed to) but then address the people you want to work with directly in a polite manner and show them what you can provide to the company/institution (e.g. look up recently published artic-les by someone in the branch that you want to work in and refer to how you can add to something they are doing).

If you already have an idea of companies or institutions that would be a perfect fit but cannot find info on internships, contact them directly and ask about the application procedures and what they are looking for at the moment.

Through LinkedIn/XingProfessional networking sites like LinkedIn and Xing are becoming more popular with employers, employees and job seekers. Before you make any contact through the web-site, make sure that your profile is up to date, contains a presentable photo and a list of skills (if they are verified by previous employers, even better!). Pay attention to the headline (how you summarize yourself as a professional) and that you list all your cre-dentials (relevant projects, skills, publications, engagement).

Through networks/contactsNetworking can go a long way in securing employment. You can be the first one to hear about job opportunities or get information about who to contact. Networking mee-tings, online networks (such as LinkedIn), conferences, job and internship fairs are just some of the possibilities to get in touch with the right people. Building great networks can not only help your career but help you to make friends in a field that you are really

Internship Guidelines

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interested in. It is a good idea to set time aside next to your studies to plan and create networks that can help you advance your career and enrich your life.

How to apply

Application portfolioIn Germany the typical “Bewerbungsmappe” aka the application portfolio consists of a cover sheet (including a photograph of yourself), a cover letter, your CV, and the copies of all your High School and university diploma.

Cover letterThe cover letter is the literally the first thing that employers will see of your application so make sure that it is clearly arranged, not longer than one page, to the point, looks appealing, and highlights what you can offer to the company.

Double-check the following details:

• Company name• Addresses (including email)• Phone numbers• Title of the person you are addressing• Date• Appropriate greeting• Your signature• Spelling

If you are using a template for your cover letter, then highlight all the parts that would need to be adjusted for a new application (this way it is easier to spot where something still needs to be changed). It is strongly advised not to keep the content of the cover letter so generic that it could be applied to any business or organization – usually gene-ric cover letters leave a negative impression and can cost you the position.

Focus on how you can add to the company and how you understand and are aligned with their vision or goal. Do not mention skills or experiences here that are irrelevant for the internship you want to do.

Curriculum Vitae (CV)There is lots of advice online (google ‘German CV’ or ‘Lebenslauf’) to help you draft and format your CV. The most important aspects are that your CV is:

• Chronological• Separated into categories (e.g. education, work experience, soft

and hard skills, etc.)• Relevant (include the skills relevant to the position)

How to apply

9Department of Urban Development

• Written in one format (especially if you have used copy+paste forany section, double-the font is coherent and dates or headers allhave the same format)

• Precise (a long CV will only annoy a potential employer if it con-tains things that could have been summarized or left out). Itshould be no more than two pages.

Decision maker Make sure that you address the right person when applying for an internship. In a “Stel-lenausschreibung” this person would be specified. If unsure about the title, google the first name to get an idea if they are male or female. NEVER use the first name, always refer to the last name (e.g. “Frau/Herr Nachname”).

If you are unsure about who to address in a ‘blind’ application, you can either direct your query to the “Personalabteilung” (human resources) for bigger firms or to the general secretary for smaller firms. In that case a formal greeting of “Sehr geehrte Dame, sehr geehrter Herr,” can be applied.

Follow upInterns are usually NOT the highest priority for a business. After you have submitted your application and heard nothing back, you can follow up with the point of contact. Be polite, do not focus on your own needs but instead just ask what the status is and when you are likely to hear back.

When to applyIt is advised that you apply early for several internship positions that suit you and are aligned with the internship guidelines. The bigger and more well-known the company is, the more likely it is that they have many applicants, take longer to process applicati-ons, and plan their schedules sometimes a year in advance. Three months in advance is the absolute minimum but do not get discouraged if you have not secured an interns-hip in time. Some companies might be able to take you on short notice.

Internship durationThe internship guidelines require an internship of no less than four weeks. Realistically, a lot of employers are looking for someone who will stay longer with the company (some even for six months). If it will not negatively affect your studies or scholarship, you are really interested in the company and you can support yourself during this time, then you can consider staying longer with them. Be clear about the tasks you will be performing. An internship is about learning something, not performing administrative tasks without or with little compensation.

CompensationIn Germany, about 40% of internships are unpaid. If you are entitled to a compensation will be decided by your employer and specified in the internship contract in accordance with the Mindestlohngesetz (MiLoG) aka the minimum wage law in Germany. However, if you are performing a significant number of tasks for your employer that are not part of your learning experience (e.g. translation services), you can ask whether you will be compensated for your work.

Internship Guidelines

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How to get the most out of your internshipTo take full advantage of your internship set yourself some goals before you even start. What do you want to learn? What questions do you want to ask? Are there specific people that you want to meet through your internship?

Write your internship report while you are still interning instead of after the internship to reflect back while you still got the chance to change something about the way things are going.

Not many companies are experts in intern management, so be proactive and look for tasks and learning opportunities yourself. Ask if you can join company meetings or events, look at the task schedule and see where you can fit in or who you would like to join to learn more. Do not expect to be supervised or micro-managed all the time. Take and look for responsibilities and be part of the team. This could be a future place of employment or where you meet someone who can help you advance in your career. At the very least, you can get a letter of recommendation at the end of your internship (ask for it!).

How to apply

11Department of Urban Development

AppendixThis is just a starting point and not a comprehensive list.

a. Online platforms for internship offers• http://berlinstartupjobs.com/de/praktika/• http://www.srl.de/%C3%BCber-srl/jobs.html• https://de.jobspotting.com/en/jobs/berlin/urban-planning• https://graduateland.com/de/s/praktikum/berlin• https://karriere.unicum.de/praktikum• https://www.change.org/careers• https://www.glassdoor.com/Job/berlin-internship-jobs-SRCH_

IL.0,6_IC2622109_KO7,17.htm• https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/intern-jobs-berlin?trk=am-

works_jserp_redirect• https://www.monster.de/jobs/q-stadtplanung-jobs.aspx• www.indeed.com• www.meinpraktikum.de• www.stepstone.de

b. English Speaking Companies in Berlin (Job/Internship)• http://climateanalytics.org/about-us/work-with-us.html• http://www.gppi.net/about/jobs-internships/• http://www.tspa.eu/de/office/• http://www.waterintegritynetwork.net/opportunities/• https://www.arup.com/offices/Germany/berlin• https://www.engagement-global.de/our-locations.html• https://www.transparency.org/whoweare/work/• https://www.wzb.eu/en/the-wzb/working-at-the-wzb/job-op-

portunities

c. Companies in Berlin that offer internships linked to urban development• http://www.as-p.de/karriere/• http://www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de/service/ausbildung/

praktikum/index.shtml• http://www.urbanista.de/mitarbeit-bei-urbanista/International

companies and organizations• https://jobs.giz.de/index.php?ac=search_result• https://unjobs.org/themes/urban-planning

© 2020

Department of Urban Development

Campus El Gouna | Technische Universität Berlin

Photo Coverpage © Thomas Sterr

Internship GuidelinesDepartment of Urban Development

2018