Elma Mujollari took part in the 2016-2017 NCI Agency Internship Programme. Her team was so impressed with her performance that she was later hired as a contractor.
And this year, the talented Albanian native was offered a role as a NATO International Civilian after competing for - and winning - the role of Principal Assistant in the Operational Support division.
"I was completing an MBA at the University of Brussels in 2017, whilst embarking on an internship with the NCI Agency. Nowadays, achieving academic success is no longer enough, internships can give you an edge by fostering global competency, increasing your marketability and leading you towards a greater overall job satisfaction.
In my case, working as an intern allowed me to understand the flow of the organization and it also helped put my learning into context. I could observe the organization through the eyes of an MBA student. I felt like this experience helped me develop my knowledge and grow as a person, in a very relaxed and calm atmosphere. I am very grateful to all my colleagues for those early days.
Besides supporting day-to-day business operations, I was excited to work on my own projects. I could observe and research the dynamics of business management within my department, the Network Services and IT Infrastructure (NSII) Service Line.
The NCI Agency's internship programme brings together individuals with different demographic, social and educational backgrounds into a large diverse and multicultural organization. This builds a strong team, where ideas flow, innovation succeeds and results are acknowledged. This internship provided me the platform to learn, going beyond academia.
I chose to continue working at NATO because I know my job directly contributes to the Alliance's role and responsibilities across the world. This is why I am happy I chose NATO instead of working in the traditional business world. It makes me feel like through my work, I am contributing to people's lives."