A masculine world but a warm welcome

Lilja Diljá went on a three-month Erasmus+ internship to the city of Essen, where she worked for a company that handles various projects in the metal industry in the city and its surroundings. Lilja Diljá sat down for an interview and answered a few questions about her adventure, giving us a glimpse into her daily life.

Wanted to try living abroad

“I really wanted to try something new, and living abroad has always been on my bucket list,” says Lilja Diljá about why she decided to go for it.

“I’ve always lived at home with my mum and dad, and the first time I moved out, I moved to another country. I also live in a village of about 100 people and moved to Essen, which is considerably larger.”

The experience had a great impact on her, both personally and professionally.

“I matured a lot from this. The experience also had an impact on me as a professional; I’m a better welder after spending three months practising. I practised welding for eight hours a day for three months, and it has had a good effect.”

An amazing experience

When asked for three words to describe the experience, Lilja Diljá says: “Educational, developmental, and exciting!”

She advises everyone to try an internship through Erasmus+. “I would tell anyone who is even slightly interested to do it. Of course, it’s terrifying at first and very difficult, but it’s so much fun, and even if it doesn’t turn out to be everything you expected, it’s an amazing experience that can never be taken away from you.”

Familiar yet different

Lilja Diljá was also a guest on the podcast Ævintýri í Evrópu (Adventures in Europe), where she went into detail about the reception she received at her workplace.

Although much of the work was familiar to her, the organisation of the workplace was at times different from what she was used to.

“A lot of it was familiar, but there was a man there who helped me the most – he was only in charge of welding. He wasn’t allowed to do anything else. It was all itemised for him,” she explains, pointing out that the division of labour was clear and specialised.

The workplace was quite large, and there were usually about five people working in the workshop at any one time. Lilja Diljá was the only woman in the workshop.

A man's world – but a warm welcome

The metal industry is widely considered a man's world, and Lilja Diljá admits she felt stressed on her first day.

“I was really stressed when I first walked in there. It was mostly men – and older men. I was nervous about meeting them.”

But her anxiety proved to be unfounded.

“They helped me with everything I needed and gave me a really warm welcome,” says Lilja Diljá, adding that they actually showed her invaluable support and that she returned home as a truly skilled professional.