Erasmus+ Career Boosters: Young people reflect on their future in Poland

From 30 July to 7 August 2026, seven young people and a group leader travelled to Wierzchosławice in Poland on behalf of Bildung Nijmegen to take part in the Erasmus+ Youth Exchange Career Boosters. Together with young people from other European countries, they explored how the labour market is changing and what this means for their own development.

Planning for the future

How do you identify your strengths? How do you present yourself? And how do you respond to a rapidly changing labour market? Through workshops, simulations and group discussions, the participants explored communication, teamwork, problem-solving, self-presentation and personal motivation.

The project was not simply about finding a job. It also addressed choices around education, independence and confidence in their own abilities. The young people were encouraged to consider what matters to them and which steps could help them move in that direction.

AI, motivation and lifelong learning

The impact of artificial intelligence on the labour market was another key topic. Which jobs will still exist in ten years’ time? Which skills will become more important? And how can young people prepare for changes that are already taking place? Several participants said afterwards that AI felt much closer to their lives than they had expected.

The group also considered how people can remain relevant as roles and expectations continue to change. For the participants, it became clear that continuing to learn will play an important part. Arthur summed up his main insight as follows: “Internal motivation is more important than external factors.”

History brought into sharp focus

The visit to Auschwitz stood in stark contrast to the rest of the week. The group described the experience as powerful and deeply unsettling. It prompted conversations about freedom, human dignity and the importance of continuing to remember.

What stayed with them

After a week in Poland, the young people had not suddenly mapped out their entire futures. They did, however, return with sharper questions, new ideas and a clearer sense of the skills they would like to develop further.

We would like to thank Fundacja Ornament, all the group leaders and, of course, the participants for this special week in Poland.

The Dutch group’s participation in Career Boosters was organised by Bildung Nijmegen. The project was co-funded by the European Union through Erasmus+

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