Międzybrodzie Bialskie is one of those place names that most people would struggle to pronounce correctly on their first attempt. It is a small town in southern Poland, far from major cities and the conferences where conversations about technology and careers usually take place. Yet from 29 June to 10 July, twenty young participants from Spain, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia discovered that the people who inspire you most often meet in places like this. Quiet, unexpected and far removed from what anyone imagined.
The Erasmus+ youth exchange Prompt Your Future: AI Powered Career Lab revolved around a question that sooner or later every young professional has to face. How do you build a career when the job market evolves faster than you can prepare for it? Throughout the exchange, participants explored artificial intelligence tools including ChatGPT, Canva AI, NotebookLM and LinkedIn. They learned how to create stronger CVs, prepare for job interviews, present their ideas with self-assurance and recognise texts generated by AI. The final workshop invited them to take the next step by designing their own Erasmus+ project without limitations. It was an exercise that encouraged participants to imagine something that does not yet exist but certainly could.
Anna López arrived from Barcelona and went back home with a feeling that is difficult to describe in a few words, though she gave it her best try.
"The international environment made this experience exceptionally special. Meeting participants from Slovakia, Portugal and Poland allowed me to discover different cultures, get to know amazing people and see things from a completely new perspective. Without them, this experience could have been entirely different."
As the group leader, Laura Martínez watched twenty young people gradually find a common language with one another, and she believes that process became one of the most valuable parts of the exchange.
"Our group connected from the very beginning. When the group is small, relationships develop naturally and much more deeply. We took part in many meaningful activities, but the times I remember most happened outside the workshops. Those were the experiences that created the atmosphere which kept everyone together."
Víctor Caballero arrived with only limited experience using artificial intelligence and left with a clear understanding of how he wanted to continue learning.
"I went from seeing AI as a simple tool to recognising it as a fundamental resource for my professional future. The theoretical sessions were important, but the practical activities made all the difference by showing me how to use these tools with confidence. Poland gave me much more than technical knowledge. It made me feel part of an incredible community."
Alberto Maydeu joined the project with clear career goals in mind and returned with a expanded understanding of what professional development can truly mean.
"The most valuable part of this experience was meeting ambitious people from different countries. The workshops demonstrated how artificial intelligence is altering today's labour market and how we can adapt to these changes without feeling swamped. I came home feeling more confident, more aware of my own achievements and more motivated to continue learning."
When the project began, Vladyslav Marych was already studying artificial intelligence independently and actively looking for career opportunities in the field. He arrived with experience that many participants were only beginning to develop, yet what stayed with him most had little to do with technology.
"I became much more confident communicating in English, overcame my language barrier, made friends from different countries and learned how to work as part of an international team. I am truly happy to have been part of this programme."
Artificial intelligence is modifying how we search for jobs, present ourselves and plan our future careers. Yet some experiences remain beyond its reach. No algorithm can recreate the feeling of watching a room full of strangers become a circle of friends in just a few days. That is what youth exchanges make possible. Technology may bring people together, but everything that actually matters happens between the people themselves.
We would like to thank Anna, Laura, Víctor, Alberto and Vladyslav for sharing their reflections and experiences.
Article prepared by Olha Oltarzhevska.
