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Réda Zinoune

Stagiaire à OCP Policy Center

1 - Sans exagérer, les 6 mois de stage à l'OCP Policy Center  ont tellement été riches qu'il m'est difficile de choisir un souvenir en particulier. Mais si je devais choisir, ça serait la période de préparation des ATLANTIC DIALOGUES, ce fut une expérience fabuleuse, avoir la chance d'organiser une conférence de haut niveau n'est pas donnée à tout le monde.

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2 - J'ai eu la chance, de rencontrer des personnes formidables, une équipe professionnelle qui travaille sans relâche pour le bien du think tank. J'ai aussi eu l'immense privilège d'avoir une encadrante hors pair. Son encadrement, ses conseils et la confiance qu'elle m'accordait m'ont énormément aidé à dépasser mes limites, à croire en ce que je faisais.  Et pour cela, ma reconnaissance lui est éternellement acquise. 

3 - Les futurs stagiaires doivent rester curieux, poser des questions et être une force de proposition. Aussi ils ne doivent pas hésiter à demander conseil au staff, je sais par expérience qu'ils se feront un plaisir de les aider.  

John Odera

Intern at OCP Policy Center from 07/06/2016 to 05/08/2016

- What is the best memory you kept of your time as an intern at OCP Policy Center?

I have a lot of good memories from the policy center, and most of them have to do with the fact that the policy center was less of a traditional hierarchical office and more horizontally organized. It was just a community of people who were excited about policy and about the Southern Atlantic, and so everyone was more of a friend than a colleague. Although I had a supervisor, she largely let me to my own, allowing me to pursue projects I was interested in, only giving guidance when I was stuck or needed clarification. This sense of community could be felt mostly at lunch time. One time we all drove down to a Moroccan restaurant in Bab el Hed where apparently 'true' Moroccan tajines were served, and for the first time I had tongue for lunch. What do you know!

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- What has the internship experience brought to you in terms of leadership, networking and personal development?

In just the two months I was there, three high level conferences took place at the policy center. I got to take notes and write the speaker briefs, and I met important people in the policy world whose interests were quite diverse. For example, I met (and exchanged cards) with the President of the Mauritius Stock Exchange as well as representatives of major think tanks in Europe and the Maghreb, just to name a few. In terms of personal development, I've come to realize that the grey areas in policy are simultaneously what make it interesting and challenging. Before working at the policy center, I felt like I had answers for most questions that troubled the world; - a two state solution for Israel and Palestine, heavily reinforced bans on human trafficking, open borders for refugees etc etc. But reading heavily detailed policy briefs and sitting in discussions where most of my notions were challenged were huge moments of intellectual growth for me. I came to see the world with completely different eyes, to understand better the conflicts of geopolitics, to grasp more the theory behind International relations and transnational politics.

- Regarding your past experience, what advice would you give to future interns in order to make the best out of their time spent at the policy center?

Please come to work early. God knows I didn't, and I missed a lot of interaction with colleagues, valuable lessons on how things work in the real life after you leave school, good Moroccan tea, just to name a few.

Fatima zohra Bensaid

Intern at OCP Policy Center from 01/06/2016 to 29/07/2016

- What is the best memory you kept of your time spent as an intern at OCP Policy Center?

 I cannot think of a single specific good memory from my internship as the OCPPC team made the atmosphere very cheerful and enjoyable at all times. I was glad to work with such a committed and talented yet friendly and open-minded team.  Often times we would all be absorbed by work when someone would offer chocolates to everyone or tell a funny anecdote. In that sense, the work environment was a perfect balance between professional and rigorous on one hand, and relaxed on the other. 

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- What has the internship experience brought you in terms of Leadership, networking and personal development?

My short time as an intern at OCPPC has been instructive on so many levels. Firstly, by learning how the publishing process works for policy briefs and policy papers, I grew aware of the importance of building a strong relationship between the members of a team, and of the use of inclusive leadership in order to produce good quality work. In addition to that, through my witnessing of the tedious organization of the think tank’s various events and conferences, I realized how networking and good communication skills were crucial in any work environment. My internship has also benefitted me on an academic and vocational level as I learnt new approaches to world affairs. The Transatlantic approach that the think thank adopts, along with its focus on the African continent and on sustainable development allowed me to broaden the scope of my perspective on international relations beyond the classical, theoretical approaches that I would learn in a classroom.

- Regarding your past experience, what advice would you give to the future interns, in order to make the best out of their time spent at the Policy Center?

The biggest advice I would give to a future intern is to make their internship longer than two months! There is so much to do and to learn as the OCPPC team is very dynamic and hard working, and two months are barely enough to get familiar with the way things are done at the office. I personally wish I could’ve interned for longer than two months, as there were so many areas I didn’t get to tackle and many upcoming events I didn’t get to help organize due to my time constraint. An internship at OCPPC is a truly unique experience in Morocco as there is always something to do and interns do not have time to get bored, so try to make the most out of it and get involved as much as you can.

Youssef Essassani

Intern at OCP Policy Center from 11/04/2016 to 09/07/2016

- What is the best memory you kept of your time spent as an intern at OCP Policy Center?

My best memory, by far, was the 2016 Africa Think Tank Conference. Given the incredible amount of work that went into the event, it felt amazing to see the whole thing come together and be such a success. Not only was it a learning experience professionally, it made me grow that much more as a person. I never thought I’d digest so much in such a short amount of time.

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- What has the internship experience brought you in terms of Leadership, networking and personal development?

The numerous opportunities during the internship have encouraged me to take initiative and improve my leadership. Whether it is independent research or significant responsibility during events, demonstrating leadership is essential. You are able to benefit from networking opportunities on a regular basis, ranging from academic to corporate professionals. In addition to an environment that amplifies hard work, the avenues for personal development are many.

- Regarding your past experience, what advice would you give to the future interns, in order to make the best out of their time spent at the Policy Center?

The effort you put during your time at OCP Policy Center will be proportionally rewarded in experience and knowledge. Show initiative and back it up by performance and you will be depended on—with this dependence comes more responsibility. You also have every opportunity to further your professional and academic development in the form of publications, trainings, presentations, and events. You meet people at the forefront of academia and get exposure to the latest in research, so absorb as much of it as you can.

All the ingredients are there for you to learn: in OCP Policy Center you have an incredible source of information, a fantastic team that is always there to support you, and a coffee machine.

Meryem Hamane

Intern at OCP Policy Center from 02/02/2016 to 31/05/2016

- What is the best memory you kept of your time spent as an intern at OCP Policy Center?

The best memory I kept as an intern, is the gathering surprise that OCP Policy Center staff organized the last day of my internship. I was so pleased to see that everyone at the office was there to say goodbye.

 

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- What has the internship experience brought you in terms of Leadership, networking and personal development?

I was not considered as an intern at OCP Policy Center, and was given the opportunity to experience the work of a project manager, being responsible and autonomous. I had to explain the project to different persons who are involved in the project, make them collaborate positively, while respecting deadlines and overcoming obstacles. This brought me a lot in terms of leadership skills and networking. I also had the opportunity to participate in other activities that are not linked to my engineering studies and as a consequence, I had the chance to diversify the areas of my knowledge. 

- Regarding your past experience, what advice would you give to the future interns, in order to make the best out of their time spent at the Policy Center?

Being an intern at OCP Policy Center is a great opportunity. So, I recommend future interns to be curious about all the activities, and be autonomous in their way of working. I also encourage them to ask for help when needed and never hesitate to come up with new ideas which are always appreciated and given a special attention.

Houda El Joundi

Summer Intern at OCP Policy Center from June-August 2015

- What has the internship experience brought you in terms of Leadership, networking and personal development?

Interning at OCP Policy Center was a valuable addition to my professional endeavors, a far-reaching extension to my academic interests and future research aspirations, and a personal blessing.

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During my time at the think tank, I was constantly provided with the opportunity to join in and contribute to the conceptual and executive phases of any of the projects or tasks I was assigned to work on, allowing me to challenge and improve my analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as develop and promote my inter-personal skills. I was also fortunate to work alongside different OCP PC officers, providing me, whether individually or collectively, with valuable insight on efficient team work strategies in conjunction with respective leadership skills.

The international scope of OCP PC’s work and its partnerships with different think tanks and policy institutes across the two sides of the Atlantic has provided me with opportunities to extensively enhance my communication skills and allowed for personal and professional growths, namely with regards to networking, public relations and communications.

OCP Policy Center harbors an environment of dynamism and proactiveness in which the intern is strongly encouraged to be involved. Throughout my entire time at the center, I was continuously stimulated to think and contribute, not only within the context of my assignments, but also regarding the vast array of issues and topics the center takes on, allowing me to pair my professional experience with an increased awareness on matters relevant to my academic and research purposes. As an Economics enthusiast from Morocco, I was grateful to be in an environment in which topics of economic growth and socio-economic development relating to my region of the world were being analyzed from a novel perspective, and where initiatives for sustainable development were based on regional visions and implemented through domestic agency.

- Regarding your past experience, what advice would you give to the future interns, in order to make the best out of their time spent at the Policy Center?

My advice to future OCP PC interns is to take great advantage of the opportunity they have been provided with, by being proactive in their involvement with the center, and to always take initiative and be willing to help out and contribute. They will be in a place where hard work and   professional curiosity are rewarded with invaluable experience. They should also never hesitate to reach out and ask questions as they will be the company of inspiring professionals, and kind, generous people.

Ihssane Guennoun

Intern at OCP Policy Center from 17th June 2014 to 15th August 2014

- What has the internship experience brought you in terms of Leadership, networking and personal development?

“During my internship at OCP Policy Center, every day was a great memory. I had the chance to be surrounded by a great team which contributed to making me enjoy my internship better. It was very enriching experience on different levels.

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During the work that I had to complete, I was free to come up with new ideas about how to achieve if more efficiently. The team was also welcoming any proposal when relevant about improving some elements at OCP Policy Center. Therefore, I was able to develop a sense of autonomy which is very important for anyone looking to improve his leadership skills.

The OCP Policy Center has many partners whether in Morocco or abroad that I was indirectly in contact with. Thanks to that, I was able to broaden my professional network which is always a good thing for someone interested in International Relations.

As for my personal development, I can say that I have learnt a lot about the wide breadth of topics that the OCP Policy Center focuses on. Whether about African development, transatlantic cooperation, American politics, sustainable growth, or international macroeconomics etc, I could feed my intellectual curiosity thanks to the different tasks that I had to undertake during my internship.

Moreover, as I was involved in the elaboration of the first edition of the Atlantic Currents; An annual report on Wider Atlantic Perspectives and Patterns, I had to be more self-demanding in order to provide the best I could. 

My participation in elaborating the Atlantic Currents also taught me how to better collect data and how to analyze and interpret it.”

- Regarding your past experience, what advice would you give to the future interns, in order to make the best out of their time spent at the Policy Center?

“I would start by saying that no matter what tasks you will be undertaking during your internship, you will gain a unique experience in Morocco.

OCP Policy Center team members are real hard-worker and each minute is valuable. Therefore, you will never be bored staring at your screen and you will always have something to do. It might happen that your internship supervisor is so busy that he forgets to give you new tasks, do not hesitate to ask him for it!

More generally, I would advise you to feel comfortable during your internship. All OCP Policy Center team is very kind and open minded, so do not be shy to share your thoughts and remarks about various issues.

Never forget to be creative; OCP Policy Center is quite a new structure and will always be sensitive to your ideas about how to improve.  

I hope that you will have this amazing opportunity and I will be happy to answer your questions should you have any. “

Hamza Alami Hassani

Intern at OCP Policy Center from 17th June, 2014 to 15th August, 2014

- What is the best memory you kept of your time spent as an intern at OCP Policy Center?

“My sense of belonging to OCP Policy Center has awakened my motivation. My expectations were being met by my senses of responsibility and curiosity. Throughout my internship, I gained experience that changed my vision of employment in a think tank in general and encouraged me to invest myself more every day in order to take initiatives, to prove my value and improve my trainee status.”

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- What has the internship experience brought you in terms of Leadership, networking and personal development?

“My intern position at OCP Policy Center has been rewarding, both in terms of general knowledge and technical skills.

The job of an event officer requires many skills in terms of relational, management, discipline and communication… indeed, to carry out a mission, one is required to have numerous qualifications such as autonomy, responsibility and above all time optimization. “

 

- Regarding your past experience, what advice would you give to the future interns, in order to make the best out of their time spent at the Policy Center?

“OCP Policy Center is a think tank which aims to function as a platform for open and informed debate. Considered as a center for intellectual stimulation, the Policy Center brings together experts and produces studies and proposals in various areas: sustainable agriculture, food security, environment and macroeconomic policies.

For those who wish to gain experience in a research institute, OCP Policy Center is the ideal organization. The internship is animated by direct contact with researchers and the exploration of working conditions of the research field in a suitable environment. “