RTU Press Release: Career Orientation Day

On September 5, 2025, Riga Technical University hosted the event Career Orientation Day for Foreigners, organized by Andra Marta Babre as part of the CeMeWE (Central Baltic Mentoring for Migrant Women Seeking Employment) project within the RTU Science and Innovation Centre. The event was dedicated to supporting international students in Latvia as they navigate their career paths, bringing together experts and students in an atmosphere of knowledge exchange, meaningful networking, and empowering inspiration.

The program opened with a panel discussion on “Introduction to Cohesion Policy: The Global Effect of EU Projects”, supported by the Interreg Volunteer Youth project as a part of their Citizen Engagement Activity program. Panelists included Sintija Beitāne (project manager at Visas Iespejas), Līna Marta Sarma (board member at Riga Tech Girls), Paula Cukura (project manager at RTU, RESIST project), and Jekaterina Sadovaja (project coordinator at RTU, RESIST and CeMeWE projects). Together, they emphasized the importance of cross-border cooperation, youth engagement, and innovation in shaping career opportunities across Europe, while also sharing insights from their projects connecting young people with career, education, and personal growth opportunities. The discussion created an engaging space for the audience to take part in interactive discussions by asking questions and sharing their thoughts on Cohesion Policy.

The second session, led by Santa Latkovska, career consultant at RTU, explored the hardships faced by international students in job searching. She highlighted the importance of increasing proficiency in languages, understanding the local labor market, expanding useful skill sets, and other practical strategies to overcome challenges in pursuit of a dream job. Participants then had the opportunity to join a networking break, fostering direct connections between students, professionals, and organizations.

The afternoon continued with a panel discussion titled “Step by Step to a Career in Latvia”, featuring RTU alumni Manjitha Manchanayake (cloud engineer at Accenture Baltics), and Punnoose Vincent (customer operations representative at GoCardless). Both speakers shared their personal journeys of building successful careers in Latvia, offering participants valuable perspectives on perseverance, adaptability, and professional growth.

The concluding segment of the event focused on social integration and opportunities for migrants in Latvia. Laura Veremeja, from the Integration and Inclusion Agency of Latvia, presented available services and resources that can support migrants in overcoming potential challenges. As of August 1, the Integration and Inclusion Agency of Latvia has provided 16,321 consultations to 7,829 clients, offering guidance on migration, accommodation, education, and other essential issues.

This event closed with a presentation from CeMeWE project members, IVY volunteer Nadiia Chyzhykova and project manager Andra Marta Babre. In alignment with the project’s mission to empower migrant women to overcome barriers to employment, they spoke about opportunities for migrant women in Latvia, as well as offering them mentorship, skill training, career and community support as pathways for employment and empowerment. 

CeMeWE events and workshops strive to create a platform for migrant women in Latvia to build meaningful connections, develop skills, grow professionally, and find strength in a supportive community. The CeMeWE mentorship program for migrant women starts in September 2025 and will be available until the end of February 2026. More information about the program and upcoming events is available on CeMeWE social media channels: @cemewe.riga (Instagram, Facebook).

For more information about the Career Orientation for Foreigners event, contact CeMeWE project manager Andra Marta Babre: andra-marta.babre@rtu.lv 

This event was a part of the Interreg Project – Central Baltic Mentoring for Migrant Women seeking Employment – CeMeWE (CB0100070). The content and materials shared during the event reflect the views of the organizers and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Union, Interreg, or any of the project partners.