Brussels, 25/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - On 20 October, the European Commission celebrated the 50th anniversary of its traineeship programme. More than 40,000 young university graduates have taken part in the scheme since its launch in 1960. “'Over the years, the trainees have contributed enormously to the Commission with their dynamism and knowledge. For many, this experience has been a pivotal step in their future careers and in a lifelong commitment to the European Union,” said European Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou at a conference in Brussels to mark the event. It is the longest running traineeship programme of its kind and the biggest in the world in terms of the numbers annually recruited. The trainees, or “stagiaires” as they are more commonly known, work with the Commission's full-time officials on a wide range of tasks over a period of five-months. Some former stagiaires have gone on to become commissioners like Viviane Reding, Justice Commissioner, Dacian Cioloº, Agriculture Commissioner, or MEPs, just like Silvana Koch-Mehrin (ALDE, Germany), or journalists, such as Belgian Christine Ockrent, or even kings, like Mohammed VI of Morocco. (B.C./transl.rt)