B-Schools In Europe Spice Up One Year MBA With Internship Opportunities

Summer internships have, for long, been an integral part of MBA programs, usually held during the summer break in the case of 2-year full-time courses, giving the students the much needed practical hands-on training opportunities in the real world business scenario.

However, the one-year MBA cohort used to miss the internship opportunity, mainly on account of the short timeframe. This is no longer the case as most of the B-schools, especially in Europe, have managed to put internship as part of the program.

The Individual Project (IP) gives students the opportunity to experience real work as a consultant on a business problem, anywhere in the world. Students can use this opportunity to gain valuable experience for their CV and as a first step into their new career, the School says on its website.

The Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University, The Netherlands, provides the option to the students to extend their studies by three months to complete an internship, usually between December and March. The companies include international brewer HEINEKEN. About 30% of the students opt for internships.

Brandon Kirby, MBA admissions director at the School says that since the students have to be prepared to cater to the market needs, the school was developing relationships with companies to understand the challenges and integrate such issues into the curriculum. Compared to the situation some 10 years ago, there is now a greater focus on data analysis and technology, he says.

Rotterdam MBA students have worked with major global employers, such as Nike, ABN AMRO, Johnson & Johnson, McKinsey, Microsoft, and The World Bank.

Julia De Vargas-Marquez, MBA career services director with IMD in Switzerland, is of the opinion that internships provide an opportunity for students to showcase their skills to corporations and make them more employable. In other words, it is all about assessing the candidates to see if they are a good fit in the long term.

IMD also uses its alumni network to get internships with a large technology employer, rather than the formal 12-week program. In one such case, a group of students managed to land a four-week assignment at this firm.

At Cranfield School of Management in the UK, between April and September, the students embark on a project or internship with an organisation to utilise their newly-acquired skills and knowledge. They get an opportunity for deeper involvement with companies while enhancing their business-specific knowledge and assess potential career paths.

For students seeking internship opportunities, networking is essential. Contacting the alumni would be advantageous since they will be able to guide you and even find roles for you. It is also important to be confident and mix with the managers. You could also share your well-considered thoughts and ideas so that even if you are wrong sometimes, you are seen to be contributing, BusinessBecause quotes Christian Dummett, acting head of the London Business School (LBS) career centre as saying.

At the University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School, work placements give students the opportunity to gain additional knowledge and valuable experience for their CV within a sector or company of interest. They can also lead to offers of full-time employment.

Students can expect to work full time for six to eight weeks from July to September. Previous employers offering internships included the Financial Services Authority; Credit Suisse Private Banking; Google; Amazon; and Asian Development Bank. Students often self-source their own internships based on their particular interests.

The Individual Project (IP) gives students the opportunity to experience real work as a consultant on a business problem, anywhere in the world. Students can use this opportunity to gain valuable experience for their CV and as a first step into their new career, the School says on its website.

Students can expect to work full time for six to eight weeks during July-September depending on the client’s requirements and their post-MBA plans. The IP may cover any aspect of management and may be located in any commercial, industrial, public sector or not-for-profit organisation, anywhere in the world.

Recent projects have included product extension strategy for a financial services company, analysis of the US railway sector, branding strategy development for a national retailer and derivatives modelling.