Student Business Projects (SBP) provide a bridge between school and the professional world. As companies invest real money to have students work on real projects, SBPs are therefore an exceptional opportunity for students to validate their education in the real world and to apply concepts learned in school and convert them into industry skills. The academic world is no longer the main focus as the journey takes the students into the world of work.
As a SBP coach, I am in daily contact with students, and I can guarantee that their perspective changes drastically after the 9-week project. The real business problem serves as a practical application of the knowledge they have acquired at school, while presenting an opportunity to develop new skills as they tackle problems they might have never been exposed to while studying.
The soon-to-be professionals have to be capable of using not only the skills acquired during their studies, but the full range of their hard and soft competencies, including their creativity, their imagination, and their sense of initiative to develop and propose truly innovative and valuable solutions.
Student Business Projects are similar to the work environment, as they provide the space to develop key skills such as problem-solving, communication and time management. It is not unusual to see students working in the middle of the night at school when the deadlines for the reports are getting closer.
The concrete implications of these 9 weeks are tremendous. SBPs often lead students to make choices for their future career and make them realize what kind of job they would like to apply for. It’s not uncommon to see students starting their professional life in the sector directly linked to their SBP. Some clients consider the SBP as “an extended interview”, and a great opportunity to spot talents they might seek to hire.
A client was telling me, with a glass of champagne in his hand at the closing ceremony last February, that earlier that day, he had sent job offers to several students who worked on his project.
Working on real assignments for real organizations will also develop students’ interpersonal skills needed to work effectively with others. Final-year students have to be able to communicate with clarity and diplomacy with the clients: this means that sometimes they will have to know when to take the lead and when they have to take a step back and listen.
They have the chance to build their confidence within a professional working environment which allows them to grow when interacting with professionals outside of their own networks. Having to learn how to create and develop professional relationships with clients is an essential skill that will be used during the entire career.
The maturity that the students acquire throughout their last assignment at school is incredible and is only possible thanks to the exposure to the “real world” they get during the SBP.
Working in a team where the teammates vary drastically in terms of nationalities, learning styles and experience can significantly change the way they see things. It can create challenging situations, as I experienced recently in a team I was coaching. Students with strong personalities and coming from very different cultural backgrounds had to find ways to handle extreme tensions and to control their level of stress, anger and frustration in order to continue working serenely towards their common goal. Not only has the group succeeded in its task, but it got invited by the client to spend one night in his property as a reward for its striking contribution.
The enthusiasm and professional attitude the students demonstrate throughout the project are outstanding. Their exceptional dedication and contribution to real business issues are remarkable. I appreciate the creativity of the work they produce and their ideas are not only innovative and original but feasible, too. The clients use their recommendations for their business challenges and welcome the concrete, serious and structured approach used during this unique experience.
The final presentations are often mind-blowing. The innovative and refreshing ideas are presented in a fun and out of the box manner. I am often impressed by the quality of the work of our soon to be graduates and immensely proud of having contributed to this fabulous adventure.
The young and inexperienced men and women who joined my class in their first semester of studies at EHL have blossomed and transformed themselves into competent and capable professionals proud to be part of the EHL community.
The SBPs contribute greatly to this feeling of belonging and attachment and allow the students to gain an unforgettable life experience and to have the opportunity to take a deep dive into professions, industries and organizations they either barely knew or only dreamed of before.