Interview with Florence Da Costa, Head of the Student Career Centre

Florence Da Costa has been Head of the Student Career Centre for 10 years.
The Student Career Centre helps students from EDHEC Business School to develop their career plan over the course of their programme. Working with a team of around a dozen people, the Career Centre is based on 3 areas of expertise:
- A pool of international consultants
- An online Career platform
- Developing links between students and business organisations (the
employers).

Why did you introduce the Talent Identification & Career Development Programme?
Competition in the global recruitment market has become increasingly fierce and the recruitment process has subsequently changed in line with that used by the graduate programmes (recruitment programme for international high potentials). This means it is essential to prepare in advance if you want to stand out from the pack! That’s why we developed the TI&CD.

Who is the TI&CD programme for?
The TI&CD is designed for students in EDHEC’s study programme, in other words over 600 students during the 2010-2011 academic year.

How is the programme structured?
After gaining a good grasp of business know-how and the different activity and job sectors in a global context during the Bachelor period (1st year), students develop greater self-awareness and hone the skills sought by employers during the Master programme (2nd and 3rd years). The ultimate goal is to develop the key managerial skills required for the targeted entry-level job.

What are the advantages?
In 2009, the TI&CD was recognised as one of our best practices during the AACSB* audit. We benefit from the expertise of 20 international consultants, each specialising in a specific branch. For instance, the students in the Legal & Tax MSc programme are coached by a consultant specialised in Law and Tax matters. What’s more, the value of the TI&CD is recognised by international firms, giving EDHEC students a considerable competitive advantage on the job market. In short, the TI&CD is a great career booster.

What feedback do you get from the students regarding the programme?
We get an average satisfaction rate of 4.5/5, with a survey response rate of over 80%.

What are your next projects?
To organise the TI&CD for the MSc in Risk & Investment Management in London & Singapore.

*The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business which delivers a globally recognized accreditation to the best universities and business schools