Fabien Guzzo, a graduate of the master's program, has begun an internship at an international company through a program sponsored by the French government called VIE (Volontariat International en Entreprise). For 18 months, Fabien will represent the market managers of the French nuclear power behemoth Areva, at their North American affiliate in Lynchburg, Virginia.

"I completed my master's degree by working for a business," Fabien said. "I gained good experience, but it was at the expense of a year of experience abroad," Fabien said. After spending three years as a buyer for Areva NC in France, he decided to look for an internship abroad to obtain a "more international" profile. He searched for posts mainly with large companies in Australia, the United States and England, but "there were few offers for support positions and a lot of candidates," he said. Then Areva launched its search for a corporate buyer in the United States. "It was only the second VIE position that Areva had offered in three years," he said. "Going to the US was my dream."

Tough Competition

After an initial selection of 80 candidates, 15 people were interviewed. The group was then whittled down to five. These five finalists  went to Paris to be interviewed in English by the North American purchasing director. Fabien felt justified in applying for the prestigious post because he was backed up by his Grande Ecole master's degree and his extensive experience in the company's purchasing department: "The fact that I had done my coursework by working as an intern at Areva and that I had obtained the La Trobe bachelor's degree weighed in my favor," Fabien said. (The La Trobe bachelor's degree, which is completed online and in English, is offered to students unable to spend a full year abroad.)

A Position of Responsibility

As a corporate buyer, Fabien is under the direct responsibility of the company's North American purchasing director and acts as the intermediary of Areva's market managers overseas. He participates  in global negotiations conducted by the Areva group as a representative for the North American market. The work is different from what he has done thus far. He is faced with more responsibility, more challenges and bigger budgets. "I'm very happy and excited to be able to meet this challenge," he said. "It's a great opportunity, and I'll do everything to get the most out of it," he said.

IN BRIEF: FOREIGN INTERNSHIPS THROUGH THE VIE PROGRAM

Intended primarily for students, graduates or job seekers 18 to 28 years of age, the French VIE program can be a rewarding experience and a springboard for an international career. It allows French companies to offer a young professional an assignment abroad for a flexible period of six to 24 months, renewable once within that time period. International volunteers receive a monthly lump sum, varying according to the country of assignment, but independent of the level of qualification.

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