ESSEC’s Global Bachelor in Business Administration (GBBA) program is not just about acquiring theoretical knowledge.

It’s about developing comprehensive skills and experiences that prepare one to tackle the ever-changing professional landscape.

Starting their undergraduate journeys at the Asia-Pacific campus in Singapore, GBBA students Eun Li Seo and Marie Helle share how the program has helped them do that.

1 | Personalized Career Services

The two agree that one major factor is career service offerings that equip students for the job search. This includes career fairs and workshops for both resume writing and interview preparation.

For Eun Li Seo, who secured a role as a portfolio management intern at digital asset management firm FBG Capital, the training proved “invaluable” in preparing her on what potential employers look out for in candidates.

The personalized feedback she received from the career services advisor was beneficial to her—a perk of being at the close-knit Asia-Pacific campus.

Schoolmate Marie Helle agrees: “Cerella Sim, Manager at ESSEC Career Services, really took the time to get to know us, identify our key strengths, and help us write our resumes to strengthen our applications,” she says. This support enabled Marie to take on four internships throughout her GBBA journey: Three in Singapore and one in France.

2 | Opportunities for Practical learning

Marie adds that across her internships, she found the lessons learned at ESSEC highly relevant to her day-to-day tasks.

“The communications course I took taught me skills to interact smoothly with my future teammates, and the managerial courses—such as in accounting and strategic management—all proved to be very useful during my role as a Revenue Management intern at Andaz,” she explains.

Eun Li’s experience is similar, citing the “diverse curriculum” as crucial for helping her grasp the finance, management, and marketing concepts she needs to support her team’s portfolio management and communication efforts today.

And it’s not just the technical knowledge that helps, but also ESSEC’s emphasis on soft-skills development.

She elaborates: “The frequent group work refined my ability to communicate with colleagues and work harmoniously towards common goals. These skills are indispensable in my day-to-day responsibilities, especially when collaborating with cross-functional teams.”

3 | Avenues for Personal Development

Arguably, the most crucial way ESSEC prepares students is simply by affording them opportunities to develop and grow in unique ways through language classes, exchange programs, double-degree opportunities, student clubs, and more.

For example, Eun Li found speaking Mandarin a bonus when she had to use it to communicate with customers at work.

Joining the prestigious double-degree program with Peking University also went beyond being another feather in her cap to capture the attention of recruiters—it allowed her to tap into the resources from ESSEC and Peking University to develop her skills and networks.

Marie, too, enjoyed learning and traveling while doing her double degree with Fachhochschule Dortmund University in Germany and found avenues to develop her leadership skills by joining the Student Council and becoming a Class Representative at the ESSEC Asia-Pacific campus.

For them, these experiences have made their GBBA journey unique and memorable—with lessons learned and memories made to last a lifetime.