It’s no secret that the difference between an impressive academic profile and a CV that truly shines is work experience. Stories of businesses demanding years of demonstrable experience for entry-level roles are nothing new, and graduates have long felt the pressure of this paradox. In this context, IE University’s internship programs may well be considered one of its greatest assets.
Real-world experience
Thanks to our numerous partnerships, students across all fields have access to positions at world-class international companies, where they learn to put their academic knowledge into action in real-life business situations. Anisha Kumar underscores the value of her internship as an account development associate at global SaaS company Celonis, explaining how collaborating with an established company is helping her to practice and apply the skills she has learned in the classroom.
Anisha, a student of the Dual Degree in Business Administration & Laws, feels the internship is perfectly suited to her area of study. She highlights how she has thrived on being given genuine responsibilities in a business setting—from delivering sales pitches to prospects to having direct contact with executives across the globe, from Saudi Arabia to the Netherlands. She also took part in a significant sourcing project where she was tasked with finding high-quality leads for the business development representatives to target, making a direct impact on the company’s prospective client base.
Energy and innovation
It’s not just students who benefit from IE University’s internship programs. Alfredo D’Esposito, Senior Business Development Manager for EMEA at Celonis, is always thrilled to have interns on board. “We don’t see them as students—we see them as an extension of our success,” he explains. It’s not hard to see why—amazing energy, immense drive and “a ton of innovative ideas” are just some of the advantages IE University interns bring to the table, which Alfredo says helps to keep him and the rest of the team sharp.
Alfredo also notes how an internship often comes at just the right time for all parties. The fact the students are in “learning mode,” as he puts it, allows them to pick things up quickly and translate their academic skills seamlessly to the workplace. The business reaps the rewards of IE University interns’ world-class education, while students’ desire to make an impact tends to raise the bar among the in-house teams—and students gain the work experience that can be so critical in launching their future career.
It’s clear to see how the program has proven a mutually beneficial exercise for both Anisha and Alfredo. IE University is proud to partner with Celonis and countless other businesses in Spain and abroad to provide its students with the best possible opportunities that will help them stand out in an ever more competitive job market.