Student Interview #11 - Dhruv on his apprenticeship experience so far!

Interview with Dhruv Kumar, 2nd year student MSc in Management, from India on his apprenticeship experience thus far. 

First Name: Dhruv

Surname: Kumar

Company Name: Amadeus IT Group

Role: eCommerce Analyst, Airline IT Consulting Team

Apprenticeship Dates: April 2014-April 2016

Rhythm Type: 6 Month Cycle

Why did you opt for an apprenticeship and not an internship?

I had previous experience as an analyst in a marketing research and consulting firm in India. I knew from day 1 that I wanted to specialize and work in Marketing/Consultancy. For me, ‘binding’ myself to a job for 2 years was not a problem as I knew what I wanted, and had put in enough time to research about the company and job profile. It also offered me work in my comfort zone, and a promise for growth and new learning experiences as time passes by.

How did you come to know about your company?

I came to know about Amadeus 1 month prior to the ESSEC Job Fair, Feb ’14. The company had uploaded a flyer on the ESSEC Job Portal, and was completely open to English speaking candidates, so that was a plus for me too. Though the work seemed to be a lot in the core IT domain, there were more than enough spots in marketing, consulting, business development, strategy, etc. So I knew there were going to possibilities, and started to read more about the company.

How does your work in the company align with your future aims?

I always wanted to work in the marketing domain, and also deal with clients directly, suggest actionable plans to them, and see my work help them grow. I am able to do all that in my team, as we do mainly Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM), and the eCommerce domain is a big one right now, and has all the potential to grow. So I guess it is going to be good for me to have expertise in this domain.

Does it add value and relevant experience?

Yes, I have learnt quite a lot already, and I still have so much time left. I’m honing my skills, picking up new ones, and interacting/networking with so many nice and interesting people! And just like any other work experience, what I learn and what I present is totally dependent on me, so I would say that personally I am picking up quite a lot.

What other valuable experiences have you gained from this unique work-study program?

For me, the change in the area (Côte d’Azur after Paris) is one of the best experiences! The beautiful sunshine, beaches, and close proximity to Italy, Spain, and Monaco has seen me enjoying an amazing work-life balance.

I have obviously learnt a lot about the French way of working, the work culture and work laws, and it is quite different from what I was used to in India.

Would you encourage others to go for an apprenticeship?

Definitely yes, but ONLY if you know what you want to do and what you are signing up for. You will be in hot soup if you sign up for something you don’t like just for the sake of the financial benefits and end up disliking your work.