The “APRES” (stands for “Accompagnement du Projet Professionnel et Stages” in French, or professional project and internship support) unit is integrated into the Language and Culture Management Department. The objective of this organization is to support students in putting together an individualized and coherent professional project for three years.
The approach includes internships as learning opportunities and is in line with employers’ strong expectations for self-determination and early career autonomy.
A 3-year program
During the entire engineering program, the APRES unit alternates individual coaching sessions, group work and conferences. Lecture halls regularly host the school’s partner companies who present students with opportunities for internships, trades and careers.
In the first year
This unit organizes such events as the first year Trajectory & Ambition Assessment workshops. The aim is to make students work on the state of their project when they arrive at the school and to get them to project themselves in the next phase of their curriculum, in their professional project and, in the short term, in their choice and search for internships.
Throughout the academic year, the unit receives students for individual interviews that are focused on their career path and their professional project. It also provides individualized support for the creation of resumes, cover letters and in searching for internships.
Round tables on engineering professions are organized in collaboration with the alumni association and students are invited to attend thematic conferences.
In the second year
The unit offers workshops in small groups that focus on skills assessments, recruitment interviews and assessment centers. Students can take a psychological questionnaire on workplace preferences (the “MBTI”) and an individual interview for test validation and debriefing. The individual project undertaken in the first year continues: students now have to clarify their professional projects and project themselves beyond Chimie ParisTech.
In the third year
The “Finalization of the professional project” workshops introduce the students to the work done in their professional network, to various job search strategies and offer interview simulations and resume updates. The individual interviews focus on the students’ professional project and help them prepare to leave the school: job search, preparation for admissions process to additional training programs, etc.
The members of the APRES unit
Philippe Vernazobres
Lecturer in Management Sciences, Unit Manager.
PhD in HR Management (Coaching and Professional Counselling), Associate of Economics and Management.
Contributor to industrial companies and services in individual and collective support and prevention of psychosocial risks.
Delphine Bourland
Associate Professor, Economics and Management.
ESCP-Europe, DESCF Career as audit consultant and manager in large groups.
Maria Malheiro
Associate Professor, responsible for corporate relations and internships.
PhD in chemistry. Career as a researcher and laboratory director for major industrial groups. Currently in charge of relations with schools and universities, internships, theses and post-docs at Saint-Gobain Recherche.
Valérie Steiner
Associate Professor, in charge of support.
Political Sciences Paris, Coach. Executive career in large groups and in councils. Currently: Coach and mediator.