EDC Paris Business School convenes its first Corporate Advisory Board to shape tomorrow’s skills
How can we best prepare students for the changes taking place in the professional world? This was the question at the heart of the first meeting of EDC Paris Business School’s Corporate Advisory Board (CAB), made up of six professionals from leading sectors and companies.
Over half a day (on 29 June), the CAB members shared their expertise, expectations and recommendations to support the development of our programmes and further strengthen the link between the School and the business world.
Participants included:
Alexis Gonnet, Director of Digital Transformation at Kyndryl and EDC graduate,
Laurent Cervoni, Director of Research and Innovation at Talan,
Irène Cevlovsky, Banking Union Expert and EFFAS Certified ESG Analyst at Société Générale,
Mickaël Mina, Head of AI at Sage,
Gaétan Bézier, Manager HRBP France & Corporate at GreenYellow,
and Clémentine Pacitti, CSR Director at AG2R La Mondiale.
AI, an essential and cross-cutting skill
The first key lesson from the meeting: mastery of artificial intelligence is now essential. Beyond the use of generative AI tools, the professionals stressed the need to develop in students a genuine ability to question, verify and challenge the results produced by machines.
The aim? To train graduates who understand the opportunities offered by AI, but also its limitations and its technical and legal risks. This thinking also calls for AI to be integrated more widely across all of the School’s programmes and specialisations.
Developing critical thinking… and soft skills
Another shared priority: behavioural skills. Curiosity, agility, rigour, respect for professional norms, the ability to adapt… these are all qualities that make the difference today in recruitment and in settling into a company.
The discussions also underlined how important it is for students to know the sectors they are aiming for, to keep up with company news and to build their personal brand, particularly on professional networks.
Improving the quality of work-study programmes
Finally, the CAB put work-study at the heart of the discussions. Now a genuine springboard to employment in many companies, it also brings growing expectations in terms of preparing and selecting candidates.
EDC Paris Business School therefore intends to strengthen its quality process and to work with companies to create a work-study “Quality Label”, which could include an induction seminar before the start of the placement to better prepare students for their professional environment.
The question of supporting company tutors was also raised, with the idea of developing tools or schemes to better support them in their role as coach and mentor.
An essential dialogue to build tomorrow’s School
Through this first Corporate Advisory Board, EDC Paris Business School reaffirms its commitment to keeping a constant dialogue between education and the reality of the professional world. These exchanges with companies are a valuable source for developing our programmes, strengthening students’ employability and anticipating the skills that will make the difference tomorrow.
A meeting set to be repeated every year, so that we can continue to build, together, the School and the talents of tomorrow.