Most testimonials were taken at the end of the students' academic year, after classes ended and at the time of starting internships.
Morgane Pladys, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2012-13
"I’m totally satisfied with this MSc. I’ve learnt a lot thanks to its content and my internship. I am confident about entering the job market, and I think that is the most important thing.
One of the “added values” of this MSc is that we had the opportunity to apply all this knowledge concretely during the second semester by doing a supply chain audit in a company. It was a real education for me and for all my team. It was very interesting to interview those people in the key functions of the supply chain, to assess the existing processes and to propose recommendations and action plans. The firm was also very happy with our work and offered us a job at the end of the audit. One of our team took them up on the job offer.
What I really appreciated too is the personalised student follow-up. The MSc director, Catherine Taupiac, places emphasis on entering the job market and gives students a lot of help to find a job which matches their expectations.
My internship is at a private hospital in Cagnes Sur Mer, not far from the Sophia Antipolis campus. I’ve been working as a project manager there. I had to develop a logistics platform for post-discharge patients and now I am more focused on the management of medical purchases through an information system."
Stephan-Marie Selvanathan, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2011-12
"France has become a land of opportunity for me.
I did the MSc last year (2011-12) and I’m now working as a business developer in a dynamic software company based on the French Riviera called BeNomad that develops navigation software products.
My job is to qualify prospective clients on potential business requirements and develop partnerships with them, I deal with B2B. My mission is to develop business in India and Asia.
I was able to get this job thanks, in great part, to the interactive teaching methods on the MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing. For me, the supply chain case study documents (e.g. Walmart, Lego etc) that were given for the studies were very useful and relevant to the job. The Lean Six Sigma class was great too, and the Strategic Sourcing class has proved to be highly applicable: right now I am using what was taught in the class in my day-to-day work.
SKEMA’s MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing has become the most important factor in the shaping of my future.
Before doing the MSc in Supply Chain Management & Purchasing, I did a Bachelor in Electronics and Communication Engineering and worked in worked in major companies like eBay, American Express and Dun & Bradstreet."
This testimonial was provided: March 2013
Mohammed Al Heeqi, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2011-12
“Before doing the MSc Supply Chain Management and Purchasing I had been working for seven years as a warehouse supervisor in procurement at an oil and gas company in Abu Dhabi.
I came to SKEMA to reach my career goals.
It’s been a great experience for different reasons: first of all, since my arrival, I have enjoyed the academic environment and appreciated lectures from practising professionals sharing their experience in their field of expertise.
The multicultural classes have helped me get used to working and interacting with people from different nationalities.
Not only have I acquired the expected knowledge but I also met great people among classmates and professional teachers. The friends I have met and the relationships I have made are priceless and will last a lifetime.
A big thanks to all my professors, teachers, classmates and our Msc director Catherine Taupiac!
I’m now doing a four-month internship with Total as a purchasing trainee in the Procurement & Purchasing department."
Maxime Van Der Voort, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2011-12
“Being an MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing student was the best opportunity I’ve had to acquire the skills necessary to start a professional career in the complex world of supply chain and purchasing. This MSc was an excellent way for me to specialise in a dynamic field.
The knowledge provided has proven to be very useful in order to become fully operational in my new job. I am currently working as a supplier quality specialist at Airbus GmbH in Hamburg, Germany. I’m using the skills I learned during my MSc course in my day to day activities. For instance, the ability to use the SAP system was one of the prerequisites for the position, so I am glad I could get this training during the MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing.
Moreover, during the MSc course I found it very useful to conduct a supply chain audit within Thales Underwater Systems. It allowed me to confront the theory learned throughout the first semester with the challenging reality that reflects the supply chain network of a major company.”
Natacha Ndome, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2011-12
“The eight months I spent at SKEMA, as a student of the MSc Supply Chain Management and Purchasing were surely the most rewarding of my student life.
I have been trained in both supply chain and purchasing by teachers who are also working professionals in these areas and who illustrated the lessons with real case studies. They gave us many tips and relevant techniques.
I met people from other nationalities and backgrounds. Doing group work in such a multicultural context was very challenging. However, from these interactions, I learned a lot about how to manage with different behaviours, opinions and cultural points of view. I really enjoyed studying in such a multicultural environment.
I appreciated the pedagogical approach, which combined theory and concrete application. We had the opportunity to run an audit project in the second semester using all the different supply chain techniques that had been learnt in the first semester. We audited the supply chain of a company, and because we were considered as SKEMA’s ambassadors in that company, we had to be as professional as possible – a great experience!
I’ve found an internship, as a supply and distribution manager assistant, in an oil and gas distribution company in Cameroon and I really feel confident because I am now skilled enough to perform this job and to compete in the job market.”
Robert Cowan, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2010-11
“The MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing has provided an excellent balance of theory and practice. This was especially evident in the Supply Chain Management 2 course where as part of a small team we undertook a supply chain audit at a local company. The organisation and execution of the audit was backed up through the application of project management techniques.
Other courses provided us with a solid understanding of very relevant subjects and how to apply the theory learned.
Through working with colleagues from other MSc programmes in a simulated business game, it was clear that Supply Chain Managers must work as part of a wider team. At SKEMA, team working is essential, and the rich variety of nationalities and cultures participating in the different programmes provides a valuable learning experience in an international environment.
I have completed an internship at Schneider Electric in a nearby town on the French Riviera. I was working in the Supply Chain Department on a supply chain sustainability project. And I’ve now found a job as an international consultant in supply chain management issues.”
Leslie Murcy, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2010-11
"I really appreciated being able to directly re-use what we learnt in the MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing at work at Schneider Electric‘s supply chain department where I am an apprentice.
The diversity of nationalities and experiences among students brought added value to the class as everyone provided real work experiences to illustrate the theoretical courses. Team-work takes an important place and that forces us to deal successfully with inter-cultural management.
As regards professors, they were available to us for questions regarding classes or advice on our future careers.
We had a variety of lecturers from abroad who are experts in their field and it was great to be taught by these people. We also had presentations from people working in well-known companies in different supply chain positions. This helped us to understand the current challenges in this sector."
Piotr Jania, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2010-11
“SKEMA is considered as one of the best business schools in the world according to the Financial Times ranking; this information and also many positive comments I read on the internet helped me decide where to spend my last year of studies.
The teachers have extensive knowledge and experience in international companies. They were able to teach us not only theory, but also - and I think that it is more important - they taught us practical things. The teachers are very helpful and engaged in the work they do.
The MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing has prepared me to work as a manager in purchasing, logistics and supply chain; these courses were taught by professionals. During the Supply Chain Management course, we were taught how to optimise supply chain processes, how to mitigate risk that affects supply chain and how to organise and manage distribution networks. Then we learned how to use and manage audits using the MMOG/LE and SCOR audit tool.
Lean Six-Sigma classes helped me understand how important quality and lean production is for a company’s performance. During the Supply Chain Technology course we learned the basics of ERP systems, namely SAP. The Project Management course showed me how to prepare and lead projects and how to use the MS Project tool to organise projects in a professional way.
I’ve learnt a lot of new things this year at SKEMA. I also got valuable experience, improved my language skills and met a lot of interesting people. The knowledge and experience I’ve gained here have prepared me perfectly to work in a company."
Mylène Clement Rocher, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2009-10
"This MSc’s second semester consists of about 80% practical application. It’s a great way of learning. It means I’m now ready to actually work as a supply chain manager.
In the second semester we audited a company with the MMOG/LE tool: a real project with a real company. We had on-the-job practice before the end of courses.
The MSc director is dedicated to the students and their learning, helping each to improve, overcome challenges, and reach their professional goals.
All the teachers have professional as well academic backgrounds, so we learn theory alongside its practical application. We were constantly exposed to “real life” insights.
We had some great external professors and professionals coming to teach as well.
Learning MS Project has been a real advantage too. It’ll be another bonus for my CV.
I’m now working at Renault Trucks, in the Logistics Project Management department."
Audrey Bassac, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2009-10
"The MSc is a great specialisation because students learn in close relation with companies. We carried out logistics audits in companies and so were in frequent contact with operational logistics managers.
This MSc has been very closely linked to the reality of the supply chain manager's working life. I feel that it has prepared me to enter the job market and to be an effective supply chain manager from the first day on the job.
The teachers are very committed to our learning, and they are available for students when we need their help.
This year, we have carried out a lot of work in groups. The group work has developed my interpersonal and communicative skills.
The other students on this MSc come from all parts of the world and we speak English all day long. I also had the opportunity to practise my Spanish frequently.
The Supply Chain course allowed me to understand effectively and quickly the supply chain of the company where I am doing my internship.
We learned to use MS Project during the first semester. It is a skill that is really appreciated by my colleagues where I am working."
Kathrin Heithier, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2009-10
"The MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing at SKEMA Business School gave me the possibility to develop my expertise in this area as well as my interpersonal skills.
The mix of dedicated, full-time professors and professionals, working in the respective field was very well balanced.
The emphasis of the MSc is very much on teamwork, which can be very challenging due to the cultural diversity of the student body.
Going "back to school" after six years of working was very demanding, but thanks to my professors and fellow students I was able to get used to it again easily.
At the moment I am doing my thesis full time for Hilti Deutschland GmbH. These four months of writing my thesis enables me to use my newly gained knowledge to a broad extent. My thesis covers the question of whether to outsource or to backsource, this not only requires skills in supply chain management, but also project management and a certain background in IT systems.
Personally and academically, I have greatly appreciated my eight months of French experience!"
Omar Houssein, MSc Supply Chain Management & Purchasing 2009-10
"The teachers demonstrate dynamism, commitment and involvement in our learning.
In the MSc programme, what I really appreciated is that we had the opportunity to capitalise on the theory of supply chain management that we learned in the first semester by conducting – in the second semester – a real life logistics audit using the Global MMOG/LE tool.
My group conducted the audit at Legrand Antibes.
Also we were able to apply project management methodology in conjunction with the logistics audit."