“I was born in Australia and moved to Belgium when I was four, so I had my whole education in Belgium. In high school it had been instilled in us that going to university would require hard work and persistence. When I moved to Australia to study, the university which I attended did unfortunately not live up to those expectations. I hardly attended classes and still had very good grades. As I was looking for a bit more of a challenge, I returned to Belgium after a year.”

KU Leuven: One of the Best

“KU Leuven has a reputation for being difficult, but one of the best. So when I grew up I always knew that, if I would be studying in Belgium, it would be at KU Leuven. When I started studying law there after my year in Australia, I definitely got what I asked for. The law programme put me at the other side of the spectrum: it required me to give up all of my time and to study every single day, all day long. I decided to look for the middle ground between a breeze and a sacrifice and found just that in the bachelor in applied linguistics.”

“I obtained my bachelor’s degree in COVID times, a very strange period to figure out what kind of masters I wanted. Linguistics is great, but a career in translation did not speak to me that much. The Master in International Business drew my attention because it would open more doors and I was attracted to the international audience of the programme. The faculty offers a similar master’s in Dutch, but with my background and enjoying the international contacts that I already had through student organisation AIESEC, I did not hesitate to go for the English-taught programme. Studying international business is an added value, especially when you get in touch with different cultures and nationalities. Talking to so many different people about the situation in their country, both when it comes to business and other matters, is an eye opener and something that I definitely recommend.”

“I also recommend joining a student organisation. You can acquire many skills and it is a perfect way to integrate and meet different people when you are new at a university. During my bachelor in applied linguistics I was already a member of the international organisation AIESEC. I became the vice-president of talent management, which was an honour and such a fun experience. You get to work together with people from very different backgrounds. To expand people's horizons, to go abroad and volunteer is the whole point of the organisation, things that lay very close to my heart. Especially if you want to meet people from all over the world, AIESEC is a good place to start.”

“As an international student it also makes sense to get in touch with the ambassadors of our faculty. Firstly, they have a clear understanding of the programme you're applying for. Secondly, they can give you some helpful tips about which areas of Brussels are the best to live in and what arrangements you need to make before you come. I would also be open to living in other cities, as you can have a really nice student life in Leuven or Antwerp – and the commute isn't too bad. I lived in Leuven during my studies because Brussels can be expensive. So if you can’t find affordable accommodation, look elsewhere.”

“The Master in International Business drew my attention because it would open more doors and I was attracted to the international audience of the programme.”

The Programme Opens A Lot of Doors

“Once I chose the Master in International Business I never looked back. I am so happy with my decision. Whatever your background, this programme will help you to enter the business environment at a different level. When I compare with peers from my bachelor's who work in the corporate world, it strikes me that I have access to very different positions because of my master’s degree. It opens a lot of doors, and if you really enjoy the academic aspect of the programme you can even do an MBA afterwards. Since I was already working while still studying, I was ready to move on to the next part of my life and did not feel the need for that.”

“HR and Marketing related courses were my favourites. The economics and finance subjects were a bit more challenging since they did not come naturally to me, but I also liked investing a lot of time in these topics. Since I enjoyed all courses, it would be slightly more difficult to look for work. I had no idea in what field to start, but that issue was solved before I graduated.”

“Hilti Belux (equipment for the construction industry), my current employer, was one of the companies that came to introduce themselves and their business model at a guest lecture during our international marketing class. To be quite honest, the content of what was said did not stick with me that much, but the speakers were so passionate and seemed so incredibly happy to work for the company, that it stood out to me. So after the lecture, I went up to them and introduced myself.”

“I started working at Hilti before I had my degree, first as a job student for six months in the Marketing and HR departments. Next, I got into their Business Graduate Programme which started at the end of August 2023. I still had to do one exam, so due to the combination it took me a little bit longer, but I graduated in January 2024. I feel very fortunate because I am aware that the first company you work for is not always a good fit.”

Sales is the Core of the Business

“The application procedure for Hilti’s Business Graduate Programme consists of a business case and two interviews. If that works out, you start in sales for a bit over a year, because that is the core of the business. You get to know the products, how to interact with clients, what's actually living in the industry, before you are able to move further within the company. During your last couple of months in sales, you do a strategic project for a department that speaks to you. If that turns out to be a good match, you get a landing position there, or, if not, you land in another department that you are interested in.”

“I started my landing position a little bit earlier and am now working in finance, for Credit and Collection, a nice change from the sales experience. I enjoyed being on the road every day and talking to customers, as well as going to construction sites and learning what lives with the people. Now I get to see the back office perspective and what it is like to interact with the account managers and the clients from that side. I like to come up with ways to solve issues. It is a very nice way to get an all-round picture of what's going on in the business. Once you have worked on projects together with the headquarters in Paris or other cities you also get an idea of the international possibilities.”

“With more than 100 offices worldwide, Hilti offers a lot of opportunities to work abroad, which I'm looking at and would love to pursue.”