Antoine DA COL, Master's degree in History (class of 2022)

My interest in history dates back to my Year 7 lessons. I remember my history teacher, a rigorous, charismatic and demanding woman, whose difficult tests pushed me to study. Then, from an assignment, it became a passion. I, who had been reluctant to memorise even the slightest detail the year before, devoured my Year 7 textbook and began scouring Wikipedia for information on every possible subject (from the Byzantines to the Mongols to the history of technology). I had entered a world whose vastness constantly stimulated my curiosity and opened my eyes to the diversity of human cultures. Since then, I have never lost interest in history, whether through my studies, the places I have visited or the exchanges I have had with all the people I have met.
In terms of my academic background, after completing a scientific baccalaureate, I spent three years in a preparatory class specialising in history, where I also studied the fascinating subject of geography, before joining the research master's programme in history at Sciences Po. At the same time, I enrolled at INALCO, where I studied Estonian. I went to live in Estonia for six months to do fieldwork in the Estonian archives and defended my thesis on the return to independence of Soviet Estonia three years ago.

At the School of Research, I met other history enthusiasts like myself, highly cultured classmates with interests as varied as they were interesting, with whom it was always very stimulating to exchange ideas. The School of Research gave me the tools to carry out an extremely complex project that was very important to me. But if there is one thing I remember most about the School of Research, it is the welcome my project received and my interest in Estonia, which some would easily describe as eccentric. At the School of Research, we were all a bit like that: each of us had our own specific research topic, and that was perfectly normal. There was a real sense of goodwill towards original projects and a lot of support among the students. Pursuing what really interested me and studying a subject in depth were decisive experiences for my future.

Today, I work as a financial controller at Faurecia in Yokohama, Japan.

Passionate about history, I enrolled in a preparatory class after graduating from high school. There, I developed reflexes and ways of thinking that have enabled me to navigate the various challenges that have come my way. Alongside my studies at Sciences Po, I also enrolled at ESSEC, where I completed a dual degree programme with Bocconi in Italy, graduating from all three universities. The second part of my studies, in business management and finance, enabled me to secure my current position in Japan.
Personally, I don't really think I have a ‘career plan’. I had to create several in order to join various organisations, but it would be wrong to say that I had planned everything in advance. When I entered Sciences Po, I really thought I would become a teacher-researcher and then apply for the agrégation. Then I thought I should start a career in business to become a financial director. Then I dreamed of being a CEO. Then a diplomat. Then an entrepreneur. Then I wanted to be a history teacher again. Then I stopped making career plans and decided to do what interests me in the present moment, abandoning the idea of giving ‘coherence’ to a path that must by its very nature be individual and unique.
In my opinion, if there is a plan to follow for your professional career, I think it is to discover yourself through the experiences that come your way or that you seek out. My plan was to have an exciting life full of challenges and encounters, where I could constantly learn new things and enrich my view of the world. But I wasn't at all aware of this plan when I started at Sciences Po. It took shape as I had a wide range of experiences: conducting research on Montessori teaching methods in public nursery schools, writing a dissertation on Estonian history, working as a garbage collector, volunteering my time to help young people find their way, tutoring, working as a management control intern and then as a financial manager in a sustainable mobility start-up, doing an internship in the European Union's diplomatic corps, serving as an officer in the army and now working in Japan for a French automotive group. It was by trying all these things that I moved forward, and I hope that I will continue to have new opportunities to seize in order to ‘build this project’.

From a technical standpoint, historical research and financial auditing are about as similar as an elephant and a shovel. However, my research experience, particularly writing my thesis, helped me become more rigorous and tenacious. Never again have I undertaken such a long and complex project on my own with no other goal than to create knowledge. Finishing a history thesis is an exceptional feeling of accomplishment in my opinion. Finally, the attention to the right word and mastery of a precise and evocative language, as well as the ability to deduce, analyse and reflect with a high level of abstraction are clearly contributions of my education to my current position. Similarly, all the knowledge I have gained from reading academic articles has given me a general culture that is extremely useful in intercultural contexts.

If I can give one piece of advice that I try to apply to myself, it's not to get too caught up in a set path. Instead, spend time thinking about what interests you right now and in the coming months, rather than making 10-year master plans. Of course, it's always reassuring to have a long-term goal, but if it starts to guide all your choices, it may not always be the best thing. We are all different individuals, and it's unlikely that what worked for others will work for you in the same way.
At the same time, look for inspiration by talking to others, watching documentaries, reading books or studying history (history is full of great and inspiring ideas)! Because there will inevitably come a time when you say to yourself, ‘I want to try that!’ And when that moment comes, don't hesitate. Maybe I'm wrong or a little naive, but I think that as long as you have a good head on your shoulders and you're willing to work hard, even when you mess up, there's always a way to get back on track. All the more reason to try the dark paths!