Home>Tatiana Carpentier, Class of 2021
11.05.2022
Tatiana Carpentier, Class of 2021
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND?
After a literary baccalaureate, I decided to do a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations at the University of Bath in England. It was a great opportunity to learn the basic concepts of political theory, and to study the different practices of interest representation.
I continued my studies by attending Sciences Po in the Master in European Affairs, in the Management and Public Affairs policy stream at the School of Public Affairs. This choice was an obvious one, as the teaching at the School of Public Affairs allowed me to specialise in certain areas, while maintaining a strong general foundation. In parallel to this extremely thorough and professional master's degree, I did an internship at the American Chamber of Commerce in France, to apply my studies in the field. I chose Ferrero for my final internship in January 2021, where I continued to work after graduation as an institutional relations officer.
WHAT WERE THE MAIN STAGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL PATH?
The possibility of choosing courses that were sometimes very different from each other, on subjects as interesting as they were varied, was a major advantage in the development of my professional goals. It allowed me to identify the themes for which I had the most interest, while keeping an open mind. While it was important to be able to focus on a specific field, it was also essential for me to remain versatile.
At the same time, Sciences Po allows students to acquire professional experience throughout their studies, in various forms (work-study, internship, etc.). This opportunity contributes greatly to the construction of a structured and informed professional path.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR POSITION TODAY AS INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS MANAGER AT FERRERO ?
Institutional relations form the link between the private sphere and the political world. These two spheres are interdependent and feed off each other, which is why they must regularly dialogue on their common interests. Exchanges between companies and public authorities take the form of technical sharing of information, or the promotion of various actions and commitments.
WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS DID YOUR STUDY AT THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, MORE SPECIFICALLY THE MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS POLICY STREAM HAVE ON THE POSITION YOU HOLD TODAY?
The Management and Public Affairs policy stream offers a detailed understanding of the issues facing companies today: reputation, strategic and crisis communication, the link between public authorities and companies, CSR commitments, etc. These elements must be an integral part of corporate strategies, and are particularly important today in light of the growing expectations of public opinion regarding the commitments of the private sector.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE TO GIVE A STUDENT OR A FUTURE YOUNG GRADUATE?
Don't give in to anxiety if you don't know where you want to go. On the contrary, this uncertainty is a great way to open up to multiple and diverse experiences. On the other hand, very fixed and strict ideas can sometimes be an obstacle to unexpected but promising opportunities.
