From School to Employment: how the CareerLab supports Clermont SB students

More than a careers service: a comprehensive support journey

In a context where career paths are becoming increasingly complex, supporting students towards employment has become a central challenge for higher education institutions.

At Clermont School of Business, this mission is fully embedded in a holistic approach aimed at revealing talent, developing skills, and preparing graduates who can adapt to constantly evolving environments. At the heart of this ecosystem, the CareerLab plays a structuring role. Designed as a personalised and evolving support framework, it enables students to progressively build their career plans while strengthening their employability and their ability to integrate sustainably into the job market.

To better understand the initiatives in place and future developments, Maryse Vimal, Head of the CareerLab, shares insights into the support provided throughout the student journey, key highlights such as “Make It Work”, and the innovations developed to meet the needs of both students and employers as closely as possible.

1. The CareerLab plays a central role within Clermont School of Business. What is its mission today, and how does it fit into the School’s overall strategy?

Today, the CareerLab plays a central role in the mission of Clermont School of Business: supporting students in building their career plans and entering the job market, both in France and internationally.

This support is based on several complementary pillars: the compulsory Talents & Careers module, coaching sessions and on-demand workshops (Boost My Talents), as well as events organised in direct connection with partner companies and professionals.

Beyond employability, the CareerLab is fully aligned with the School’s overall strategy by helping to develop graduates who are self-aware, able to identify and showcase their talents, adapt to rapidly changing environments, and build career paths that are both evolving and sustainable.

Looking ahead to 2030, the ambition is to offer increasingly personalised, agile, and actionable solutions, notably leveraging data and digital tools to anticipate needs and enrich student pathways. This approach will strengthen each individual’s ability to actively manage their career in a constantly evolving environment.

2. From the first year through to employment, how do you concretely support students in building their plans and developing their employability?

The CareerLab’s support follows a progressive, personalised, and practical approach, from the first year through to professional integration.

The first pillar is the compulsory Talents & Careers module, which every student benefits from throughout their studies, ranging from 6 to 36 hours per year depending on the programme and level. Its objective is to help each student better understand themselves, define their professional identity, and then structure and implement their career plan. It is delivered by professionals in recruitment, human resources, and coaching, combining practical application with reflection.

This pathway is incremental: year after year, content evolves to address the specific challenges of each stage of the curriculum, enabling students to strengthen the skills most relevant to their plans—international internships, apprenticeships, pitching, application strategies, use of job boards, and more. It also includes modules directly linked to successfully taking up roles during internships or apprenticeships (such as an overview of social protection systems).

The programme is supported by a team of 15 contributors, representing nearly 700 hours of teaching. Outside apprenticeship tracks, sessions are delivered in both French and English to reflect the diversity of student profiles and pathways.

The second pillar is based on more flexible and personalised formats, grouped under the “Thursday It’s My Day” approach: drop-in flash coaching sessions on Thursday mornings, as well as monthly Boost My Talents workshops (by registration), held in small groups and focused on targeted topics such as CV writing, interview preparation, and professional posture.

Finally, the entire offering is strengthened by events and interactions with professionals (forums, Career Days, conferences, workshops, etc.), enabling students to test their plans against market realities, better understand recruiters’ expectations, and develop their professional network.

3. The “Make It Work” event recently brought together students and companies. Can you explain what this initiative involves, its objectives, and what it concretely brings to participants?

“Make It Work” is a two-day immersive experience designed for PGE3 apprenticeship students at a pivotal moment in their journey, as they prepare to fully enter the job market. The initiative brings together around thirty professionals and offers more than 20 hours of conferences and workshops.

Its objective is clear: to enable these future graduates—who already have significant experience through apprenticeships—to consolidate their professional positioning, strengthen their professional posture, and prepare for the current realities of the job market in France.

The format combines compulsory conferences, providing a shared foundation, with a range of targeted thematic workshops, for example on salary negotiation, optimising LinkedIn profiles, and application strategies. It also includes awareness sessions on retirement planning and financial management of first salaries.

Coaches are also present to offer one-to-one sessions for those seeking more personalised support.

One of the strengths of Make It Work lies in its partnership dimension: the event relies on a network of stakeholders such as APEC, industry experts, and recruitment professionals, who share a practical, up-to-date, and pragmatic view of the market.

For students, it is a valuable opportunity to gain perspective, test their readiness, and refine their transition from apprentice to graduate.

4. The CareerLab stands out for its innovation, particularly with the “My Career Coach” project. One year after its launch, how has this type of initiative evolved, and what new projects are you considering?

The “My Career Coach” project, based on generative AI and launched in 2025, fully illustrates the CareerLab’s innovative approach. Made available to students as a complementary tool to human support, it enables them to access resources, advice, and initial guidance more easily, exactly when they need it.

One year after its launch, this initiative confirms the ambition to develop solutions that are more accessible, responsive, and aligned with new student practices. The goal is not to replace human support, but to enhance it by providing additional entry points and greater flexibility in accessing information and tools.

Over the next two years, the aim is to go further by structuring the CareerLab’s offering into a catalogue of conferences, workshops, and support sessions, allowing students to more precisely select the topics most relevant to their pathway and objectives. This evolution is designed to strengthen their autonomy, sense of responsibility, and ability to actively manage their professional trajectory.

5. In what ways does the CareerLab represent a real differentiating asset for Clermont SB students in the job market?

The CareerLab is a genuine differentiating asset for Clermont SB students, as it combines several dimensions rarely brought together with such intensity: structured, progressive support that is compulsory for all, yet also adaptable to each individual’s needs and ambitions.

This approach ensures that employability is not left solely to individual initiative: every student benefits from a strong foundation, while also having the opportunity to go further through additional formats, targeted workshops, coaching, and interactions with companies.

The added value of the CareerLab also lies in its ability to combine self-reflection, skill development, exposure to the market, and networking. It is this combination that enables Clermont SB students to approach their professional integration with greater clarity, method, confidence, and effectiveness.