03/06/2024
IE University consistently finds new ways to open the door to opportunity. As part of our programs, students can choose to participate in Global Immersion Week, an immersive experience designed to place students in the heart of the world of work. The most recent edition brought students to Amsterdam to get a firsthand look at top-name companies.
Global Immersion Week is an intense, one-week immersion program that takes IE University students pursuing their master’s degrees into the real world. From visits to leading companies and lectures from top professionals to networking sessions with colleagues and leaders alike, Global Immersion Week is an experience designed for students ready to hit the ground running.
We recently sat down with Irene de la Cruz, Margaret (Molly) Hallahan and Juan Esteban Bolaño, all students from our Master in Digital Business & Innovation, to hear more about their experiences during Global Immersion Week. Although they’re from the same program, each student came to IE University with an incredibly different background and had very different highlights from their time in Amsterdam.
All paths led to IE University
Originally from the Philippines, Irene felt driven to get into tech. Coming from a background in different sectors, she was looking for a program that would help her slowly venture into new opportunities. She had always wanted to study abroad, and Madrid seemed the perfect place.
Molly completed her bachelor’s degree in business in the United States, but went on to work in roles in the tech industry. She started off in big tech at Microsoft with a business strategy role and then pivoted into more impact-oriented tech, working in the health tech field in both the mental and women’s health sectors. She was ready to upskill and the program at IE University was a great fit.
Born and raised in Guatemala, Juan gained his experience in consumer goods with Colgate, and then in marketing in business analytics and other roles. He also launched a manufacturing startup, but chose to pursue a master’s degree to gain a deeper understanding of the technology on the market today.
A deeper look into the day-to-day of business
Global Immersion Week creates an invaluable impact, especially if it’s a city you’re interested in working in in the future. Molly explains, “It’s key to know what type of roles are available in the city you’re going to. I was able to gauge how I would feel about living in the city, but also the more personal side of things, like what type of role my background is a fit for, how it will expand my global network and where I see myself in the future.”
”There’s personal and professional value to the program and Global Immersion Week.”
With the visits showcasing a strong focus on tech, Irene felt right at home. “Each company shared the tech side of their business. We learned about digital transformation, digital business models and other topics related to our program.” She goes on to explain that the visits to companies and hearing from industry leaders were a unique way to see more than just what projects the companies are doing: “We learn about all of these processes in class, but we don’t know if companies are using them in their day-to-day. This gave us the opportunity to ask the people working there not only if they used these tools, but how they used them.”
For Juan, the opportunity to participate in Global Immersion Week gave him some unique insights. “I had the chance to go to leading companies, but not as a traditional visit, instead as someone who could talk to people and gain personalized knowledge on a specific topic related to my program. We also got to know the city and see the daily lives of people who live and work there, from chats over coffee to presentations.”
Each day of the week was packed. They toured two or three offices a day and then heard from employees—some of whom are IE University alumni.
The students highlighted their visits to Google, Microsoft and Uber, especially as the presentations gave firsthand insights into the companies, as well as opportunities for which they may be interested in applying.
Bringing it full circle
Describing the experience as a “full-circle moment,” Irene felt she learned and understood things she didn’t quite grasp before the program. “I didn’t understand cloud computing or cybersecurity, for example, but because of what I learned in the program and then listening to companies talk about their projects, I was able to truly get it.”
For Molly, she felt the experience gave her a sense of the day-to-day within each company and what they’re looking for in their candidates. “Visiting these companies gives you a tangible feel of their ideal candidate.“
“You can ask all your questions, which is valuable, and you can make genuine connections that will take you far.”
Juan felt that seeing the things he was working on in class with his own eyes was one of the most valuable parts of Global Immersion Week. “I was able to understand what they were saying. For example, when we visited Oracle, they were explaining their cloud business, and to really understand their concepts made me realize what I was learning is used on a daily basis.”
A step in a new direction
Before participating in the Global Immersion Week, Irene hadn’t really thought much about working in Europe. Since heading to Amsterdam and seeing the process close up, she’s learned a lot more about the tech space. “Because of the Global Immersion Week program, I can now see how quickly tech is growing here. I also was able to explore the city and see the beauty of the European work-life balance.”
Molly was stuck between going back to the United States or seeking out a role in Europe. “I didn’t want to close any doors and I wanted to see what these companies looked like in different cities. The reality is I have to look at visa sponsorship, but I can now make a well-informed decision on where I want to apply.”
Juan feels like the program gave him more confidence. “When someone would mention these big companies previously, I would feel intimidated. But now I’ve seen firsthand that they’re just normal people living normal lives. It gave me the human side of it all, which gives me more confidence to apply for a role.”
