For this second episode of the podcast series “Nos Etudiants ont du Talent”, Théo Bonnet-Ligeon and Nathan Muscio are delighted to invite Florianne Pilot. Florianne is in her first year of a Master’s degree in Communication at INSEEC Chambéry and is doing a work-study placement in communication at Schneider Electric. She will be presenting her International Corporate Volunteer Project to us! Come and find out about her objectives, where she’s going and, for those of you who are interested, how to set up a V.I.E.!
Nathan Muscio (NM): The second episode of Nos Etudiants ont du Talent, the first episode of 2023… Happy New Year to you all! And for this new year, we welcome a new guest, Florianne Pilot.
Théo Bonnet-Ligeon (TBL): Hello Florianne, what are your good resolutions for 2023?
Florianne Pilot (FP): Hello to the 2 of you. I’m not making any good resolutions this year because I don’t often keep them, so I’ve decided not to make any this year (Laughs).
TBL: At least you’re not taking any risks (Laughs). Florianne, thank you for joining us today for this second episode of Nos Etudiants ont du Talent. We’re here together to talk about an interesting subject: V.I.E. But first, can you give us a quick introduction?
FP: Let’s go! So my name is Florianne Pilot, and I’m in my first year of a Communications Masters at INSEEC Chambéry. At the same time, I’m doing a work-study placement at Schneider Electric in Grenoble, as laboratory communications manager, for the next two years.
TBL: Have you just arrived at the school in September?
FP: Yes exactly, before that I did a BTS MCO (Operational Sales Management), then I specialised in a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce-Marketing before doing a Master’s at INSEEC.
What is V.I.E.?
TBL: Top! Let’s talk about you right away. Can you explain what a V.I.E. is?
FP: So what we call the V.I.E. – Volontariat International en Entreprise. Basically, it allows young people to go to another country with their company or another company, to give them experience in another country, but in a professional way!
TBL: How is it all coming together?
FP: First of all, you have to finish your sandwich course and then agree with your company to continue your contract abroad. This is still based on French law, with a contract from your French company.
NM: Did you do this V.I.E. in the same company abroad, for example with Schneider or with a different company?
FP: Schneider’s advantage is that it’s an international company, so it’s easier to go abroad. But it’s possible for French companies to have partnerships with foreign companies… And in that case, the employee can do a V.I.E. in a foreign company that’s different from his or her French company.
TBL: Have you already looked into your future V.I.E. projects?
FP: With Schneider, I know that it’s possible to go to North America, India, China or even Spain. That leaves a lot of choice! But I have a slight preference for the USA.
NM: An opportunity to work on your English, but maybe you’re already bilingual?
FP: Not at all, and that’s why I’d like to do my V.I.E. there, if possible. It would be a great opportunity to improve my English.
TBL: How long does a V.I.E. last?
FP: So it ranges from 6 to 24 months. You have to be under 28 to be eligible for a V.I.E. and it’s also important to know that you can only do one V.I.E. in your career.
A rather original project
NM: Where did this idea come from?
FP: I’ve got a friend who did her work-study placement and then a V.I.E. at Schneider too. It was really through her that I was able to learn the basics about V.I.E.! It’s also what helped me choose between Schneider and other companies for my work-study placement. Going abroad as a professional is something I really want to do!
NM: Would you have any advice on how to get information, for example?
FP: The best way to find out is on the government website. It explains everything about what a V.I.E. is, what help is available and so on. For example, I know that Schneider will help me find accommodation for the first two weeks. But you also need to check with your company, because things vary from company to company.
Support from your company
NM: The support of the company is important in this type of project…
FP: Yes, absolutely. It has to be something that young people want to do, but their company also has to support them. It’s important to feel supported by your company in a project like this.
NM: We often have students who take a sabbatical year at the end of their studies to travel, so the V.I.E. could be an alternative…
FP: Exactly, we are allowed to travel while remaining in the professional environment.
Embarking on a V.I.E.
TBL: Do you have a message for students who are interested in doing a V.I.E.?
FP: You have to stick to your guns and see your projects through to the end! Even if there are obstacles, if you’ve got a boyfriend (Laughs)… I think you also have to test your limits, and then Let’s Go, you’ve only got one V.I.E.!
TBL: Don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re interested in V.I.E. or to contact Florianne herself so that she can answer your questions.
NM: And don’t forget to visit vie.gouv! Thank you very much Florianne for taking part in this second episode of Nos Etudiants ont du Talent!
FP: Thank you! And if it comes to fruition, I’d be delighted to give you a back-up report on my experience!
TBL: Great idea! Thanks Florianne! See you next time!
NM: You can watch the second episode with Florianne Pilot via the following links:
- YouTube: https: //youtu.be/gc_G9HGk0nM
- Spotify: https: //open.spotify.com/episode/2GcY4Ob7B3gzNCMoXZJCNj?si=CjJKNINIRYKd4T3dmk-EvQ