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Talking with fellow students

Can’t wait for next yearVlerick @ CDMGE PARIS May 29th

Vlérick Team

UCL Louvain team

Campus team GDF SUEZ,the next generation of BLUE JERSEYS?

SPECIAL ON THE ,, CDMGE Academic Challenge

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Bart Schrauwen, Project Manager Cogeneration Units at Electrabel, mentor for Vlérick studentsHow did you like being a mentor at the Challenge?I was delighted to discover that I already knew a few students from Vlérick. They were motivated and let their enthusiasm show, both for the competitions and GDF SUEZ. It was easy to connect with them, since Jan de Vrij and I are both Vlérick alumni. By sharing our expe-riences, our fellow students got a more concrete idea of the type of careers offered by the Group.

Nick Paelinck, student at VlérickWhat was your contact like with your GDF SUEZ mentors?As team captain, I really appreciated the help of the organisers and mentors, both during preparation and at the event itself. Our men-tors got really involved, working right by our side. They even com-peted in some events for our/their school. «Once Vlerick, always Vlerick!» As far as sports and team spirit go, it was a super day! Our sports performance was only so-so, but our goal was to spend an enjoyable day with other students. It was a nice way to end the school year, an original type of experience. I have only one thing to say to other European schools: Go for it next year!

Johanna Klingen, student at UCL LouvainWill you have fond memories of the Challenge?The competition was exciting, even if there were considera-ble differences in skill between the football teams. The luck of the draw wasn’t on our side, unfortunately, and I feel we could have done better. We’ll have to make up for it next year! No effort was spared to make us feel at ease and to facilitate contact between students and with professionals. The ac-tivities in the stadium walkways, and the on-site access to osteopaths, especially between successive matches, were a plus. We were studying for our exams at Louvain, so this fun sports break was a chance to relax. We had a wonderful time and only expect one more thing: the next edition!

Philippe Lazzarotto, Senior Campus ManagerFrance and international for GDF SUEZ Group

On the initiative of GDF SUEZ and EADS, the Challenge was opened to international students in 2010. This lent a new dimension to the event, both in terms of sports (there were excellent teams) and of the careers fair. The attendance of British, German, Italian, Belgian and French students from highly varied academic backgrounds, reflects our Group’s hiring and interna-tional development concerns. By meeting people at the forum, we were able to present our wide range of careers and job openings in the fields of energy and the environment (water and waste management). For GDF SUEZ, this cross-European edition of the Challenge was a success. We’re eager to get student feedback so we can do even better next year!

SPECIAL EDITION

juin 2010JUNE 2010

SPECIAL EDITION

CAMPUSNEWSCAMPUSNEWS

Evening on the Seine

Munich Team duringthe prize ceremony

Manchester Team

Clausthal Team

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Wendy Carnier, Electrabel HR Department, mentor for Clausthal studentsWhat contacts were you able to make with students during the Challenge?The fun, relaxed atmosphere favoured dialogue and laid the basis for po-tential professional relationships. I was impressed by the team spirit of Clausthal Group. They ran beside the last relay runner for the last 300 metres to cheer him on!

Christophe Vanden Eede, Team Leader Sourcing and Employer Branding at Electrabel, student mentor for Politecnico di MilanoWhat does the Challenge mean for you as a recruiter?It’s a unique opportunity for a group undergoing rapid internatio-nalisation to meet young people from several European countries. Spending a day with the Milan students let me really get to know them and answer their questions about the Group, its business lines and its job opportunities. I put a face to the name of some Belgian students who are already going through the GDF SUEZ hiring process, and encouraged others to join us, too.

Good sportsmanship

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A successfulcombination ofsports andcorporate relations

Muhammad Shahzad, student at ClausthalWhat did you like about the conceptof the Challenge?It was the combination of sports and meeting companies that motivated us to attend. It was a unique opportunity to meet students from other countries, especially during the great dinner on the Seine and at the hotel where we stayed, and to talk about our respective backgrounds. The atmosphere at the stadium was fantastic. The whole thing felt like a party, thanks to the brass bands and supporters, who got really involved. We were warmly welcomed and got all the information we needed at the GDF SUEZ stand. As an engineering student planning to do my doctorate, I was able to apply for an internship or research position at the company.

Pre-hiring contacts already madeA chance to discover Paris

Fionn Hart, student at ManchesterTell us about your experience at the Challenge.Our team liked the idea of being invited by GDF SUEZ, one of the two companies that sponsored non-French students, to spend a weekend in Paris. It was fantastic to play in a stadium of the calibre of Charléty. Our GDF SUEZ mentor was a great support throughout the day, we had a really good time. It was too bad we didn’t have more time to visit Paris.

A wonderful time

Federica Villa, student at Politecnico di MilanoWhat did you like the most about your day in Paris?The chance to discover this marvellous city, the dinner on the Seine, and the Sunday walk through Paris with friends. The Challenge was a great sports and corporate relations experience. Everyone was able to meet a company corresponding to their academic major, as well as cheer on their university during the competitions. The sports events were very well organised, and our mentor both guided us around the stadium and translated all the instructions which were printed in French.