If you have ever felt a gap between what you learn at university and what actually happens in the industry, you are not alone. Many students feel unsure about how to translate classroom knowledge into real-world skills or which direction to take next.
This is exactly why we created the Global Student Experience. Now in its sixth edition, the program has welcomed nearly 30,000 students worldwide and continues to grow as one of our most impactful early career learning experiences.
The Global Student Experience is a fully digital, flexible program designed to help students explore future ready skills, gain a genuine understanding of our company, and discover where their ambitions might take them within the fields of energy management, automation, digital innovation, and sustainability.
What is the Global Student Experience?
Led by Giselle Richardson, Talent Acquisition Consultant in North America, the Global Student Experience introduces students to our culture, purpose, and the technologies that drive our work.
Giselle explains that the program was created as a way for students to meaningfully engage with Schneider Electric through e-learning content that reflects the skills and qualities that matter most to us. As she describes it, the program gives students “an insider view into one of the world’s most sustainable and innovative companies” and helps them understand how we empower people to make the most of their energy and resources.
Students can choose from six learning tracks; each aligned to a key part of our business:
- Sales and Marketing
Introducing the customer journey, our partner ecosystem, the value chain, and the foundational skills behind influencing business decisions.
- Services
Exploring how we enhance system performance, reliability, efficiency, and comfort across power, automation, control, and building life cycle services.
- Global Supply Chain
A look at our digitally enabled supply chain and the innovations driving customization, speed, and operational resilience.
- Digital Careers
Insight into the six digital competencies that prepare students for future digital careers and help them understand what it means to be a digital citizen.
- Sustainability as a Business
An exploration of the future of corporate sustainability and the energy transition, including our own solutions and emerging global trends.
- Industrial Automation
A closer look at how automation powers industries around the world and how our technologies help customers improve performance and efficiency.
The entire experience is virtual and self-paced, designed to fit naturally into the life of a busy student.
Why students love the program
Every year we hear from students who describe how the program helped them better understand not just what Schneider Electric does, but why we do it. Many tell us that the experience brought our purpose to life in a new way and gave them a deeper appreciation for our work in sustainability and innovation.
Flexibility is another standout feature. Because the program can be completed anywhere and at any pace, students can easily manage their coursework, jobs, and extracurricular responsibilities. As one participant shared with us, the virtual format allowed them to “prioritize schoolwork and then schedule time to complete the modules” when it suited them.
The 2026 program introduces even more flexibility. Registration remains open all year and students can explore as many learning tracks as they wish. Throughout the year, modules will be refreshed or added as industry trends evolve, ensuring that students always have access to the most current and relevant content.
Giselle hopes that every participant leaves the experience with a sense of empowerment and a clear understanding of how they can contribute to a more sustainable future.
How the program has helped students build their careers
Many students who participated in the Global Student Experience have since joined Schneider Electric in full time or early career roles. Their journeys illustrate how the program can spark confidence, foster clarity, and open doors to meaningful, purpose driven work.
Bianca (Process Automation and IT Engineer Intern):
When Bianca joined the program, she was looking for guidance on how to bridge the gap between university and industry. She recalls feeling “a big gap between the academic world and the industry world” and wanting more clarity about what engineering careers looked like in practice.
The Services track aligned well with her mechatronics background and gave her practical insight into digital services. She found the experience eye opening and explained that she learned how digital services are applied in real situations and how they influence environmental outcomes. The feedback she received on her final presentation made the program feel personal and supportive.
Bianca says the program did not change her career path, but it gave her “big clarity” on what she wanted to work toward. Today, she is thriving at Schneider Electric and appreciates working in an environment where “people care about your personal growth and your technical growth.”
Nicole (Systems Application Engineer):
Nicole joined the Global Student Experience to build her professional foundation before beginning her engineering career. Through the Services track, she learned more about how Schneider Electric operates and how strongly our work is centred around sustainability. She says, “I learned about Services, how Schneider works, and how Schneider really drives towards sustainability.”
Her time in the program gave her a clear sense of the people and values she would encounter in the organization. Now working as a Systems Application Engineer, she believes the program prepared her well for her full-time role and continues to recommend it to students interested in learning more about Schneider Electric.
Phoebe (Sustainability Business Consultant):
Phoebe took part in the Global Student Experience during her second year of university, looking for ways to grow her skills over the summer. The program’s flexibility appealed to her, along with the opportunity to learn more about sustainability. She chose the Sustainability as a Business track and found the content “very interesting and interactive,” especially the lessons from the Schneider Electric Sustainability School.
Through the final recorded presentation and feedback process, Phoebe strengthened her communication skills and gained confidence in applying what she had learned. After graduation, she was notified about a sustainability focused graduate program that matched her interests.
Today, Phoebe supports clients in their decarbonization journeys, helping them set sustainability targets and build long term roadmaps. She often shares that she is proud of the positive impact her work creates and grateful for the foundation the Global Student Experience provided.
Why this matters for your future
We created the Global Student Experience because we believe learning should be accessible, flexible, and meaningful. Students who participate in the program gain insight into real career paths. They build relevant skills, and learn directly from a global leader in sustainability and digital transformation.
The program invites you to explore, grow, and imagine the role you want to have in the future of energy technology.
Ready to get started?
The Global Student Experience is more than an online learning program. It is a chance to understand who we are, explore your strengths, and discover where you might fit in the future of sustainable innovation.
The program is free, flexible, and open all year, making it easy for students anywhere in the world to participate.
If you are ready to take the next step in your learning journey, we invite you to join the Global Student Experience and see where it can take you.
If you would like to continue exploring opportunities after the program, you can browse our current openings or join our Talent Community to stay connected with upcoming early career roles.
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