Helping MBA students explore career paths

MBA students know that a graduate business degree can take them anywhere. But how do they begin to find the career path that suits their skills and fulfills their passions?

That challenge is at the heart of the Career and Industry Immersion Academies (CIIA) at Fisher. The academies, part of the Full-Time MBA program, provide MBA students with experiential opportunities to explore career paths in several areas, including operations, analytics and supply chain; marketing; strategy, leadership and consulting; and finance.

Fifty MBA students recently participated in a CIIA site visit of Nestlé USA’s Cleveland office, an experience that illustrated the cross-functional operations of the world’s largest food and beverage company.

During the two-day visit, students met with presidents from the company’s Pizza and Snacking, and Meals Divisions to learn about strategic plans and company operations. They also attended a panel discussion about career opportunities in areas such as brand marketing, finance and control.

“Our trip to Nestlé gave us a chance to network with C-suite executives, learn about the different type of jobs at the Cleveland office, and experience the magic of where every single food produced by Nestlé starts,” said Matheus Fagundes, a first-year MBA student.

The program enriched the students’ classroom learning by providing perspectives into real-world supply chain and operations challenges.

“The leaders shared how their supply chain and finance departments adapted during COVID to meet the surge in demand for ready-to-eat frozen foods,” said Ashu Suman, a first-year MBA student. “Hearing about Nestlé’s strategic adjustments pre- and post-COVID illustrated the importance of agility in operations and effective cross-department collaboration ― skills I’m eager to apply in my own career.”

The CIIAs leverage a key differentiator for MBA students at Fisher ― the college’s sprawling network of alumni who are eager to help current students. At Nestlé, students heard from alumni who shared valuable insights into career growth, navigating large organizations, the importance of adaptability and seeking cross-departmental learning opportunities and staying resilient in the face of challenges.

“Talking with the Nestlé associates gave us the opportunity to learn how to effectively articulate a company’s mission and get buy-in from different units within the company,” said Kyle Schembechler, a second-year MBA student.

Students also received a behind-the-scenes presentation by chefs at Nestlé’s Culinary Innovation Center, having the chance to sample a variety of products for lunch.

“I learned the importance of adaptability in operations and the value of cross-functional collaboration to drive innovation,” said Suman. “Their focus on sustainable practices and responsible sourcing also highlighted the role of socially responsible leadership in today’s business environment. These lessons will help me become a more agile and innovative leader while ensuring I prioritize ethical practices in my career.”

The presentation provided students with a look at how new products are developed.

“It was a unique perspective to be able to step into the test kitchen and see and experience the continuous feedback the kitchen and chefs had with marketing,” said Schembechler. “This collaboration showed how important it is to understand what is popular or trending in the market and how a company should adjust their current products to stay relevant.”

To cap the CIIA visit, leaders from Nestlé created a mini-case competition for students. They had 45 minutes to analyze a marketing opportunity on how to better market products from its Meals Division to college campus students.

“The case competition provided an opportunity to step back, look at the analytics and the big picture of the company and to decide what needed to be done to fulfill their needs,” said Schembechler. “It gave us an opportunity to create a solution that was suitable, realistic and actionable.”

Other CIIA visits included a trip to Greif, an industrial packaging company, where students met with its chief financial officer to discuss financial analysis, supply chain operations, logistics and marketing.

In November, students visited Rumpke waste and recycling facilities to learn about the logistics, strategic planning, operational efficiencies and processing capabilities of the company.

“No amount of class education can trump an immersion experience,” Schembechler said. “These CIIA offerings elucidate how cross-functions come together and how departments like R&D and finance lean on each other.”