What is a Junior Enterprise? Why join this flagship association which can be found in all the French Grandes Ecoles? We answer all your questions about this growing student movement.
What is a Junior Enterprise?
A Junior-Enterprise, also called JE, is a student association that is present at business schools, as well as technical schools or universities. The aim is to enable students to become more professional, either through the management of this association or through the execution of assignments for professionals.
Junior-Enterprises concludes contracts with large companies, start-ups or SMEs to support them in a wide variety of subjects. Some specialize in finance, others conduct audit engagements, while some support product launches by analyzing customer feedback.
At SKEMA Conseil, for example, the areas of expertise are quite broad. They range from improving the customer experience to communication, through the brand image or even the employee experience. The SKEMA Junior-Enterprise has also collaborated with big names such as SNCF Réseau, Coca-Cola, Decathlon and GRDF. SKEMA Conseil even carried out a mission for Le Grand Débat National, an initiative of Emmanuel Macron.
Be careful, it takes time to set up a Junior-Enterprise. Namely, it is necessary to obtain different brands in order to obtain the JE mark. In short, creating a JE requires several criteria. The grade is never final, it can be downgraded to Junior Initiative if it no longer meets certain criteria.
Also read: Junior-Enterprises, a dedicated movement
The history of Junior-Enterprises in France
The very first Junior-Enterprise was born in 1967 in a business school: ESSEC. It is also today the largest JE in France and Europe. The ESSEC Junior-Enterprise generates a turnover of 1.8 million euros per year. Its chairman is therefore at the head of a real SME. The birth of the ESSEC Junior-Enterprise has its origin in the desire of students to put into practice their courses, which were too theoretical for their taste.
In 1969, the CNJE was born, the National Confederation of Junior-Enterprises, the organization that unites and develops the largest student movement in France. This body established the award for excellence in 1987. It was only 30 years later that the CNJE could benefit from the student tax.
Also read: Emilie Paris looks back on her presidency at the CNJE
Why join a Junior-Enterprise?
Why Integrate a Junior-Enterprise? Simply because it is a highly professional experience that makes the difference in the job market. Some presidents have to manage JEs with a turnover of more than a million euros.
In addition to managing Junior-Enterprises, those who perform missions for JE clients can also demonstrate their skills and experience to recruiters. Today, a Junior-Enterprise can work with very large groups attracted by the flexibility and talent of Grandes Ecoles graduates. In addition, the functioning of JEs is sometimes close to that of consultancies. Joining a Junior-Enterprise can be the ideal springboard to work in this universe.
Finally, in business schools and technical schools, those who are asked to perform missions and assist Junior-Enterprises can sometimes receive compensation for their work. This can be an incentive to fund your daily expenses.
Also read: EDHEC Junior Studies: from association to company
Do they use Junior-Enterprises for large groups?
From start-ups to large groups, everyone takes Junior-Enterprises. Indeed, SKEMA Conseil works just as well with start-ups (Filolab, Dej Box, etc.) as with SMEs or public service providers, proving that students from Grandes Ecoles and universities attract all kinds of companies. But what can tempt them?
It is above all the flexibility, the speed, but also the fresh perspective of the student members of Junior-Enterprise that interest the large groups, as Alain Charmeau, ex-CEO of ArianeGroup, testifies to the CNJE: ” We work more and more with students, Junior-Enterprises, because you bring us new ways of working, new skills that are not yet in the company, but also freshness, willpower, dynamism. †
In addition, large groups appreciate that students can sometimes achieve much better results than the employees of that group. Jérôme Cruciani, Marketing Director of Airbus Interiors Services was amazed at the work of the members of the TBS Junior-Enterprise: ” ESCadrille was able to conduct a complex study involving 800 people in 4 countries, relying on its network of partners abroad (…). The ESCadrille team was very available and showed adaptability and coordinated the research from A to Z (…). A real plus for AIRBUS INTERIORS SERVICES. †
How to integrate a Junior-Enterprise?
The functioning of Junior-Enterprises depends on the school where you study. For example, at HEC Paris you have to make a list to become a member of the HEC Junior Conseil. In other schools, a simple conversation is sufficient. Finally, depending on the JE’s requirement, you may have to confront yourself with an exercise, such as a case study while recruiting at a consulting firm. Again, this will be the perfect preparation to work in this universe.
Also read: Meeting with the presidents of HEC Junior Conseil
Junior-Enterprises in business school
Here is the list of Junior-Enterprises you can find in your business school!
| School | associations |
|---|---|
| audencia | Audencia Junior Consulting |
| BSB | Burgundy Junior Consulting |
| EDHEC | EDHEC Junior Studies |
| EM Normandy | Normandy Junior Consulting |
| EM Strasbourg | European Studies |
| emlyon | emlyon junior consultancy firm |
| ESC Clermont | SEGMA |
| ESCP | ESCP Junior Consulting |
| ESSEC | Junior ESSEC Consulting |
| Excelia BS | Excelia Junior Consultancy |
| GEMSTONE | GEM Junior Consulting |
| HEC | HEC Junior Consulting |
| ICN | ICN Junior Consulting |
| IMT-BS | Sprint |
| INSEEC | INSEEC advice |
| KEDGE Burgundy | AMS Advice |
| KEDGE Marseille | Mediterranean Marketing |
| MBS | MBS Junior Consultancy |
| NEOMA Reims | NEOMA Reims Consulting |
| NEOMA Rouen | Alteo Consulting |
| Reindeer BS | Brittany Council |
| SCSB | get junior |
| SKEMA | SKEMA advice |
| Toulouse BS | squadron |