Graduate profile : Camille Bruchec

After graduating with a baccalauréat in literature in 2016, I still didn't know what path to take. But one thing was certain: I had a very poor level of English. I decided to go to London as an au pair to improve my English.
I took a BTS in Tourism at the École Nationale de Commerce in Paris on my return. My stay in London had awakened my interest in travel. However, through my work placements, I soon realised that my real interest lay not in the commercial side of things but in tourism development. So I went on to study for a professional degree in town planning and development, specialising in tourism, at the University of Paris Nanterre.

During this year, I acquired new knowledge in areas that were completely new to me, such as urban law and local public finance. My 4-month placement with the Val-de-Marne/Essonne Territorial Development Agency at RATP, as a territorial studies officer, consolidated my interest in territorial issues in their entirety.

After this degree, I decided to take a year's break and went to Mexico as part of a language assistant programme organised by France Éducation. On my return to France, I took up a 3-month fixed-term contract with Le Mans Métropole Habitat as an assistant project manager. Because of the long-term absence of the project manager, I took on all his tasks. It was a very operational role, which enabled me to deepen my knowledge of urban projects.
This career path, rich in varied experiences, made me realise that I didn't want to confine myself to a single specialism, but rather continue to explore different areas.

It was a friend who told me about the Master and encouraged me to apply. I hesitated for a long time, fearing that I wouldn't be accepted because of my more professional background. When I looked at the brochure, I found the range of courses on offer, very interesting. On the one hand, it enabled me to consolidate some of the knowledge I'd already acquired, while at the same time tackling new subjects that I hadn't yet had the opportunity to study. Secondly, it gave me a choice of different courses, including a sandwich course. 

Following on from my studies, I wanted to continue with a course that combined theory and practice, which is what the STU Master offers. In the first year, we have to work one and a half days a week on a collective project determined by a public or private player. For my part, I chose to get involved in a project linked to the Olympic Games, in particular on the theme of the legacy of the Athletes' Village in Seine-Saint-Denis. In my second year, I opted for the apprenticeship route and did my work-study placement with Île-de-France Mobilités, in the land and heritage department. This experience gave me the opportunity to talk to other local authority attachés and to think about taking the competitive entrance exam. 

In addition to the core curriculum, which offers relevant lessons for preparing for the competitive entrance exam, one of the main advantages of the STU Masters is that students can choose from a range of subjects, allowing them to specialise according to their own interests. For my part, I chose subjects focusing on the public sector. The master's degree has enabled me to acquire a wide range of knowledge on subjects of particular relevance to local authorities: local authority law, local public finance, risk management and so on. 

In addition, both for the oral exam and in the context of my current assignments, the courses on cooperation between public and private players were particularly valuable in helping me to better understand the development of public policies on a territorial scale.

I currently work for the City of Paris as a land project manager in the land and property development office of the urban planning department. My main task is to optimise and develop the city's property assets.

Together with my colleagues, our aim is to explore various ways of optimising and enhancing the value of the city's property assets. In particular, this requires an in-depth knowledge of the City of Paris' property portfolio, which includes properties both within and outside the city, and of its needs. 

I'm in charge of monitoring a number of very different sites, ranging from a historic building to an engineering structure, not forgetting a skip garage or a plot of undeveloped land. The diversity of the issues I deal with means that I have to work with people with a wide range of expertise, which makes the work particularly rewarding.
Depending on the project, my role may include project management at the study or pre-operational phase, drawing up temporary occupation permits, drafting agreements or regulatory analysis. 

Take an interest in a wide variety of subjects. The civil service offers real flexibility in career paths and an incredible wealth of subjects to explore. Take advantage of this diversity to broaden your horizons.

For both the Master's programme and civil service careers, don't hesitate to contact people who have completed the course or who hold positions that interest you. Ask them any questions you may have - their feedback is always invaluable.

Finally, make full use of the resources available online. The Internet is a real goldmine: you'll find notes, podcasts, YouTube videos and lots of other material related to competitive examinations. I prepared for the Paris competitive entrance exam on my own, without going through the preparatory classes, and largely thanks to these resources.