Graduates: Combining study, travel and work: Anthony Wimbush, from Edinburgh, read Modern Languages (French) at Oxford. He describes his experiences

'One of my problems was not knowing what kind of job I'd be suitable for. Having graduated with a 2.1, my decision was to study at EAP (European Business School) on the European Masters in Management programme.

'EAP is located in Paris, Oxford, Berlin and Madrid. It gives students a chance to study and get work experience. You study for three years; one year in each of three countries. Everyone studies in England and France, then either in Berlin or Madrid. I went to Berlin.

'Each year we do one internship with an employer for three months, which is one of the most interesting parts of the course - the chance to actually work in different countries and get some work experience.

'I worked in marketing for Thomson Consumer Electronics in Paris, and did a project for Lloyds Bank Insurance Service and worked for TecnEcon, a group of consultants in London. This year I worked in Frankfurt for Towers Perrin, one of the world's largest human resources consultancies.

'These experiences put me in a good position to apply for jobs and I've now found a post with Societe Generale, a French bank, through the Euromanagers/Eurengineers Forum.

'Last year they set up an international graduate recruitment programme to target high- potential non-French candidates to begin work in their Paris headquarters and thereafter to have an international career with them.' He sees this as an effort to bring a more international flavour to their management.

What qualities are needed to succeed in Europe? Languages are a starting point, but these can be picked up 'although we British are particularly bad at it, but it isn't such a big hurdle as people think. It's more important to be flexible, adaptable and ready to move about geographically . . . getting to know different cultures and so on. Also professionally to learn fast and settle into a new job and new environment, and make friends quickly.'

Does he think enough Britons look abroad? 'Definitely not. For example, at EAP there were more Irish and Scots than English - but the whole British group were outnumbered by the Germans, French and Spanish.'