ALUMNI IMPACT STUDY

This study was conducted

by AIESEC Canada*

between June 2010 and

August 2010, with the aim

to determine the impact that

AIESEC Canada has in its

members. The following

summary gives an overview

of the main results.

INTRODUCTION

RESEARCH DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

The world is changing and facing new challenges, therefore a

new generation of leaders capable of overcoming them is

needed.

With over three billion of the globe’s population under the age of

30, there is a strong need to invest in globally-minded youth to

lead the change the world hopes to see.

AIESEC is the world’s largest student-driven organization.

Present in over 107 countries, the organization has been

preparing leaders to overcome different challenges for the past 60

years.

Through cultural experiences and leadership roles, AIESEC has

managed to impact society on many levels through its various

programs.

This is a qualitative and quantitative study. The quantitative section was analyzed through an online survey, and the qualitative features were extracted from interviews. The participants from the online survey and interviews were alumni from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s. Altogether, 234 alumni participated in the evaluation.

Getting to know the past to understand the present and plan for the future

STUDY SUMMARY

PARTICIPANTS BACKGROUND

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

AIESEC started as a n association of s tudents of

economic a nd c ommercial sciences; h owever, as a

result o f the organization’s s ignificant m embership

growth, it expanded into an organization for students of

all disciplines.

Some a cademic institutions s till refer to A IESEC as a business-oriented organization. Results show that 14% of participants are interested in accounting, finance, a nd i nsurance, and 1 2% a re i nterested in t he c ommunications field and the marketing industry. It was difficult to find any representation from the health, arts, fashion, and film industries.

GENERAL BACKGROUND

General background i nformation w as c ompiled in a ddition to

information related to t he A IESEC Experience. H owever, it i s

important to point out that for basic information, participants were

given the choice t o answer t he q uestionnaire a nonymously a nd,

as a r esult, t he i nformation r egarding “ basic background” is n ot

completely known.

AIESEC BACKGROUND

DECADE OF AIESEC An example of the importance and impact of AIESEC’s leadership roles is illustrated in this testimonial:

“I manage 18 stores employing about a hundred people, and the way we work with them is quite similar to the way we used to motivate members in my Local Committee in terms of training delivery and controlling and improving processes. We set individual time targets and goals, and this is very similar to what we did in AIESEC. I would say I use the skills I learned from performing these tasks in AIESEC on a daily basis.”

Mathew Meldensohn, ‘00s alumnus

AIESECers have the opportunity to develop

their leadership potential according to their

personal needs. They have the chance to take

responsibility and ownership over their own

learning and the learning of others to ensure

that everyone in the organization gets the most

out of their experience.

DURATION IN AIESEC

“AIESEC is a life-changing organization. The more you invest in it the more you get back. I

was a committed member for five years and will remain a committed alumna and ally for life.”

Irena Kahn, ‘90s alumna

Cultural understanding, global mindset, new

language skills, awareness of global

issues, community involvement, and crisis

management are some of the topics that

members feel they can learn through

international internships.

The cultural experience exchanges or professional

international exchange internships last between 6 weeks and

18 months. The majority of participants (18%) took

internships that lasted between 6 and 12 months, and 17%

took internships that lasted between three to six months.

While there is a small percentage (9%) of alumni who took

internships lasting less than 3 months, a smaller group (4%)

of participants who went on international internships lasting

18 months were given extended contracts to continue

working in the company after their terms ended.

A member can have several travel

opportunities throughout his/her

AIESEC experience. In this study,

56% of participants went on an

international internship, 55% of

that total attended an international

conference, 32% went on a

CEED, 12% had other kinds of

international experience, and 12%

did not travel abroad through

AIESEC.

Some members who went on a

CEED also went on an

international internship or

conference. It is important to note

that over 80% of AIESEC alumni

took travel opportunities through

the organization.

Travel Opportunities with AIESEC

INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS

CIDA

For several years AIESEC Canada received funds from The

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). During

this time 1 out of 4 or 26% of Canadian AIESECers received

support from the AIESEC ADAPT funding program (CIDA

funding) in order to contribute a positive impact in developing

communities

The majority of participants in this study (97%) attended an AIESEC conference.

AIESEC CONFERENCES

POTENTIAL AREAS OF IMPACT

LEADERSHIP

Leadership development has become increasingly important

and is a growing trend in many organizations. According to

Bersin & Associates, organizations spent up to 30% of their

learning and development budget on leadership

development, in order to build the foundation for

management training, succession planning, executive

education, and other critical management responsibilities.

When asked if they believe in “socially responsible

leadership” (the framework aligning internal beliefs and

values with the external behaviours), 95% of alumni

answered “yes” against a 5% who didn’t know, and 0%

answering “no”.

Determining the importance of “socially responsible

leadership” is to outline whether alumni feel that AIESEC

develops this type of leadership not only in Canada but also

around the world. So, when participants were asked if they

believe that AIESEC develops socially responsible leaders

around the world, 89% answered “affirmative”, 9% answered

“don’t know,” and 1% answered “do not believe so”.

“AIESEC gave me pure leadership experience and I really became more sensitive to global

and national issues. That's important in a large country like Canada.”

Francois Pintal, alumnus from the ‘80s

“Primarily through

conferences, AIESEC opened

my eyes to CSR/sustainability

issues and I am still working

with these issues in

Bangladesh with MicroEdit and

sustainability programs. I am

now a partner of an

organization which works on

addressing complex social

programs and setting up

businesses to promote

sustainable baby products.”

Christen Schotlen,

alumna from the ‘90s

When given the opportunity to rate the importance of

“socially responsible leadership” in their everyday life,

on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 meaning none at all and 10

being extremely important), 55% of alumni answered

between 8 and 10, 39% situated their ratings between

5 and 7, and 6% rated less than 5.

We have gathered that 86% of members who have

gone through the entire AIESEC cycle rated the

importance of “socially responsible leadership” from 6

and above.

Statements about what a person believes and rates in

certain topic are important to determine attitudes and

behaviours towards certain matters.

When alumni were asked, “How often do you assume

a leadership role in your work life or community?”, 7

out of 10 claim that they either “always” or “often”

assume a leadership role in their work life or

community while 21% do it sometimes, and 8% rarely

or never take a leadership role.

Members were asked to rate their interest in taking

leadership roles in their communities PRIOR and

AFTER their AIESEC experiences. On a scale from

1 to 10, 64% of alumni rated their interest as 6 or

above prior to joining AIESEC. This figure jumps to

91% after taking part in an AIESEC experience.

LEADERSHIP

How would you rate the importance of “Socially

Responsible Leadership” in your everyday life?

How frequently do you assume a leadership role in your work life or

within the local community?

How has your level of interest in assuming a leadership role in your community changed

since your experience in AIESEC?

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

AIESEC provides its members with an integrated

experience comprised of leadership opportunities,

international internships, and participation in a

global learning environment. Each member’s

experience develops skills that could be useful in

their professional lives.

When past members were asked to rate the

impact that they felt AIESEC had on their

professional lives on a scale of 1 to 10, 74% of

alumni gave ratings between 8 and 10 and 4%

gave ratings of 4 and below.

“The work that I did as an AIESECer

determined the career path I followed in my

professional life.”

Francis Prevost, Alumni 00’s

It was also relevant to determine the skills

that alumni felt they had developed from

joining the organization, which could be

useful in their professional lives.

At all stages of their experiences,

AIESEC members should be able to

increase their theoretical knowledge of

functional and interpersonal skills, and

put that knowledge into practice. The

survey gave the participants the option to

select which skills alumni had prior to and

after AIESEC.

It is important to highlight the growth in the number of members who experienced an increase in certain

competencies. Our results show that the surveyed alumni believe that their networking skills increased 55%,

project management skills increased 42%, strategic thinking skills had a 41% increase, and leadership skills

improved by 35%.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Languages Learning another language is always an asset as

the world is reflecting greater need for multicultural

accommodation and international business.

As a result we included a second list of skills that

alumni felt could be acquired through working with

AIESEC. Approximately 37% of alumni

participating in the survey learned or developed

further a new language after joining AIESEC.

Entrepreneurship

Having entrepreneurial skills was another asset

that alumni felt they acquired through AIESEC.

Approximately 24% of AIESEC alumni had, at

some point in their lives, started a company.

Non-Profit Sector

Starting a not-for-profit organization is an

activity which requires strong leadership, a

clear vision, passion and commitment.

For this reason, the option of starting an NFP

was included among the list of activities alumni

describe for their lives after AIESEC.

Responses showed that 7% of past members

started an NGO or project focused on giving

back to the community.

International Aspect

Gaining an international mentality is vital in a

world which is rapidly becoming globalized, yet

maintaining its stereotypes and cultural

barriers.

This international orientation can be acquired

through experiences working with international

students or going abroad for a conference,

CEED, or internship

About 35% of alumni started or joined an

organization with an international component

while 41% are currently working or have

worked previously for an international

organization.

“Since AIESEC, I’ve worked with Amnesty international, Engineers Without Borders, the Engineering Student Society,and the Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada. AIESEC has contributed to my pursuit to be active in the communities in which I’m a part”

Jomar Manzano, alumni ‘00s

WORKPLACE

In many organizations, development of the talent

pipeline is key to eventual and sustained growth.

Consequently, companies tend to hire candidates

with leadership skills who might be able to take

on more responsibilities and overcome new

challenges.

Therefore when alumni were asked when they

received their first promotion, the most frequent

answer was “in less than a year after being

hired.” Thirty-one percent chose “between 1 and 2 years after being hired”. These results show that a

significant number of AIESECers are perceived as contributors of value. More than half of the

AIESEC alumni are likely to be promoted to a higher position within 2 years.

These promotions in the working environment are also related to

the level where alumni began their professional careers; for this

reason a question aiming to find out at what level they began a

professional career was added into the survey. The results show

that 54% started as an employee, 19% as a Project Manager,

11% in Middle Management, 2% Senior Manager, 5%

Entrepreneur*, 9% other.

Seeking to have a better

understanding of the context

of their career path, alumni

were also asked about the

types of organizations they

started working for post

AIESEC. Responses show

that 53% started in large

organizations (more than 500

employees), 15% started in

medium-sized organizations,

and 22% joined small

organizations.

“The results of your AIESEC experience will show in your professional career as they did mine and many of my fellow graduates. Being involved on an international level creates an incredible opportunity to learn how

differences can be overcome as we head towards a common goal.”

Murtaza Albiz, ‘00s alumnus

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

AIESEC creates an

environment in which

members can clarify

and expand their

ambitions. Throughout

their experience,

members engage in

mentorship, personal

planning, and goal-

setting allowing for

greater awareness of

the opportunities for

contribution in the

world.

Being an outstanding

member in local

communities or at work

drives activities that

help those who are

less fortunate and

contribute towards the

common good.

AIESEC works to make a positive impact on society, and it also has a

unique way of achieving impact. One of them is to develop positive values

that will stay with its members

for life.

To measure the strength of the

organization’s values, alumni

were asked which of the

AIESEC values they felt they

most identified with. About 83%

feel they indentify with “Striving for Excellence”.

AIESEC’s core values also link with taking

action in response to global issues. We

wanted to know if alumni found increased

global awareness as a result of their

experience in AIESEC. Approximately

89% of alumni felt that their awareness

did increase, 7% don’t believe so, and 3%

don’t know.

Being aware of global issues is relevant to working with communities, therefore when asked if they were more involved in their local community as a result of their

involvement with the organization, 60% of alumni believe so, 31% do not believe so, and 9% don’t know.

“I volunteer organizing different things with my family. We organize internationally themed dinners, and we

help new immigrants to get settled in the community. Talking to Canadians about immigrants and getting

immigrants more comfortable with the Canadian culture is something I’m very passionate about.” Robin Rooke, ‘80s alumna

AIESEC members develop competencies through the different learning experiences that AIESEC offers.

Our analysis shows that 76% of alumni feel they developed or acquired a global mindset, 74% feel they became aware of global issues, 70% feel they developed the ability to adapt to change, 68% feel they developed a sense of social responsibility, 68% mentioned becoming more proactive when learning, 56% feel they acquired a developmental/philanthropic inclination, 49% feel they developed emotional intelligence, 44% mentioned they developed an entrepreneurial outlook, and 43% felt they were more inclined to responsible risk taking after joining AIESEC.

A study published for an international exchange

program revealed that 57% of North Americans felt

they could identify more with their home country

than anywhere else after going abroad.

Our results show that 50% of past members feel

like they are citizens of the world, 38% feel they

identify more with their own country, 7% felt they

identify most with their city or province, and 2% feel

they identify most with another continent.

“AIESEC took me out of my box. I thought I was globally aware, but I truly wasn’t until I lived and

worked somewhere else, particularly somewhere less advantaged than where I grew up.”

Heather Campbell, ‘90s alumna

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Regarding AIESEC’s

influence on alumni’s

interest in global

issues, alumni were

asked to rate, on a

scale of 1 to 10 their

interest in global issues

prior to their

involvement in

AIESEC. 30% rated

their interest between a

5 and 7, while 15%

rated 4 and below. A

majority of 81% rated

their interest between 8

and 10.

There is a significant

difference between

alumni’s interest in

global issues before

and after joining

AIESEC. It is important

to note that zero alumni

gave ratings below five

regarding their interest

in global issues after

having worked with

AIESEC.

Of the alumni surveyed, 71% have

spent time promoting awareness about

global issues. Among that number, 41%

spent time promoting awareness about

environmental issues, 32% about

universal education, 29% about gender

inequality, 28% about both health issues

and poverty/hunger, 25% about human

rights, 17% about violence/war, 7%

about other issues, and 6% promoted

awareness about substance abuse.

“AIESEC opened a whole world of possibilities for me. I met many people of different

backgrounds and had a better connection and understanding of what life is like around the world.”

Mark Vreugdenhill, ‘90s alumnus

Interest in global issues PRIOR/AFTER their experience in AIESEC

Do you currently/have you previously spent time promoting awareness about

any of the following global issues?Poverty and Hunger

Violation of Human Rights

Gender Inequality

Health Issues

Environmental Issues

Violence/War

Universal Eduaction

Substance Abuse

None of the Above

Other

Volunteering for different non-profit

organizations is a way to give back to the

community; therefore, we included a

question in the survey to find out how often

alumni participate in volunteer activities.

According to Human Resources and Skills

Development Canada, in 2004, 45% of

adult Canadians (15 years and over) give

up some of their time to volunteer for not-

for-profit organizations.

When AIESEC alumni were asked, “How

often do you participate in volunteer activities?” 45% often or always volunteer, 41% sometimes

participate in charity work, and 14% rarely or never

volunteer. This means that 86% of AIESEC alumni

devote some significant measure of time to volunteer

activities.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Another way of giving back to the community and

generating awareness about global issues is through

getting involved with non-governmental organizations.

Results show that 33% of AIESEC alumni are currently

involved with an NGO.

“ I’m involved with five not-for-profit organizations: AIESEC Laurier, my Church, and three

disability-related charities and am simultaneously an advisor, board member, finance member,

fundraising member, and volunteer.”

Mike Simpson, ‘80s alumnus

IMPACT ON PERSONAL LIFE

The organization is well known for positively contributing to

students’ careers by strengthening skills and developing global

mindsets, cultural understanding, and social responsibility.

There are many different ways in which AIESEC can positively

impact members’ personal lives such as expanding their global

network, creating life-long friendships, and future business

partners.

When asked to rate the impact that the organization had on

their personal lives, on a scale from 1 to 10, 84% of AIESEC

alumni rated between 8 and 10, with only 3% rating 4 and

below.

“I had an excellent experience on

many different ways. The first, I

think, was that it increased my

interest in the Canadian Foreign

Service. I think the assignments I

had abroad with AIESEC and the

work I did for AIESEC had a

positive contribution toward my

interview for the Foreign Service;

they saw that I had a certain

amount of experience that might

be useful to them.”

Jason Reiskind,

‘60s alumnus

“I met wonderful, fabulous people,

I got to express my interest in

internationalism, I got to travel the

world, I was given management

and executive responsibility miles

ahead of where I would have been

in other organizations, and it was a

wonderful experience. I highly

recommend everybody to get

AIESEC exposure.”

Theresa Kane, ‘70s alumna

“AIESEC provided me with life-long connections and lasting friendships which have sustained for more than 10

years, and many of us are now married, have careers, and have children. I think the best thing that AIESEC

does is open the eyes of youth to the broader world outside of their own universities, cities, and countries.

This perspective is very valuable.” Lena Jerabek ‘90s alumna

As previously stated, some AIESEC alumni received funding from

CIDA, which helped them to go abroad and live the AIESEC

Exchange Experience. AIESEC’s exchange programs took Canadian

students to countries to work on specific projects related to helping

the development of communities.

These high-impact experiences gave members the opportunity to

travel and develop a strong sense of commitment to the

development of their respective communities.

With the aim to get a closer look at the impact of the CIDA program,

we observed that 25% of alumni were able to benefit from the

program. Results show that from the list of alumni who received

ADAPT funding

56.6% are or have previously worked in an NGO or project

focused on giving back to the community

8.3% at some point in their lives started their own company

41.6% are currently working for an NGO

91.6% sometimes, often or always volunteer in their

communities and;

93.3% sometimes, often, or always assume a leadership role

in their community or work life

CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency)

“I probably wouldn’t have been able to afford my whole internship if I didn’t receive the ADAPT funding, so without it I

wouldn’t have gone on an internship, I wouldn’t have worked abroad, and I wouldn’t have found a newfound understanding

of Chinese culture. Because my parents didn’t fund my education I had to shell out for everything. I had to pay for food,

textbooks, housing, and tuition fees so I didn’t have anything left by the end of my university career. The ADAPT funding I

received was very critical to my voyage on an internship.”

Kyle Burgess, ‘00s alumnus

“[ADAPT funding] helped so

much; I had just finished

university before going

abroad, and I had no

money. CIDA helped get

me the funding I needed to

go to a lesser-developed

country.

Receiving ADAPT funding

was very useful, especially

right after having graduated

from university.”

Thierry Kbeya, ‘00s

alumnus

AIESEC helps young professionals develop skills, positives attitudes and needed competencies. Its many programs can help Canadian members work in developing communities around the world. There is significant growth in the skills and positive behaviour of students and recent graduates who have gone through the AIESEC Experience in AIESEC Canada.

AIESEC alumni tend to be active members in their community after they complete the AIESEC Experience.

AIESEC alumni care deeply about global issues. AIESEC alumni strongly believe in responsible leadership. AIESEC alumni are more likely to pursuit a career in the non-profit sector AIESEC alumni are likely to start their own business. AIESEC members are likely to get promoted by a company within two years of

being hired. AIESEC alumni are active in international environments. AIESEC alumni have a strong sense of cultural understanding. AIESEC develops globally minded responsible leaders who become involved in

their communities.

AIESEC is an organization that has a strong impact in its member’s lives, both personally

and professionally. Even though AIESEC is fairly strong in developing skills and positive

attitudes, programs like ADAPT foster lasting impact for both the individual and community

by providing the opportunity to go abroad for development initiatives.

CONCLUSIONS

AIESEC CANADA Phone: (416) 368-1001 Fax: (416) 368-4490 Email: info@aiesec.ca Web: http://www.aiesec.ca Registered Charity # 129835872 RR000

*This study was created and conducted by Danhalit Zamalloa for AIESEC Canada