Unlock Unlimited Learning with Special Experiences from Business Administration Students in J-MAT Program #38
Classroom education alone may not be sufficient for preparing students for the real working world. Many people are therefore looking for opportunities to enhance their experience and necessary skills before stepping into their career paths. This is similar to the story of 3 students from the School of Business Administration, Digital Marketing major, who discovered golden opportunities through the J-MAT Program Batch 38.
Led by Aem Natacha Kokoed, Gam Thanaporn Pengsawang, and Nuea Piyapat Veerabunluechat, these 3 students decided to join the J-MAT Program Batch 38 after being inspired by friends who had previously participated in the Next Gen program.
"We had heard about J-MAT before because it's a large organization that organizes activities related to Marketing Trainee. Plus, we had friends who had previously joined J-MAT projects, so we heard about their experiences participating in various past projects. We thought it was interesting and it was also a way to accumulate portfolio work and gain new experiences."
Rigorous Selection Process - Proving Your Potential
Joining the J-MAT program is not easy. Applicants must pass through multiple challenging selection stages that test abilities in all dimensions:
- Submitting a Resume to showcase background and portfolio
- Taking multiple-choice exams on marketing fundamentals
- Analyzing articles
"Besides submitting personal background, there were multiple-choice exams. Most questions were about marketing fundamentals, which the Business Administration faculty at Bangkok University had already taught us, making us quite confident."
However, the most challenging stage was the interview with seniors from the Next-Gen program and Alumni as committee members, who evaluated general knowledge, problem-solving wit, and work mindset.
Intensive 6-Week Course - Comprehensive Learning
Once selected, participants experienced learning that differed from typical classrooms, with curricula designed to be intensive and as close to real work as possible.
"In the first month, we had seniors, professors, and famous page owners who are hard to reach, teaching us marketing knowledge in an intensive and comprehensive manner. There were various real case shows, which was a great opportunity for us to learn from marketing experts' perspectives."
What made this program special was having a team closely observe participants' behavior, along with workshops for everyone to showcase their full potential before entering the important mission in the second month.
Hands-On Practice Through Real Brand Challenges
After accumulating knowledge for a month, it was time to test abilities through real projects from sponsors. Participants were divided into 4 groups, each receiving different and equally challenging assignments:
Kaem's team received a mission from Mizumi to increase Gen Z customer base and increase sales by 5-10% through a unique new campaign
Nuea's team had to handle Boosta brand's innovative energy drink Cell Tech X, aiming to create 330 million baht in sales within 1 year
Aem's team received a challenge from health insurance products to primarily target the Gen Y market
"We were fortunate that each group had a Mentor to help and provide framework guidance, enabling us to successfully complete our work." Having mentors for consultation allowed teams to confidently present their work through 2 rounds of pitching with brand owners.
Valuable Returns Beyond Expectations
Joining the J-MAT program provided not only marketing knowledge but also much more valuable things:
"Participating in the program allowed us to gain connections and new social networks, receive good knowledge from many seniors who shared their expertise, and importantly, we gained both passion and agency for future work."
All 3 students regretted learning about this program so close to graduation, reflecting the value and benefits received from participating.
Message to Students Looking for Opportunities
For friends looking for skill-enhancing experiences, the 3 students left this message:
"If you feel you have an interest in marketing, we encourage you to try studying seriously, try learning new things, broaden your worldview, and try to gain experiences. Because some things we can only do during our 4 years within the university walls. These things are about opportunities - we want you to try doing or experiencing them yourself, because after graduation we have to live our real lives."
Joining the J-MAT program is therefore not just about learning, but investing in one's future, building networks, and truly preparing to become professional marketers. "Anyone interested can follow J-MAT program information at Facebook: J-MAT Official and Instagram: @J-MAT_Official"
