By Frédéric Picard
Reaching far beyond the powerhouses of fashion, hospitality, and jewelry, luxury can today be found right across the service, retail and manufacturing industries, and the demand for Bachelor’s graduates with luxury business expertise has never been greater. In 2021 the global luxury sector reached $1.2 trillion, growing by a further 20% in 2022. As well as the established markets of North America, Europe and China, emerging regions such as India are experiencing tremendous growth and presenting exciting career opportunities for graduates with the right ability and expertise. For high school leavers in search of a degree that offers both an international learning journey and career pathway, few sectors can compete with luxury.
Luxury brands need like-minded talent
Over the next decade the global luxury sector is set to continue growing at pace. Tech-savvy Gen Y, Gen Z and Gen Alpha customers will expand the market from 400 million customers in 2022 to half a billion by 2030, bringing strong spending power and a hunger for unique products and experiences across all of their purchases. This shift is already happening and is increasing the need with the world’s most iconic brands for young, like-minded professionals specialized in business luxury. As a graduate entering this job market, the opportunities will be varied and the positions global, giving professionals the ability to choose a pathway that aligns with their own interests and passions. As ever, the key to accessing the very best roles in this highly-demanding sector will be acquiring the right academic knowledge, skill set, real-world experience and network, with programs such as the recently launched Glion Bachelor’s in Luxury Business representing the benchmark.
A specialised luxury business education
Based at Glion’s Switzerland campuses, students of the BBA in Luxury Business will study courses devoted to luxury attitudes and etiquette, acquire managerial and strategic leadership expertise, and learn how to successfully deliver luxury in the digital age. The seven-semester program, which is now recruiting for a September 2023 start, incorporates two professional internships to build industry experience and managerial confidence.
“Our Bachelor’s degree is the perfect preparation for a high-level leadership career in the international luxury industry,” says Frédéric Picard, Managing Director of Glion Institute of Higher Education. “This uniquely specialized degree, combined with the professional experience of the internships, will open doors to the most selective luxury employers for whom rigor, expertise, and experience are prized assets.” “There is simply no other institution which combines academic excellence and luxury status in the way that Glion does.”
Upon graduation from the BBA, alumni can expect to immediately begin a career in a luxury segment of their choice, including personal luxury goods, luxury retail, luxury brand marketing, yachts, private jets, automobiles, private banking, luxury hospitality, and real estate investment.
“As specialists in luxury and hospitality business education, there is simply no other institution which combines academic excellence and luxury status in the way that Glion does,” Frédéric added. For students, this program will open doors to dream roles that would simply not be available to holders of more generalist business degrees.”
Learning in a luxury location
Indeed, the very location of the program itself adds to the educational experience. Based at the Glion Switzerland campuses, students will learn the art and science of luxury in the home of hospitality, and in an environment that mirrors the luxury industry itself. In addition, the Swiss experiential learning model enables students to gain both confidence and competence through practical semesters, internships, and real-world business projects, giving graduates a competitive advantage when securing their first role.
International. Inspirational. Rewarding.
Undoubtedly, Glion’s unique position at the apex of luxury and hospitality business education makes it the ideal place to study luxury business, and for high school students considering their next step, the luxury business sector represents a rewarding and exciting career pathway. With global roles, multicultural teams, diverse leadership opportunities, and almost limitless segments, luxury business is ideal specialism for undergraduates with an ambition to unleash their potential, make a difference, and explore the world.
The author is Managing Director of Glion Institute Higher Education. Views are personal.