Astrid Haizet-Blanco knows what it takes to make the leap from tech hopeful to tech pro. As the Career Services Manager for General Assembly Europe for the last six-and-a-half years, she spends her time guiding bootcamp students and alumni to thriving professional careers.
Prior to this role, she helped students land their first jobs in tech as a Career Services Coach.
With a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the challenges tech professionals face, Astrid recently shared her thoughts on bridging the gap between education and employment.
On community building
“My favourite part of working at General Assembly is the community we build between employees, students, and alumni,” Astrid shares. She emphasises the value of having a support network and tapping into a wealth of shared knowledge, opportunities, and motivation.
GA students learn directly from industry professionals actively working in the field, which gives them a unique blend of mentorship and hands-on learning that connects education directly with career success.
On skill development
“Watching students go from learning technical and soft skills to landing their first job in tech is incredibly rewarding,” Astrid adds.
Beyond technical expertise like coding, data analysis, or UX design, General Assembly students also build essential soft skills through group-based cohort learning, portfolio presentations, and interview preparation with a career coach. These experiences foster collaboration, communication, and problem-solving abilities, ensuring students emerge as well-rounded professionals.
On career support
“We’re here to support you during your bootcamp and after graduating,” Astrid explains. General Assembly, owned by the Adecco Group—one of the world’s largest staffing firms—is the only bootcamp provider supported by LHH, the world’s leading talent solutions provider.
From the very first month of bootcamp, students begin crafting impactful job search materials—such as cover letters and portfolios—while also gaining access to career webinars, alumni panels, and professional networks.
Thanks to GA’s exclusive partnership with LHH, graduates enjoy two months of premium access to valuable resources like career coaching with LHH consultants, priority access to a job board and LHH recruiting, LinkedIn Learning content, lifetime access to LHH CRN resources for continued job search support, post-hire guidance, and membership in the LHH networking community.
On AI in the workplace
With artificial intelligence dominating conversations among aspiring tech professionals, Astrid is quick to offer reassurance: “Don’t worry about being replaced by AI. The tech industry is always evolving.”
“The key is learning how to use these new tools effectively,” she says, highlighting the importance of adaptability in the modern workplace. Astrid, too, has had to stay ahead of the curve: “We recently moved all our content to Canvas to make it more accessible and user-friendly for students,” she explains.
Flexibility and openness to change, she says, is essential to professional growth.
On the journey
Reflecting on her time at GA, Astrid’s passion for helping students succeed shines through: “Seeing students take what they’ve learned here and turn it into a career they love—that’s why I do what I do.”
For anyone charting their own path in tech, her advice is simple but powerful: embrace the learning process, build your network, and stay open to evolving.
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