From Polytech Clermont to Cambodia: Line Millery’s International Journey

My name is Line MILLERY, and I graduated from the Biological Engineering program at Polytech Clermont in 2020. I am currently undertaking a one-year assignment in Cambodia as part of an International Solidarity Volunteer program (VSI), where I am responsible for marketing and communication at TONTOTON, a social and environmental organization committed to preventing plastic pollution and supporting local communities.
  
After graduating with an engineering degree, I continued my studies with a dual degree at a business school: a Specialized Master’s degree in Marketing, Communication and Business in the Healthcare Industries at Toulouse Business School, completed as part of a work-study placement at Sanofi in the Paris region, where I worked as a Project Management Assistant.
  
In 2022, I took advantage of a quieter period following the pandemic to travel around Latin America for five months. This experience helped me develop my cultural openness, independence and self-confidence. When I returned, I joined Vygon in the Occitanie region as a Hospital Representative for medical devices, where I strengthened my skills in customer relations, sales, autonomy and my understanding of the healthcare sector.
  
I am currently working in Cambodia as a Marketing Manager at TONTOTON, where I help highlight the organization’s social and environmental impact to partners and the general public.
  
My decision to build an international career was influenced by several experiences. On the one hand, my previous experiences abroad, particularly my GB4A internship in Australia and my extended trip to Latin America, made me want to explore new countries and discover new professional and cultural environments. On the other hand, my partner wanted to get involved in a volunteering program after completing his PhD, which gave me the opportunity to take part in a VSI assignment as a couple.
  
During my engineering studies, I had also heard about the VIE program and thought it was an interesting experience to have before turning 30. In the end, the VSI allowed me to combine the two and go abroad with my partner!

A professional experience in Cambodia

I am currently undertaking a one-year VSI assignment in Sihanoukville, a coastal city in Cambodia. As Marketing Manager at TONTOTON, I design and manage the organization’s marketing and communication strategy alongside the founder and the project manager.
  
My role takes place in an international context: I work on a daily basis with a local team and mainly foreign partners. Our communication efforts are aimed both at Cambodian audiences and at a global audience. This means juggling several languages (Khmer, English and French) and adapting our messages depending on the target audience.
  
More specifically, I promote our environmental and social initiatives to local and international companies, develop partnerships to strengthen the impact of our model, and produce a variety of content (campaigns, articles and events) to increase TONTOTON’s visibility and credibility in Cambodia and abroad.
  
This experience allows me to contribute to a project addressing a global environmental challenge: the fight against plastic pollution in the oceans.
  
This professional experience is also very different from those I had in France. In France, I worked for “large” private companies in the healthcare sector (bioMérieux, Sanofi and Vygon), in highly structured and regulated environments with significant resources. Processes were standardized, teams were relatively homogeneous, and the organization of work was clearly defined.
  
In Cambodia, I work in a small organization (15 employees), at the intersection of an NGO and a social enterprise. Operations are less formalized, but management is more hierarchical and there are significant local constraints (infrastructure, language barriers and cultural practices).
  
This reality requires a high degree of adaptability, autonomy and creativity. The main difference therefore lies in the need to adapt to a less structured environment in a developing country.

An experience that has enriched both my professional and personal journey

Professionally, this experience has enabled me to develop a strong ability to adapt and a more agile approach to work in an environment that is less structured than in France. I have strengthened my skills in marketing, digital communication, customer relations and project management, while learning to take more initiative in an international context.
  
Working within a Cambodian team has also pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to begin learning a new language.
  
On a personal level, living and working in Cambodia has given me a more open-minded perspective and a better understanding of social and environmental issues in a developing country. This immersion has taught me to be more curious and tolerant of lifestyles different from those I was familiar with.
  
More broadly, this experience has allowed me to give greater meaning to my work by contributing to projects with a social and environmental impact, which has profoundly influenced my professional and personal aspirations.

What Polytech Clermont has given me

What I take away from my education at Polytech Clermont is, above all, the strong scientific and methodological foundation it provided me with. Project-based learning, teamwork and internships were particularly valuable because they allowed me to develop skills that are essential to me today.
  
I also remember the importance placed on international openness, which encouraged me to pursue professional experiences abroad and to steer my career towards meaningful projects.
  
Among the skills, values and experiences I acquired at the school, I would mention the ability to work as part of a team, communicate technical results effectively and quickly adapt to new methods or environments.
  
The program also made me aware of the importance of standards and regulations, as well as the quality of work — values that I apply on a daily basis in my assignments in Cambodia.
  
The GB4A internship abroad in Australia allowed me to open up to the world and gave me the confidence and desire to move abroad, while also preparing me to quickly adapt to new environments, cultures and ways of working.

Sustainable development and the circular economy at the heart of my work

My work is fully connected to environmental protection, sustainable development and the circular economy.
   
At TONTOTON, we prevent plastic pollution at its source while creating local jobs and income for local communities. This approach combines the collection and treatment of plastic waste, community awareness and the recovery of collected materials, thereby helping to reduce environmental impact and promote a local circular economy.
  
These actions are designed to be sustainable and replicable, and they are part of a broader approach to protecting marine and coastal ecosystems, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 11, 12 and 14).
  
These issues are reflected in my day-to-day responsibilities. As Marketing Manager, I develop TONTOTON’s communication strategy to showcase its social and environmental impact by creating and sharing content about our activities (articles, videos, social media posts, institutional materials, etc.).

I also prepare impact reports to make our work more visible and easier to understand for institutional partners, companies and the media. This approach directly contributes to raising awareness among local communities and external stakeholders about the challenges of preventing plastic pollution, promoting sustainable development and developing a circular economy.
  
Finally, I contribute to prospecting and partnership development by adapting messages and materials to different audiences. This helps provide financial and logistical support for our programs while strengthening TONTOTON’s credibility and legitimacy within the sector.

What comes next?

At this stage of my life, I remain open to different opportunities as I am still questioning my professional direction. My experience has allowed me to explore very different environments, from a large French private company to a small Cambodian social organization, which makes me even more eager to broaden my horizons, for example by trying out start-ups or more innovative organizations when I return to France.
  
I really appreciate the healthcare and environmental sectors because I see meaning in them, and I enjoy putting my skills to work on projects with an impact.
  
I remain open to the possibility of working abroad from time to time, but my main goal is to build my career in France, where I fully appreciate the privilege of having grown up in a safe and comfortable environment.

A message to Polytech Clermont students

For students considering an international career, my message is simple: « Dare to step outside your comfort zone and make the most of every experience as an opportunity to learn, even when things are not always easy. »
  
Working abroad has allowed me to discover new cultures, gain a great deal of independence and better understand my professional and personal priorities. In my opinion, an international experience is a great opportunity to explore different ways of working, face new challenges and discover more about yourself.
  
Keep in mind that every experience, even a short one, can enrich your journey and help you better define what you want to do, wherever you may be in the world.
  
In a few words, how would I sum up this experience? My experience abroad has been extremely enriching and formative, and it is helping me better define my aspirations and priorities for the future.