Antonio Mcgowan
Givaudan's Perfumery School is a legendary institution in the world of fragrance. Founded in 1946 by Jean Carles, a perfumer at Roure, the school has since moulded countless masters of the craft. The school offers a four-year curriculum with campuses in France, Singapore, and Switzerland, where students learn the art and science of perfumery. The course covers everything from understanding raw materials and memorising hundreds of ingredients to creating fragrances in a lab and analysing classics. Givaudan's school is highly selective, with only a handful of applicants accepted each year. Admission is typically limited to employees, and candidates are expected to have a strong background in chemistry and a passion for the sensory world of fragrance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Argenteuil, France; Singapore |
| Duration | 4 years |
| Prerequisites | Passion for perfumery, advanced knowledge of the sensory field, strong olfactive abilities, chemistry degree |
| Application Process | Register for future opportunities, limited vacancies |
| Curriculum | Memorizing ingredients, understanding raw materials, garden training, emulating scents, learning accords, analyzing classic fragrances, internships, mentoring, international trips |
| Outcome | Graduate as a Junior Perfumer, located in a Creative Centre according to company needs |
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What You'll Learn
Givaudan School of Perfume history
Givaudan’s Perfumery School is a legendary institute that has moulded several masters of the past and present. The school was founded in 1946 in Grasse by Jean Carles, a perfumer at Roure (which later merged with Givaudan in 1991). Jean Carles was the nose behind several fragrances, including Shocking de Schiaparelli and Miss Dior.
The Givaudan Perfumery School is the oldest fragrance school and has trained perfumers responsible for approximately one-third of the fragrances on the market today. The school offers a unique four-year programme that combines heritage and innovation, utilising traditional learning techniques alongside state-of-the-art tools and technology. The curriculum focuses on understanding raw materials, memorising ingredients, emulating scents from the school's garden, learning essential accords, and analysing classic fragrances.
The school takes a forward-thinking approach, emphasising creative innovation and the connection between fragrance and memories, experiences, and culture. Multicultural exchanges are vital, and the school's campuses in Singapore and Paris enable students to broaden their horizons and understand different markets.
The Givaudan Perfumery School attracts applicants from diverse backgrounds, all fascinated by the art and science of perfumery. The school's intensive programmes, international internships, and mentoring experiences prepare students for a unique and exciting career in the fragrance industry.
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Course structure
Givaudan's Perfumery School in Paris is a legendary institute that has trained one-third of perfumers responsible for fragrances on the market today. The school takes a forward-thinking approach to learning, emphasizing creative innovation. The unique heritage and resources of the school help reinforce learning and encourage experimentation. The school leverages cutting-edge technology, such as AI, to help perfumers optimize their creations.
The course structure at Givaudan's Perfumery School follows a four-year curriculum. In the first year, students focus on developing their understanding of raw materials and memorizing around 500 natural and synthetic ingredients. They are given free rein to devise their own mnemonics and systems to aid in the memorization process. This tests their ability to withstand pressure and work independently.
In the second year, students step into the school's garden, which is filled with flowers and plant species. They then attempt to recreate the scents they experience in the lab. The course also covers essential accords and the analysis of classic fragrances.
The third year includes international internships, mentoring experiences, and trips to the source regions of various ingredients, such as Provence for lavender or Morocco for mimosa. Students explore the connection between perfumery and other arts, including opera, ballet, theatre, and exhibitions.
In the final year, students continue to refine their craft under the guidance of established perfumers, acquiring the necessary technical skills for their future careers. Throughout the course, multicultural exchanges are emphasized as fragrance is closely linked to memories, experiences, and culture.
The school recruits students based on specific worldwide needs, selecting candidates who can fulfil these requirements. On average, two students are recruited per year, chosen from a pool of around 2500 applicants. While Givaudan does not require a background in chemistry, it is a significant part of the profession. Proficiency in French is also essential for admission.
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Entry requirements
Givaudan's Perfumery School is a four-year programme that begins outside of Paris in Argenteuil. The school is open only to employees of the company, and candidates must register their interest in joining as a trainee perfumer. The programme is intensive and challenging, requiring full devotion to learning the entire spectrum of fragrance genealogy and developing an olfactive memory of hundreds of ingredients.
The programme attracts hundreds of applicants for a handful of prized places. Applicants must be prepared to wait years for a vacancy to arise.
The first two years of the programme focus on learning raw materials, accords, and theory. Students start by memorising over 500 ingredients through a training programme based on the Jean Carles method, updated by Calice Becker, the current director of the Perfumery School. An onsite garden allows students to have direct contact with ingredients that change seasonally.
In the third and fourth years, students undertake internships to learn analysis and technical perfumery. They also spend six months at the Singapore campus, with those destined for the Asia-India market training there for a year.
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Career prospects
Givaudan's Perfumery School offers a four-year, paid training programme in France and Singapore. The first two years of the programme focus on learning about raw materials, accords, and theory, while the third and fourth years include internships and apprenticeships to learn analysis, technical perfumery, and working in research centres. Upon successful completion of the programme, graduates become Junior Perfumers and are located in one of Givaudan's Creative Centres, according to the company's needs.
Givaudan is the global leader in creating flavours and fragrances, collaborating with food, beverage, consumer product, and fragrance partners to develop tastes and scents that delight consumers worldwide. The company is headquartered in Switzerland and has a local presence in over 100 locations, employing more than 11,100 people globally.
As a graduate of Givaudan's Perfumery School, you will have the opportunity to work in various roles within the company, such as perfumers, evaluators, and creative teams. You will be equipped with the technical skills and creative expression to design fragrances that meet customer expectations and craft unique scent experiences that touch people's lives.
Additionally, Givaudan's presence in over 100 locations worldwide offers graduates the chance to work in different countries and cultures, broadening their horizons and exposing them to diverse markets. The company's commitment to innovation and understanding consumer preferences ensures that graduates will be at the forefront of creating flavours and fragrances that engage the senses.
With a strong foundation in perfumery and the backing of a leading company like Givaudan, graduates can look forward to a rewarding career in the fragrance industry, contributing to memorable scent experiences for consumers around the world.
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Campus locations
Givaudan's original Perfumery School is located on the outskirts of Paris, in Argenteuil, France. The school was founded in 1946 by Jean Carles, a perfumer at Roure (which merged with Givaudan in 1991). In October 2015, Givaudan opened its first Perfumery School campus outside of France, in Singapore. The Singapore campus was established to enable students at the two locations to share ideas, broaden their horizons, and understand the Asian market. The campus also allows students to spend time in a different climate, where the air is humid and hot, and to gain a deeper understanding of the specificities of the Asia-India market.
The four-year course of study begins in Argenteuil, where students start by memorising over 500 ingredients through a training program based on the Jean Carles method. The school has an onsite garden, where students can experience ingredients that change seasonally and gain direct contact with flowers and plant species. The first two years of the program focus on learning raw materials, accords, and theory.
The third and fourth years include internships to learn analysis and technical perfumery. During this time, students work at the Givaudan research centre in England and with chemists in Switzerland. They also spend six months at the Singapore campus, and those destined for the Asia-India market will train there for a year. In the final year, students are in apprenticeship with a senior perfumer, working closely on every category, including fine fragrance, homecare, personal care, and laundry care.
Givaudan's Perfumery School is internal, meaning that only people who have been hired to become perfumers at Givaudan can attend. The school is selective, with only a handful of applicants accepted each year.
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Frequently asked questions
The Givaudan Perfumery School is a four-year programme that teaches students the craft of perfumery. It was founded in 1946 by Jean Carles, a perfumer at Roure (which merged with Givaudan in 1991). The school has campuses in France and Singapore.
Candidates must have a strong olfactive ability, a passion for perfumery, and advanced knowledge of the sensory field. A background in chemistry is also important, and applicants must have a chemistry degree to apply. Candidates must also be willing to travel and work in any location according to the company's needs.
In the first two years of the programme, students focus on learning about raw materials, accords, and theory. They memorise around 500 ingredients and learn to recognise perfumery ingredients and study classic formulas before creating their own perfumes. In the third and fourth years, students undertake internships to learn analysis and technical perfumery.
Candidates can register their interest in joining the Givaudan Perfumery School as a Trainee Perfumer on the Givaudan website. However, it is important to note that only a handful of applicants will be accepted, and it can take years for new vacancies to become available.
