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Summary for: Want faster career growth? This program can accelerate your professional path in CzechiaWith large-scale companies, shared service centers, and multilingual teams, Czechia remains one of Central Europe’s busiest hubs for early career talent. Yet many graduates quickly run into the same problem: landing a first job is possible, but finding real mentorship, cross-team exposure, and a clear path to something bigger can take years.
Philip Morris International (PMI) aims to address these issues through its Graduates Program, offering a structured two-year path for early-career, global-minded professionals. Participants complete three rotations lasting eight months each, moving across commercial roles, marketing teams, and corporate functions.
The goal is to help graduates understand how different parts of a global company operate, while developing practical skills and providing the visibility needed to progress into more senior roles. Now open for its next round of applications, here’s what to know about the program and who it is designed for.
Why Czechia is a strong place to launch a career
Liudmyla Andreieva, a talent acquisition manager at PMI, explains that the program “empowers early-career professionals with the mindset, skills, and business exposure needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving, transformation-driven environment. It helps graduates build confidence, develop future-proof skills, and contribute meaningfully from day one through real projects and cross-functional rotations.”
Low unemployment, relatively affordable living costs compared with Western Europe, and strong safety levels continue to attract young people to Czechia. Andreieva highlights that this makes it a strong base for developing early-career talent.
The country’s well-developed ecosystem of global companies and multilingual talent makes it highly suitable for recruiting graduates who can grow into roles supporting PMI’s business transformation,” she explains.
Many professionals in Prague and other Czech cities already collaborate across markets and languages as part of their daily work. But because the program combines global collaboration within the Czech market, language skills play a significant role.
Candidates must be fluent in both English and Czech. English is required for working in international teams and global projects, while Czech is essential for commercial rotations that involve local customers, market projects, and Czech operations.
Starting a career inside the program
For participants, the program offers a chance to take on responsibility early while learning from experienced colleagues across the company.
Karolína Brůnová, one of the current Graduates Program participants, applied because structured early-career programs that combine real responsibility, international exposure, and direct access to senior leaders are still rare in Czechia.
I saw it as an opportunity to challenge myself,” she explains. “I could grow faster than in a traditional junior role, and gain experience across different functions while contributing to meaningful projects from day one.”
Mentorship also plays a key role. “From the very beginning, I had a manager and senior colleagues who made time to guide me, challenge me, and explain the ‘why’ behind decisions, not just the ‘what,’” she adds.
Max Ralph Carle, another participant in the program, says that the structure and internal communications have really made a difference.
“I am working for the Cross-Marketing Strategy team during my first rotation of the program,” he explains, “and I have had regular touchpoints with my manager and mentor.” The discussions range from daily tasks to future long-term career visions and focus on development and decision-making.
He appreciates the open feedback, being trusted with ownership early on, and having access to leaders who are genuinely willing to share their experiences. “It creates a safe environment to ask questions, challenge ideas, and grow confidence,” he emphasizes.
Learning through challenge and responsibility
Graduates quickly discover that the program places them into projects where expectations are high and collaboration across teams is essential.
“The biggest challenge for me was stepping into projects that felt much ‘bigger’ than my own experience at the time,” Brůnová says. “As a fresh graduate, you’re trusted with real responsibilities very early on.”
She says the experience reshaped how she approaches work. “What matters is being curious, proactive, and willing to learn quickly. Asking the right questions, seeking feedback, and not being afraid to speak up have all been crucial,” she advises.
Carle describes a similar learning curve early in the program.
“Balancing speed with quality, and confidence with humility, was not always easy at the beginning,” he says, but that “taking ownership and communicating clearly, even when you don’t have all the answers yet, creates trust and opens doors.”
Who should apply
The application process is rigorous, and while the program targets recent graduates, candidates do not necessarily need traditional corporate experience to succeed.
Professionals working in Prague’s shared service centers, call centers, or international offices often bring transferable skills highly valued by PMI. For example, customer-centric problem-solving and experience handling complex inquiries “typically translate directly into stakeholder management,” Andreieva explains.
Similarly, “analytical and process-driven thinking is highly relevant to the program’s focus on real business projects and cross-functional operations” and “adaptability and resilience are essential for navigating fast-paced, high-challenge/high-support rotations,” she adds.
Applicants should hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant field, have up to three years of post-graduation experience, and have the legal right to work in Czechia. Candidates with strong communication skills and fluency in English, with experience collaborating in multicultural, international teams, are all encouraged to apply.
A program designed for long-term growth
In Czechia, the first participants are still progressing through their rotations, and once completed, graduates will be prepared for specialist or junior managerial roles.
The structure of the program, its real business projects, and exposure to senior leaders positions participants for those kinds of roles within PMI. For Andreieva, the most rewarding aspect of the program is watching graduates evolve as they move through different teams and projects.
“What brings me the most joy is seeing how quickly our graduates grow, not only in their technical skills, but in their confidence, curiosity, and ability to make a real impact," she says. "It’s inspiring to watch them take on meaningful projects, navigate different business areas, and discover their strengths as they move through each rotation.”
