Industry in the Classroom
and in the Boardroom

What was involved?

The Professional Practicum is a semester-long, faculty-mentored programme in which students work directly on a live industry challenge set by Salesforce. The challenge ‘the Agentic Value Engine’ asked students to develop economic models exploring how Agentic AI can reduce costs, unlock new revenue streams, and reshape margin structures within a chosen industry. Teams were supported through a series of six workshops covering topics including cost structure analysis, industry readiness for Agentic AI, and economic modelling, as well as direct engagement sessions with the Salesforce team. The site visit formed a pivotal mid-point in the programme, giving students the opportunity to pitch their developing ideas and receive structured feedback from industry professionals.

Key benefits for students included

• Real stakeholder feedback on live projects: students received direct input from industry professionals that fundamentally shaped their project direction, providing experience of the kind of iterative, responsive development expected in professional environments.
• Insight into AI in practice: exposure to how a leading technology company is applying and thinking about Agentic AI gave students a grounded, commercially informed perspective that went well beyond the classroom.
• Access to professional networks and role models: meeting Northeastern alumni now working at senior levels within Salesforce demonstrated credible career pathways and brought the value of the university’s global network to life.

How did students learn?

Students learned through doing. Working in teams across the semester, they researched industries, stress-tested assumptions, and iteratively developed their project concepts in response to real stakeholder feedback. The Salesforce visit crystallised this process: students pitched competing ideas, in this case, exploring both a subscription model and a fraud prevention solution for the ticketing industry, and received direct, actionable input that reframed their thinking entirely. The Salesforce team also ran an interactive AI literacy exercise in which students had to distinguish between AI-generated and human-generated responses, making the theoretical suddenly tangible. Throughout, students were encouraged to document not just the feedback they received, but how they responded to it, developing the kind of reflective, iterative practice that characterises professional-grade work.

Student perspective

“Austin’s reframing of […] ‘the one achievable in 6 weeks’ and the subscription model being ‘the future forward potential that’d take 3 years,’ and then driving it home with the line ‘let’s do this […] in 6 weeks, and use it to pay for this (subscription)’ was so eye opening… our previous doubts about the project’s direction were completely flipped around into energy and anticipation to do more research.” – Perl Luc

“It was incredible to hear from the people looking to make AI work for people when it seems the norm is to have people work for AI. I had a fantastic time meeting the Salesforce team. Everyone is enthusiastic about the work they do and the impact they are making on the world. Oftentimes, firms let the bottom line drive their motivations – talking to the Salesforce team, I can tell that they let their motivations drive the bottom line. From the ground-floor fish tank to the Ohana floor, the culture seems lively and deliberate. Additionally, the team was genuinely interested in talking to students and hearing our ideas; the importance of this can’t be overstated. “ – Isaac Pedersen

“I really enjoyed my experience at Salesforce. It was insightful to learn about the different roles within Salesforce and hear directly from professionals about their career journeys. I especially enjoyed the interactive AI activity where we had to distinguish between AI and human-generated responses, as it made the session engaging and thought-provoking. I also appreciated receiving feedback on our project ideas, which helped us think more critically and refine our approach.” – Lenscy Jolibois

“Honestly, it made me reflect on potentially pursuing a career in AI tech in the future… These activities definitely make the experience more memorable.” – Giselle Gonzalez

Faculty perspective

“The Salesforce Professional Practicum represents exactly the kind of industry-integrated learning that Northeastern University London was built for. What made this visit particularly powerful was watching students shift from uncertainty about their project direction to genuine momentum – all within a single conversation with the Salesforce team. That is the value of bringing students into real professional spaces and real professional relationships: the learning that happens cannot be replicated in a lecture theatre. The programme also demonstrates how alumni networks can serve as a bridge between academic study and industry practice, with Austin Grippo’s involvement exemplifying what it means to invest in the next generation of talent.” – Yu-Chun Pan, Director of Experiential Learning, Northeastern University London