#LoveMySafranJob: “I’m proud to be promoting Safran’s business in China!”

 

Tell us about your career so far.

I hold a dual degree in mechanical engineering from ENSTA ParisTech* in France and Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China. I love aerospace and decided early on I wanted to work in this sector. Safran is a well-established company in China, so I chose to do my final-year internship at BSS TurboTech, a local Safran joint venture, working on a project in materials. Three years earlier, I did an engineering internship at the Shanghai office, focusing on turbine engines. After graduating, I was hired by the Safran China office in Beijing, where I’ve been for a year now.

 

What did you gain from your final-year internship at Safran?

My internship was very clearly defined and managed. It was a chance to discover the world of work and gain real professional experience, which helped me better integrate when I started my job.

 

What does your job involve?

I’m an assistant project manager at the Business Development Department. I monitor the business and financial positions of Safran’s partners and competitors in China. I analyze the operations of Chinese airlines, especially the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. And I coordinate and facilitate dialogue and joint projects between Safran and local companies. I’m also in charge of maintaining relations with the Chinese authorities and analyzing the impact of economic and policy changes by the Chinese government on Safran’s business, especially in relation to the U.S. zone. I love the varied nature of my job and working at an innovative high-tech company. As a career start, it’s a really great job.

 

You’re part of the Safran ambassadors network in China. What does that entail?

In China and around the world, Safran maintains close relations with a number of universities and engineering schools in order to promote its business activities and attract future talent. To do this, it relies on a network of ambassadors, employees who volunteer to represent Safran at their old schools or universities. As an ambassador, my role is to maintain contact between Safran and the two schools I attended. I organize events like the AFCP** Horizon Forum, part of the ParisTech France-China friendship association. This event provides a forum where students and French and Chinese recruiters can connect and talk.

 

You also do volunteer work. Can you tell us more about this?

During my studies, I worked as a volunteer in the Monet exhibition hall at the K11 Art Center in Shanghai. I was also a volunteer for the annual Shanghai International Marathon, helping with registration and translation. Today, I have less time to do volunteering, but I’ve got great memories of those experiences.

 

How do you see your career evolving?

I’d like to progress in the sales and marketing function and keep working in an international environment. In five or ten years, I could see myself becoming a project manager working on international projects. I’m also open to geographic mobility, if the opportunity arises!

 

 

*ENSTA ParisTech (Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées) is a prestigious engineering school in France. It trains students to design and manage complex projects in an international business environment. Safran is a partner of ENSTA ParisTech.