#LoveMySafranJob – “My work-study program helped me find my first job”

In 2016, he joined Safran Engineering Services to carry out his third-year internship for his professional electrical engineering diploma. 

When he first joined, there were several reasons why François had no plans to extend his academic career. “In my family, long studies were not particularly the norm. Moreover, I’m dyslexic and dysorthographic, and because of this it’s always been really hard to not drop out of theoretical courses.” 

But this was before factoring in his colleagues at Safran!

“Throughout my internship, they strongly encouraged me to stick with my studies. Following their advice, and with the support of those around me, I went on to study for a Higher Technician Diploma in aeronautics, followed by a professional degree in electrical energy management and sustainable development, before finally obtaining my engineering diploma at the CNAM.”  

François remained with the Group as a work-study student throughout his academic career, initially with Safran Engineering Services, then with Safran Tech: “I developed my skills, discovered corporate life, met inspiring people and, above all, I discovered the job that I wanted to do! This experience helped me find my first job.” 

After obtaining an electrical engineering diploma and completing his work-study program as an apprentice laboratory design and test engineer at Safran Tech, , François received an offer for a permanent position.

As a Design and Test Engineer and Laboratory Coordinator, François has a dual role. On the one hand, he  is responsible for guaranteeing the laboratory’s management and quality, for ensuring the safety of engineers that work there, and ensuring that they have all the necessary tools to carry out their tests. On the other hand, his job also has a technical component. He may be required to model systems, simulate them, draw up specifications, design electronic boards or even carry out tests himself. 

“Concerning the technical aspect of this job, rigor and precision are a must. And contrary to the image that some people may have of a researcher working alone in a laboratory, my job has a strong “human” component.  I’m constantly in contact with the teams, particularly the experts! It’s a privilege to work alongside them and learn about their work. I’ve gained a lot from working with them, well beyond my area of expertise. It’s very enriching and rewarding. Assisting design engineers on subjects and methods that haven’t yet been released gives meaning to my day-to-day work.” 

If there’s one thing François appreciates about his work, it’s the quick access he has to a natural setting! In addition to the friendly atmosphere in the laboratory, François has access to high-tech equipment for experimenting, testing, analyzing and learning. “It’s also fantastic to be next to a natural setting – I’m aware that this isn’t the case everywhere. After lunch, we usually go for a walk in the large park that surrounds the site; this beneficial break allows us to draw inspiration for new ideas!”