Safran commits to young professionals

“Safran is a company that opens its doors to young people”, explains Irène Nunez, Diversity/Disability Mission, “and our approach is the same in all our European countries of implementation”. Launched in 2008, the Safran policy for young professionals is based on the Group’s agreements and external commitments, such as the Companies and Communities Charter or the PAQTE plan. This policy is realized through actions relating to the training of young people and their professional integration. “Our commitment is structured around two fundamental principles: social responsibility and the need for ongoing recruitment of qualified individuals”, explains Alain Lorgeoux, Head of the Diversity and CSR Department.

 

Four objectives

The first objective is quantitative. Safran aims to welcome each year a number of students and interns equivalent to at least 10% of its staff. In 2017, this objective was achieved successfully with more than 5,000 young professionals being trained in the Group, representing nearly 12% of employees. In addition, 35% to 40% of positions filled by young graduates in Europe are held by those who got their start at Safran.

The second objective concerns relationships with the world of academia. As Irène Nunez explains, “Industrial actors sometimes have difficulty recruiting for certain jobs dealing with ‘skills shortages’. We thus build partnerships with schools and universities, and even the education ministries of the various countries where the company is present, in order to create specific training programs for these jobs.” For example, in Rzeszów, Poland, Safran helps to design certain academic programs. This enables students to acquire the skills corresponding to the needs of local industries, both for current occupations as well as for those of the future. In Switzerland, Safran Vectronix AG receives every year young people on work-based training contracts, up to four years in a row. Likewise, in Belgium, Safran Aero Boosters integrates disabled apprentices for short periods of training or for longer diploma apprenticeship contracts.

The knowledge and promotion of these jobs are important for Safran. This is attested by the various site visits, Safran employee interventions in school and university establishments as well as by presentations of the Group’s activities, organized mainly to help young female students discover historically masculine jobs.

 

Support professional integration

Now, the two final objectives: to develop learning programs and implement internal career paths. “Safran hopes to make the voices of industrial actors heard among European bodies and to take action provide young people with training and employment opportunities within the Group’s various international companies”, explains Alain Lorgeoux.

These actions are topped off by our employees’ daily commitment to train interns and apprentices in the Group, so they may become Safran ambassadors in their former schools or universities. In France, this approach also takes the form of partnerships with associations, for example, “Frateli” or “Elles Bougent”.