Romane, V.I.E. program, Canada
Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
My name is Romane and I'm 25.
I started off with a DUT in Materials Engineering Science at the IUT in Saint-Brieuc, then continued at the same IUT to do a year's work-study Licence Pro Composites. I did my IUT work placement and my Licence sandwich course as a composites worker in a shipyard near Lorient, in Brittany.
I then went on to study at ENSCBP, a composite materials and mechanical engineering school where I did a sandwich course. It was there that I joined Arkema for my 3-year apprenticeship with the Elium Composite Team at the Lacq Research Group in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region. At the end of my work-study program, I was given the opportunity to continue at Arkema as a VIE in Canada, still with the Elium Composite Team.
What does your job involve? What skills do you need?
My mission is to help develop Elium resin in composite materials, particularly in the marine sector. I have to study the mechanical recycling of this resin in order to provide customers with reliable technical, economic and environmental data. In terms of skills, I'd say you mainly need technical skills in composite materials, but you also need to be autonomous, adaptable and able to communicate well with your colleagues.How did your recruitment and integration go?
I was recruited following my three-year work-study contract. The people on my team went out of their way to offer me this opportunity. I was very well received, and although I work for Arkema, I'm based at the Composites Development Center in Quebec, where I'm the only Arkema employee. That's why my manager came to see me the first week to ensure my integration.What were your first impressions when you started your mission?
I arrived in Quebec in the middle of winter, so it was a real change of scenery with all the snow and cold. In terms of culture, it's interesting to see the differences with our country of origin, and above all to discover that wonderful Quebecois accent 😊That said, moving to a new country for two years is a real challenge.
As for the mission, I was more or less expecting what I was actually doing, so I didn't really have any big surprises on that front.
How would you sum up your VIE at Arkema?
I've only been here six months and I've still got 18 to go. So far I'm enjoying the experience, and the people around me at work are doing everything they can to make sure I like it here, learn and take part in a wide range of professional experiences (various trips to Canada and the USA). This is going to help me grow enormously!What advice would you give to those who would like to do a V.I.E at Arkema?
I don't really have any, all the experiences will be different! 😊Job opportunities
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