Translate :

You are here : Home > Testimonials > The experience of 4 students from the Engineering degree

Testimonials

The experience of 4 students from the Engineering degree

Published the 17-12-2009

Estelle,Claire,Sandra,Maria

Last November, ESIGELEC got together with the UIMM (Metalworking Industry and Professions Union) to organise some ‘industrial’ meetings intended to attract school leavers to professions in the industry. Four students from the Engineering degree spoke about their experience.

When did you start training as an engineer?

Estelle: After the Baccalaureate I wanted to do a standard foundation course as I had no idea which profession to choose, then I chose ESIGELEC because they provide general training and I was interested in all the subjects offered. I had no clear idea about the profession I wanted to go into but now I hope to go into IT development and then progress to be an IT project manager.

What placements do you do?

There’s a compulsory three month placement abroad. In the first year there is a work experience placement, in the second year there is a technician placement and in the third year an engineer placement for a minimum of 4 months. These placements are very important as they provide you with professional experience. It’s hard finding a placement currently because of the problems with the economy but what’s most important is your motivation to find one.

What fascinates you about this field?

Claire: I’d like to go into financial engineering

Estelle: lT, computers, software development. I built a website during my placement which helped me to choose which path I wanted to take and decide on my speciality.

Maria: I opted for automation then I changed my mind and concentrated on the electricity market. I did a placement at Schneider where, actually, there aren’t many women.

How does the ‘shortage’ of girls at the school affect things?

There’s no difference compared with other schools. The boys are nice and the atmosphere is good. It would still be better if there were more girls though.

How did your friends react when you chose to go to the school?

Claire: My friends weren’t that surprised as my dad was an engineer. My parents and my family thought I had made the right choice. Later on, a few friends were surprised I chose this type of training.

Maria: My friends were surprised; they never thought I’d really be happy doing this.

Estelle and Claire: You shouldn‘t listen to other people; make sure you’re well informed before you choose so you’re sure you’re making the right choice. And don’t worry if you’re not that good at maths, it doesn’t stop you studying science.

How do you get into an engineering school? What subjects should you do?

Estelle: You can get in if you do science or information science and technology subjects, then after school you need to do a foundation course. You can get in with an IUT or BTS qualification, a degree or foundation course and enter the school after 2 or 3 years via exam and interview.

Why did you decide to become an engineer?

Estelle: It came from wanting to study and getting a taste for IT.

What makes the difference on an engineer’s CV?

What matters is the different professional experience that engineers have. That comes from placements or apprenticeships. Also our different areas of interest which shows what type of character we have as well.

What’s student life like?

Estelle: It’s no different to school life really. Here, the social life and extracurricular activities are important because you create connections with other people (and they also enable you to carry out certain activities). Life at ESIGELEC enables you to develop inside and outside the school. I was in the Student Department and the Video Club and Claire is Vice President of the Photo and Video Association.

Are you independent and do you live with your parents?

Everyone lives on their own. There are grants from CROUS for living expenses, the university restaurant and student benefits.

Before you chose the engineering school, did you have a positive or negative view of the industry?

Before I found out about it, I had a mostly negative view of it but once I did some research, my view changed a lot.

Are there special clothes needed to work in this environment?

No, we dress normally to go to the office. In laboratories you have to wear safety equipment like glasses, shoes, overalls, etc.

What’s the individual work like at the school? Is it difficult?

The work depends on what the subject is. There’s no more work that there is in the final year at school.

What subjects are taught?

English, communication (CV editing, self-expression, mock interviews), IT, electronics, mathematics, plus the specialist subjects for each option.

Do you learn a second language?

Yes, there’s Spanish, Japanese, Chinese and German. Often, to work for a company a second language is essential and it’s impossible to get employment without English.

What level of English is required?

There are two different exams, the TOEIC and the TOEFL. You have to get a minimum mark for the TOEIC to get the qualification. It’s very important for your CV and it makes all the difference during the recruitment process.

How does the apprenticeship scheme work?

Maria: It’s a curriculum which connects the school and a business and gives you an idea of life in a business. You also get a small salary. You work in the business and go to the school on an alternating monthly basis.

Vanessa and Maria, you followed your course through apprenticeship, how did you find your leave at the company? Was there any?

Yes, but we worked under the same system as the normal staff so it wasn’t like a school holiday.

How did the periods you spent at the business go?

It was just like a real position in the company; you had a plan for each month with missions and objectives.

How long does the apprenticeship last?

You do three years at the same company and develop within the company, with the aim of getting a job at the end. It’s a huge investment for the company, a long term investment.