Hello Alexis, can you introduce yourself and tell us about your background?
I am 26 years old, I come from the Paris region and after the ‘math sup / math spé’ years, I graduated as an aeronautical engineer at ESTACA. This school trains engineers around the transport of tomorrow, whether in the automotive, aeronautics, space or rail industries. I chose aeronautics, which gave me very enriching experiences: I worked as an aircraft manager at Orly airport (high-stakes coordination position) then within the airlines themselves, in the Studies and Revenue management departments.
After graduation, I joined Astek as a Business Manager in Bordeaux.
Why did you choose Bordeaux?
I have always lived in the Paris region, but I wanted to start my professional career in a new city, in which it is good to live and with a high rate of employment in aeronautics. The city of Bordeaux was then a perfect balance. The Bordeaux aeronautical area is very fascinating with major players such as Stelia, Sabena, Dassault and Thales.
Can you tell us about your role at Astek?
I started as Business Manager in September 2017. This is real intrapreneurial work! By using the strengths of the Group, its references, its know-how, its strengths, we must build a new scope by establishing long-lasting relationships with new customers. It’s a real challenge! To succeed, it is essential to meet customers, understand their activities, their needs and issues, and offer them solutions thanks to the expertise of the Astek teams. Beyond the commercial side, the recruitment aspect is essential. Our goal, in a very tight market, is to recruit engineers and support them in their professional lives. This last point, for me, is the most important and the most enriching.
Can you describe a typical day?
It isn’t easy to describe a typical day in a Business Engineer position because the position evolves over time. When we start, we have two activities: prospecting, in order to create a new customer portfolio, and finding future Astek employees. Over time, this job description evolves. The prospecting and recruitment component is always the same, but with one more skill: Management. Indeed, we form our own team of engineers, who must then be managed and supported during their projects and their development within Astek.
Who are your interlocutors?
The Bordeaux region is very dynamic, whether in the industrial sector or in the IT sector. In view of my knowledge and my training, I have focused my efforts on industrial companies. Thus, my contacts are the managers of the Design and Production departments.
Astek is also a company that brings expertise to CIOs: I have therefore gained skills in IT professions and are currently working on digital transformation topics. These are very rich intellectually, both for me but also for my team of consultants. The advantage of working in these two sectors of activity is to offer industrial customers various subjects pushing continuous improvement around Industry 4.0.
What are your ambitions for Astek?
Astek brings its expertise mainly to digital professions. Indeed, digital transformation is everywhere and represents the future! Even within production plants. Today we have 20 consultants in the industrial sector and we are determined to continue this progression and ensure that our know-how is recognized throughout the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
What satisfaction do you get from your work?
At Astek, employees are at the center of our concerns. We ensure the successful completion of their project, their professional development and their well-being within the Group. When these three criteria are met, we have the feeling of a job accomplished. This is the greatest satisfaction we can have as a Manager.