How moving to Canada really opened up my horizons
It feels like it was just yesterday. I was fresh out of highschool in my home country, I just sarted a degree in general physics, wasn't too sure about what carrer to choose but I was already dreaming about leaving in Canada. Being accepted in mecanichal engineering at Polytechnique Montreal really kicked my carrer off and oppened up lots of opportunities.
That's actually where I first meet with Alstom. At the time, I was looking for a job in the transportation industry; either in production or in testing. My previous experience in public transport testing quickly convinced alstom to take me on as a test engineer.
I'm testing trains to make sure they match customer's requirements
I'm a test engineer (CPI) in Alstom's validation team. Our aim is to validate that the trains we design and manufacture meet customer requirements. As a test engineer, my role is to write test procedures, run tests and write test reports. The advantage of my job is that I get to work on lots of different types of trains, which allows me to have an excellent knowledge of the various mechanical and electrical systems that make up trains, streetcars, monorails etc...
I regularly travel to manufacturers' sites or customer sites to carry out tests which makes my job the perfect in-between for working in the office and working in the field.
Commitment
The first reason why I choose to work for Alstom was to be part of the solution in terms of green transportation. I'm convinced that transport shapes our society, and that contributing to its development is another step towards a more environmentally-friendly world.
One thing that keeps me particularly motivated within the company is the level of commitment of my colleagues. Not only is there a commitment to goals, but also to training, equity and inclusion. There are not-so-small working groups that bring together people interested in a particular topic or theme and they organize seminars, trainong and activities on the subject to raise awareness in the rest of the community. I particularly enjoy taking part in activities or discussion groups.
One goal, one team.
I like to approach a project as if I were joining a new team. We may have different interests, but we are all working together to achieve the same goal: to have a safe and functional train. A train is a very complex system, which means that a large number of people, each with their own specialty and character, are needed to achieve the goal. Throughout the project, you may have disagreements with your colleagues or even the client, but it's important to remember that we're all here for the same goal. Adhere to the contract and be a team player.
Working on the first Hydrogen passager train in nord-america
Early in my journey with Alstom, I had the opportunity to work on the Coradia iLint project. This train was the first hydrogen passenger train in the Americas. It came from Germany to be operated by Train de Charlevoix (TDC), a local company with a short track. As an experimental project, the collaboration between TDC, Alstom and the University of Trois-Rivière was essential. Working hand in hand with the various players, I had the opportunity to coordinate and carry out tests for qualification purposes, but also for scientific studies. This experience really opened my eyes to the aspect of sustainable development in the rail industry.
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