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Chantal Ledoux:
“The
boy/girl ratio has not changed”
Your year was one of the first to accept girls. Do you think that this had
any bearing on your time at the ENSM.SE?
C. L.— Not really since when I arrived in 1974 there were already girls
in the third year and it was those who arrived in 1971 who paved the way.
For
me, their presence and my own seemed quite normal. Moreover, at that time the
ENSM.SE was one of the few “grandes écoles” that did not
practice any bizarre (and often obscene) initiation ceremonies and therefore
it did not occur to anyone in my year to make unseemly remarks on the female
presence.
It is nonetheless unusual for girls to study engineering...
C. L.— This is a shame, particularly
as the boy/girl ratio has not really
developed since my time at the School (remaining at around 5 girls for every
60 students). This is a cultural problem since from a very young age girls
are led to believe that engineering studies
are a male reserve. However, I had always
had a flair for maths and knew that I wanted to become a computer
engineer. My career aspirations were key in determining my choice of school
since at the beginning of the 1970s
a well-equipped IT lab was not widely available. |
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Christian Coffinet:
“Being
a graduate of the ENSM.SE has lent a certain weight
to my chosen career path”
You are currently running a major recruitment
agency. Is this not an unusual career choice for a graduate
of the ENSM.SE?
C. C.— Yes, but it also highlights the flexibility
gained by attending a school which offers generalist training.
Following my graduation in 1980 I went straight into marketing;
however, I became increasingly interested
in a career in human resources.
Although to some this may appear an unusual choice, I felt the need to become
involved on a more human level. I found that the reputation of the School and
the credibility afforded by an ENSM.SE degree, particularly important in this
sector, were an invaluable help in realising my ambitions.
Therefore the solid reputation of the ENSM.SE was a genuine boost to your
career?
C.C.— Yes, but not only that. On a more general level, I think the three
years spent at the School helped me to develop a sense of autonomy, maturity
and resourcefulness
which I would not have gained had I remained close to my family. Moreover, there
was a great atmosphere at the School between lecturers and students alike. |
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Olivier Fleurot:
“My
three years at the ENSM.SE were very rewarding”
Why the ENSM.SE?
O.F.— For me the School presented a serious-minded but lively image whose
slightly isolated geographical position was offset by its enthusiastic atmosphere.
After
two years spent studying in “prépa” (preparation for the entrance
examination for the Grandes Écoles) I was eager to get out into industry.
I learnt a great deal from various traineeships which formed a major part of
my studies. During my first year I worked alongside mine workers 500 metres underground
near Gardanne in Provence, an unforgettable experience. I spent the summer of
my second year at Degrémont (at the time the world leader in water treatment)
where I gained on-the-job experience at the newly constructed water filtration
plant in Saint-Étienne. These experiences gave me a solid industrial grounding.
What was your impression of student life at the ENSM.SE ?
O.F.— I have some excellent memories of my time as a student. I was captain
of
the rugby team and often went skiing in the Alps. I bought myself a 2CV Citroën
for 1 000 francs which proved very useful for trips down to Lyons (opera, theatre)
and to the Beaujolais region. I have particularly fond memories of a moped trip
down to the Ardèche.
At the time did you have any journalistic ambitions and did you imagine
that one day you might find yourself running the Financial Times?
O.F.— Although I had always had an interest in writing and publishing
I hadn’t intended to make a career out of it and I think that would have
been a mistake. I have been fortunate enough to have had a lot of opportunities
in my working life but I have also been prepared to take risks. In all I have
resigned four or five times. For me, going to work without a sense of enthusiasm
was a clear indication that the time had come to change direction. Moreover,
I was lucky enough to gain overseas experience which, along with the study
of foreign languages, is something I would strongly recommend to today’s
young engineers. |
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Jean-Christian Duc:
“Innovative programmes”
Do you feel that you made the most of your time
at the ENSM.SE?
J-C. D.— Definitely. I was president of the School’s hot-air ballooning
club and found the people of Saint-Étienne welcoming. It is easy to
make friends in such a warm and friendly town.
What had you planned to do after graduation?
J-C. D.— I didn’t have any fixed ideas, hence the appeal of the broad
range of subjects (languages, economics, management, etc.) on offer. Moreover,
with hindsight the School was at the vanguard of many of the concepts which
I have since seen emerge during my professional life. The courses available
are geared towards the needs of business and the School is committed to its
policy of international openness. In fact, three different nationalities were
represented in my third year and out of eleven students only two of us were
French.
Did your time at the ENSM.SE help you in your chosen career?
J-C. D.— Yes, given the limited numbers in each year, the School can
provide a range of subjects adapted to the needs of each student. For example,
I was
interested in training in different jobs in Germany while others in my year
wished to concentrate on finance. Students are encouraged to fix objectives
and are then provided with all the help and support necessary to achieve them. |
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Bertrand Gontard
"Originality and vision"
While the values on which it was founded are still the same, the methods and content are quite different if I compare the school I knew a long time ago to the school I know today. Originality and vision are now the key words that reign over its development: multidisciplined, international and innovative, it is completely oriented towards the business world.
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Former students remember...
