Navigating the Crossroads: My Path to Professional Fulfillment

It has always been a challenge for recent graduates to decide in which field to start their career, knowing that this choice will set the stage for the first years of their professional journey. This was no exception for me. My dual education opened a broad range of opportunities adding complexity to my decision.

Having been introduced to Elkem through its partnership with my engineering school, I seized the opportunity to join the technical trainee program without hesitation. The opportunity to participate in diverse activities and broaden my career horizon internationally fulfilled my eagerness to learn and discover.

The onboarding week solidified my decision to join the program. We had the chance to spend 12 days in Trondheim where we were introduced to Elkem’s core values, work culture, and business system to kick-off of the program.

It was encouraging to see the numerous initiatives within the company aimed at improving products and processes sustainability, especially at a time when stakeholders emphasize authenticity and environmental responsibility. This served as a starting point for personal reflection on the impact of my work at Elkem and what I hope to achieve through the trainee program. Concluding my first trip to Norway, I could already feel a connection to the country through its beautiful landscape, friendly people, and peaceful atmosphere.

A few years ago, after completing high school in Paris, I decided to study chemistry in Lyon. I rapidly found myself at home here, with a true sense of belonging. I felt fortunate to be able to begin my initial trainee outplacement in this city that I have cherished for many years and where I continue to thrive. Being able to keep my bearings while starting a new professional activity was undoubtedly a great benefit in the first weeks of this new adventure.

Starting my first outplacement in the Research and Technology (R&T) department, I became part of a vibrant and dynamic team and felt at ease promptly in this new position. The KATELIN project consists of the development of a new digital R&T platform comprising an electronic laboratory notebook for lab trials logging, a brand-new database to store and exploit research data, and several additional features, allowing increased performance in day-to-day laboratory work. The autonomy provided both by my local coach and the small size of the project team allowed me to see the impact of our daily work on the project and the significant pace at which the project was progressing.

The advantage of working on a cross-functional project is that you need to interact with a variety of people across the organization and get to discover a wide range of professions. I also learned about a significant number of applications you can make out of silicones today.

On another hand, the nature of the project presented the team with significant change management challenges. We frequently had to deal with user requests while standardizing their work processes at the same time. This proved to be challenging when working with users who were comfortable with their established processes. However, it was a great opportunity to sharpen problem-solving and communication skills!

One great thing about being an Elkem trainee is the opportunity to experience Norway’s harsh weather during the winter. This year, almost all the trainees met in the Oslo region for a few days filled with presentations on Elkem’s top projects, team challenges, AI Workshop, and briefings on other ongoing activities.

This blend of insights and outlooks on Elkem’s current topics was certainly inspiring and provided food for thought for each of our own projects. The week was concluded by a ski weekend in Hafjell, a great ski station a couple of hours away from Oslo, which hosted the alpine skiing events at the 1994 Winter Olympics. We could taste the fresh Norwegian air in the mountains and ski down the nice slopes on a sunny winter day. 

My few trips to Norway provided me with a very positive idea of this country and culture, and I am very grateful to spend my second outplacement in its vibrant capital, Oslo.

When it came to choosing where I wanted to spend my next outplacement, I was already attracted to the Norwegian work culture and its emphasis on quality work. I felt that this was a good fit for me. After the initial outplacement working on a digitization project, I became interested in the other major transition the company is and will be facing in the coming years: achieving sustainability.

I am genuinely looking forward to joining a team of sustainability specialists and discovering energy, water, and waste management in Oslo. I am convinced I will thrive in this new role, and already believe this is a subject on which I could focus my career at Elkem.