A testimonial from Guillaume, the works manager for the FTTH deployment in the Nord-Pas de Calais Region: “Listening is key”

WHAT IS YOUR JOB?

I am the works manager for the fibre optic rollout project in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais (THD 59-62). I work under the head of production at Axione and I head up a team made up of site managers, foremen and telecom technicians.

AND AFTER YOU ARRIVED?

In 2017, I joined the Deployment Division as a works coordinator. I had that job for two and a half years, and last year the position of works manager became vacant. Priority was given to internal applicants and I was finally chosen for the job. This promotion was a great opportunity for me and now I get to have a much broader scope of responsibilities.

In my job, the human side is very important and I find it stimulating every day. Being close to my teams is what counts for me! The management of my teams is done face to face, unlike my past experience, and that’s what I appreciate every day- the relationships I have with my co-workers.

A HOBBY?

I did a lot of trail running in the past, in fact I’m aiming to take it up again, really! I also play futsal with my colleagues, we regularly hold matches between DPL and DHR, we mix up the teams, there’s a great atmosphere, there’s a fair amount of teasing on the pitch but it stays friendly.

And we also took part in the Frapadingue. It’s an obstacle course packed with hurdles, ladders to climb, tunnels to crawl through, mud etc.! We made up an Axione team for the event. We are really looking forward to the next one!

AND TO END WITH….HOW DO YOU KEEP PEOPLE ON THEIR TOES?

By innovating! I try never to rest on my laurels, to look ahead and anticipate my co-workers needs. In concrete terms, recently I put a suggestions box in the office. The idea is for all members of staff to put in the suggestions they’d like to see, so that I can then analyse their needs and potentially establish an action plan that responds to their needs. There’s a great working atmosphere, but it’s one that has to be nurtured every day, remaining alert and attentive to my teams. Listening is key!

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Interview with Audrey Le Meur, Head of HR Development, in charge of integration and training. Audrey coordinates, among other things, the integration process designed to retain new employees. It’s a real challenge in a growing market.

Why focus on integration?

Axione installs fixed (fibre) and mobile (4G) telecommunications infrastructure, both in France and internationally. The telecoms market is booming, and as a leader in PINs (Public-Initiative Networks), Axione is an active participant in this largescale town and country planning project. To match our ambitions, we have a highly dynamic recruitment policy. We currently have over 400 open positions with an average rate of 60 members of staff recruited per month: our number of staff has grown from 1,000 employees only two years ago, to more than 1,800 today. This is exceptional company-wide growth, and we must support it by adequately preparing employees so they can quickly adapt to their new work environment. The idea of course is to successfully retain talent. Our global team turnover rate is currently at 7%, with a national average in 2018 of 15%*: this is encouraging, but we can still do better.

What challenges are inherent to the current integration process?

Our keyword is “re-ten-tion”. Obviously, new employees must immediately feel at home, but our approach goes far beyond that: it takes place over three months and aims to provide an introduction to the company, its culture, its modus operandi, internal development prospects due to interdisciplinary links, and even development prospects within the Bouygues group. Our objective is for them to feel integrated as soon as possible, but also for them to see themselves as part of the group in the long term.

For this purpose, you favour a digital approach…?

The process is indeed partially digital. We use an application platform developed by a company that specialises in professional development programmes. Each recruit uses it and works through various issues through 56 questions with additional “quizzes”. This formula allows people to learn, in a fun way, about the company’s various codes, including strategy, safety at work, Axione’s areas of activity, HR processes, mobility, the internal disability policy, etc.

But the human touch remains essential!

So as not to abandon social relations, which are crucial to a company’s success, each recruit is also assigned a sponsor. Picked based on the geographical proximity to their mentee, the sponsor’s task is to aid them in their integration by helping out with more informal subjects, without replacing their manager. Whatever their status or position, all contribute voluntarily and are comfortable with this coaching role. We already have around a hundred employees wearing the sponsor badge, but this number must continue to grow to support the company’s growth. Also, if any employees are interested after reading this article, they shouldn’t hesitate to volunteer… We’re recruiting sponsors too! (laughter)

What happens after the three-month period?

The process ends with an integration day. The morning is dedicated to “top-down” information sessions where, for example, managers talk about the company’s history. We have a little surprise for participants in the afternoon in the form of a game but I will say no more – I’ll let the new recruits be the first to know…
And thus the entire Axione integration process comes to a symbolic end. However, efforts to retain employees never really stop, and everyone has a role to play: managers, colleagues, HR, etc., we all play a part and together form the spirit of the company!

*Source: Center for Economics and Business Research (CEBR)

In order to strengthen the link that Axione maintains with INSA Rennes, sponsorship of the third year option – Communication Systems and Networks – was initiated on 29 November 2018.

The objective? To provide students with real professional, hands-on support, by gradually building a special relationship. As part of this, an event was organised in Rezé (44) for the entire year group earlier this year, on 24 January.

This is how 37 students, accompanied by two tutors from INSA Rennes, took part in a taster day made up of three main events:

• Tour of the branch depot, led by the Warehouse Manager. On the programme: a presentation about the equipment used and an explanation of current procedures;
• a visit to a construction site being undertaken on behalf of service provider Bouygues Telecom – a site still in progress;
• an opportunity to learn about the Rezé site with its three specialist workshops: a presentation on 5G, an overview of the Project Manager’s role, and a presentation on FTTH operations.

The day alternated between Q&A sessions with professionals and site visits, so that the students could gain an overview of the various career areas involved.

In total, 10 staff were deployed over the course of the day to talk about current activities, as well as those that were still in the pipeline.

A big THANK YOU to the teams who took part!

“I had to work very fast and under constant pressure: it was a real test of the work I do everyday, and it definitely upped my performance level,”

beams Maxime Huignard, the 24-year-old FTTB fibre optic technician at the Axione facility in Mans (72), after participating once again in this year’s Trade Skills Olympics.

Organized by the WorldSkills association, this competition gives young professionals a chance to test their skills in almost 50 trade disciplines during local, regional and national competitions in France, with the winners going on to compete in the international final.

“It’s sort of like a combination of the “Top French Craftsperson” and “Top French Apprentice” competitions, but for our specific trades,”

explains Maxime, who won bronze at the national final in Nouvelle Aquitaine in 2017.

In just his second time participating in the event, the young man from Sarthe once again took the 2018 top podium spot in the regional finals, allowing him to progress to the national finals in Caen.

“I had to design and build a model copper and fibre network, and get it online within 20 hours of competition time,” explains Maxime. It was the same basic principle as in the regional final, but the challenge was more complex and the judges were tougher.”

Over the course of three days, the competitors had to create structures reflecting the various technical difficulties of each trade, in conditions very similar to real-life operations: these included respect for delivery timeframes and costs, optimum use of materials and equipment, and safety.

650 candidates

The national final of the 45 th Olympiad was held in Normandy, in the Caen Convention Centre, from 28 November to 1 December 2018. Over the 3 days, 650 candidates representing the 15 French and Overseas Regions went head-to-head for a chance to make the French Trade Skills team for 2019, by obtaining a gold or silver medal at the nationals. This French team will participate in the international finals in Kazan (Russia) from 22 to 27 August 2019, then in Graz (Austria) from 16 to 20 September 2020. While the Pays-de-la-Loire team won a total of 35 medals in 50 trades in Normandy, Maxime Huignard missed out on a podium spot, but he can be immensely proud of the personal and professional recognition brought about by making the final.

Congratulations to Maxime for this wonderful achievement!

Jérémie Léonardi, responsible for fibre optics deployment in Normandy, and Christophe Piot, Director of International Deployment, have invented a tool that makes it possible for a single, unassisted operator to control aerial network junction boxes.

The French high-speed broadband network is up and running, and with it comes the desire to cover the entirety of the country by 2022. To do so, 60% of fibre optics deployments will use aerial cables in rural areas. Practically, this means that within three years, Axione, as well all other operators, will be obliged to monitor some 200,000 junction boxes installed on 3m-high overhead poles.

“To arrive at this point, it is necessary to use a bucket truck most of the time and to use several operators, leading to many risks related to working at height and to working by the roadside”

explains Jérémie Léonardi, a key player in the field on this major project.

At the age of 35 and having graduated from the Rouen ESIGELEC (École supérieure d’ingénieurs en génie électrique or Graduate school of engineering and electrical engineering), Jérémie Léonardi is responsible for deployment within the Major Projects Department at Axione, and is based in Neufchâtel-en-Bray, Seine-Maritime.

“Christophe and I finally had the relatively simple idea of designing a portable tool to monitor the continuity of fibre optics in the boxes, eliminating the risks mentioned previously”

explains the engineer, who has worked at Axione for ten years.

In 2017, the Girafon was invented: A telescopic pole equipped with an endoscopic camera and a remote screen, which makes it possible to see inside the boxes.

“Thanks to its reduced size and light weight, the Girafon can be used by a single operator in complete safety, and is easily transportable” explains Jérémie Léonardi. “Using it takes up less time during monitoring operations, thereby reducing costs and improving productivity.”

12 months of R&D

The first prototype was developed in collaboration with the Mureaux (78) branch of Bouygues Energies & Services in late 2017, then field-tested in early 2018, which led to the final version being patented in November 2018.
Around the same time, Jérémie Léonardi took part in the 2018 edition of the Inno’Cup Internal Innovation Competition held every two years by the Bouygues Construction Group, and achieved excellent results with the Girafon.
This competition attracted no fewer than 647 applications overall: 91 were selected for the semi-finals, which were split into four categories, namely Productivity, Digital transition, Societal and environmental responsibility, and Clients.
Among them, 24 reached the finals, one of whom was Jérémie. This Rouen native, whose application concerned the Productivity category, had to pitch for three minutes to a panel of experts at Bouygues Construction headquarters at the end of November. “I had to explain the context of the project, its challenges, the technical solution, and its advantages” continues Jérémie, pending the final competition results, which were revealed on 21 January.

After months of work, the invention’s merit was recognised and awarded a prize in this internal event. A wonderful acknowledgment of the Axione teams’ efforts!

But regardless of the ranking, the engineer should be proud to have completed his mission already, as around 20 Girafons are set to be deployed by Axione in 2019. Ultimately, this tool, which is as of yet still handcrafted, may eventually be mass- produced and provided to the network operator’s subcontractors.

Thomas Cléchet, a young engineer working as an FTTH project manager at Axione, uses geographic information system (GIS) software in his daily job. This professional experience helped him win the 24-hour GIS competition run by the company Esri. His operational story map, which focuses on urban accessibility for people with reduced mobility, is being promoted as part of the European Disability Employment Week.

First, take GIS software, which is used to collect, store, process, analyse, manage and present spatial and geographical data. Second, take Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute), the American company that invented GIS in 1969. And third, take Thomas, a graduate of the Polytech Tours engineering school who has been working as an FTTH (fibre to the home) project manager at Axione since April 2018. Combine all three and you get a wonderful professional project that serves societal needs.
Thomas Cléchet, 23, completed an internship at Axione in the spring and was subsequently recruited by the company. Since then, he has been using GIS software on a daily basis.

“We’re working on fibre rollout in rural areas of the Hauts-de-France region, in villages with a population of a few hundred or thousand, and the software enables me to design and size the networks,”

says Thomas.

Teamwork

In October 2018, Thomas won the 24-hour GIS competition held by Esri during its annual conference. Every year, the Californian software supplier brings together in Paris the community of French-speaking users of its GIS software as part of an event that has been held for 20-plus years.

“During the conference, Esri gives students 24 hours to complete a project using all of its software packages,” explains Thomas. “This year’s topic was accessibility for people with reduced mobility. I worked together with Maéva Gaudin, who is studying geotechnical engineering at the UniLaSalle engineering school. We were supported by a tutor, Abdel Ouedraogo, an IT consultant at the company Magéllium. I registered for the competition when I was still at university, and while I was doing my internship at Axione, the company gave me two days off so that I could take part,”

he adds.

Tool to support decision making

Within 24 hours, the small team put together a pretty smart story map – a mini interactive website combining maps and text, photo, video and audio content.

“Maéva had a good grasp of the software, and as I had been using the tool at Axione, I felt comfortable with its features. So we were able to produce something fairly advanced.”

Their story map, entitled “La rue, l’ennemie de la mobilité réduite” (Streets, the enemy of reduced mobility), won over the jury with its operational focus. It includes an interactive map that can be used to find out what building, facility or location is accessible in Paris for a particular type of disability (whether a visual, hearing or mobility impairment), as well as factual information drawing attention to the importance of the subject and to the legislative context (public buildings are obliged to be accessible). It also shows how routes taken in cities by people with visual impairments or with reduced mobility could be shortened and made safer by carrying out minor works.

“We wanted to produce a tool that would support decision-making for elected officials, showing through real examples that it’s possible to adapt space cost-effectively in a way that makes life easier for people with disabilities,”

states Thomas.

The young engineer, proud of having won this prestigious competition, says that the exercise has made him aware of the importance of the issue for those concerned. Moreover, he welcomes the fact that the data processing software used in his work helps inform the general public about the accessibility of public places for people with disabilities – something that is a major national cause.

Florent, who works as a technician in Axione’s IS Operations department (PPSIM) at the Pau branch, this year became French Basque pelota champion (hard rubber ball variety). Find out more about this great athlete and the passion he has had for the sport since childhood.

How did you get into Basque pelota?

I’ve been playing the hard rubber ball variety of Basque pelota since I was 14 and I started competing at 16. But I discovered the sport even before that, when I was very young, by going to matches with my father. Rubber ball Basque pelota was created in 1930 and is played in teams of two, both indoors and outdoors, using a racket and a hard rubber ball. I love the sport as it offers a bit of everything, you can play inside and out, and it combines performance, speed and tactics. It’s accessible to everyone, can be played at any age and is attracting an increasing number of women.

How do you juggle your training sessions with your other commitments?

I’ve been working at Axione’s Pau branch for 8 years now but I manage to combine my professional life and my matches – I play four times per week on average. We train and compete locally, taking part in championships at the weekend. The sport complements my work perfectly in terms of physical and mental exercise. It’s something I’m very passionate about and it has been very important to me since I was very young. Periods without sport, due to long-term injuries for example, are harder to manage… 
My manager is very supportive, and in fact she’s familiar with the sport herself. My colleagues and I compare results occasionally.
I’m delighted to have had my efforts rewarded and to have to won the title of French pelota champion for the hard rubber ball variety (“fronton mur à gauche” – left-handed wall) on 27 January this year. It was a major goal.

What’s the next challenge?

Ideally, I plan to defend my title in the 2019 championships! Apart from that, I’d like to explore other Basque pelota disciplines like trinquet and the Argentine variation! And maybe win new regional and national titles?

So what exactly is Basque pelota?

The sport covers several traditional games that stem from “jeu de paume” – real tennis. In most specialities, the game involves hitting the ball, by volleying or following a rebound, against the main wall so that it lands in the “cancha” – court. The point continues until a team makes an error or can’t hit the ball before its second rebound.  
 
It is played primarily in south-west France – the Basque Country, the Landes department, in Béarn and Bigorre – as well as in Spain and South America. There are 7 main specialities of Basque pelota: rebot (where the bat is in the form of short curved basket), pasaka (played face to face with a net midfield), hand pelota (played barehanded), xare (soft racket in the form of a net), chistera (bat in the form of long curved basket), paleta cuero (played with a leather ball), paleta goma (played with a hard or hollow rubber ball in many North, Central and South American countries).