Studies

"After seven months' experience in a Surveyor's office in Luxembourg, I joined Colas in June 2015 as a substitute for the former surveyor. Working in a Group like Colas means that you can be involved in a multitude of projects that seem to be quite similar but are in fact different. And you have the best resources to do your job. In fact, we have brand new surveying equipment at our disposal and the company is investing considerably in new technologies such as machine control. The friendly workplace atmosphere and the good relationship with a rather young management in the zone are also advantages. The positive point of a surveyor's work is to be able to combine field and office tasks to monitor jobs on site, while using constantly evolving technologies. In our profession, we work on all types of projects (roads, drainage, water pipes, tarmacs, etc.) and at all stages (design, execution, As Built). I like the job because of this versatility and the fact that I constantly have to juggle between different tasks."
 

Ranto has been with Colas Madagascar since 2014, working for the topography and studies department as a design engineer. He came to the profession “quite by chance”. As part of his studies at Madagascar’s Technical Training Institute, he spent time as a company intern, where he got a real taste for construction project pricing. So he decided to specialize, creating plans, diagrams and calculations on his screen. In January 2017, Colas Madagascar seconded him to monitor the two airport projects. Once he’d got over his initial “stage fright”, Ranto readily admits that “this job is both a challenge and a great experience.” He uses topographical data and readings to map out the broad lines of the work to be carried out. But he’s never been one to stay behind his computer, often going out to the sites. “It’s a source of tremendous satisfaction to see the reality on the ground of something that was nothing more than a computer image”, he explains. Ranto has thus discovered the world of airports and major projects: “I’m extremely proud of what has been achieved, but I’ve learned that there’s still plenty more for me to discover!”
 

"After working for 8 years as a surveyor for road and civil engineering jobs, I wanted to change my career orientation and joined Colas in November 2016 as an estimator in the design office. The aim of my work is to assign prices to the various invitations to bid for road, drainage, civil engineering and sometimes railway works in partnership with our subsidiary Colas Rail. Although our main customers are public authorities (town, SPW, district, etc.), we also work for the private sector such as property developers, general construction companies, industries, etc. This is a very interesting job that requires a great deal of analysis in order to be able to understand and assess the work to be carried out as best as possible. As the jobs are all different, we must be aware of the different techniques, be in contact with suppliers, subcontractors and workers to benefit from their feedback. This job ensures that we learn something every day. Colas is a large global group that offers many advantages, including the ability to study major infrastructure projects, while remaining a company that cares for its staff and provides a great working opportunity.
 

"I am working in the best place in the world for my professional development! ”. Olivier is head of the design office at Sivia'M, a Monaco-based subsidiary of the Colas group specializing in main services. “I manage a team of surveyors and designers. We are in charge of the theoretical monitoring of projects - price studies, project implementation, job monitoring, topography, schedules, etc. - right from design to delivery”, explains this Research Manager. Building of hospitals, construction of non-standard hydraulic structures, extension project on the sea in Monaco..."We undertake major jobs. In most companies, you get the opportunity to be involved in one such job from time to time. This is our daily life here," says Olivier, who admits: "I feel like I'm in a gigantic playground! I have extremely high-performance technical and technological resources at my disposal. Since the arrival of BIM, we have developed augmented reality, photogrammetry, virtual reality, etc. We have invested in state-of-the-art topographic equipment to work with 3D models... I can and must innovate constantly !”. Moreover, Olivier was rewarded by the Group for developing acoustic walls, which insulate residents from the noise from jobs. For 4 years, this executive has been studying Civil Engineering at Cnam (Conservatoire national des arts et métiers) in the evenings after work. "Colas backs me and supports me. This is important to me". Olivier appreciates having his work recognized by his company: "I have access to all the training I require. The company offers me the resources I need to progress in my career. It's a win-win partnership".
 

Samir is one of the most recent recruits at the Campus for Science & Techniques; he joined the Inspection Department in June 2017 as an R&D Engineer. He was born in the south-west of France and studied electronic engineering in Bordeaux, where his course included industrial IT, automatics, signal processing and embedded electronics, etc. Once he had graduated as an engineer, Samir worked in Technical Assistance as an Applications Engineer and was also in charge of software training in companies. "The experience with clients taught me a lot. But I wanted to be involved in a project from A to Z. As I wasn't restricted to any particular business sector, I apply for the vacancy at CST's Inspection Department." So Samir discovered Colas, the Campus and countless measuring devices. "These pieces of equipment are available to the subsidiaries. We have to ensure that they really are the right tools for the job at hand. We have to be quick to react, flexible and, above all, trained in how to use them!" As well as providing technical assistance, Samir also works on experimental projects. "Recently, I took deflection readings on part of a road near Bergerac, then I interpreted them in my report. All of the data was then used by the Design Department to create models that will be used in simulations or added to the database." Real team work! And onboarding into the CST? The time taken to train Samir and help him understand the challenges dispelled his initial apprehension at entering an unfamiliar universe and helped him settle in. "Right from the get-go we are taught how to do things properly. That gives us confidence and sets us on the road to autonomy. The human scale of the CST also helps you to got to know your colleagues." What's next? "I can't wait to get into training. That's a filed I know and love." Sharing knowledge and interaction are what drives Samir forward.