Experience sharing from our two first VIE at Saint-Gobain Hong Kong & Macau
Earlier this year, we welcomed at Saint-Gobain Hong Kong & Macau in our Yuen Long plant our first two VIE (Volontariat International en Entreprise) from France. Romain Belverge as WCM Engineer focusing on maintenance optimization and Nathan Laval as WCM Engineer focusing on process improvement.
The VIE program is a prestigious French international internship program powered by Business France bringing highly qualified young talents to our team, enriching our work environment with their fresh perspectives and diverse backgrounds. More on the VIE program can be found here: https://mon-vie-via.businessfrance.fr/en/what-is-the-vie-french-international-internship-program
After several months working in Hong Kong, they share their experience:
"It's been 10 months since I began this new challenge and international experience. Accepting this VIE Engineer assignment at Saint-Gobain in a Weber mortar plant has been the best decision of my life, both professionally and personally. My job is both exciting and challenging, requiring me to familiarize myself with the local working culture and adopt an intercultural approach in order to successfully complete my assignment. Saint-Gobain, with these principles in mind, provides an ideal working environment and opportunities for career development. Doing a VIE in Hong Kong allows you to take advantage of the exceptional life Hong Kong has to offer!
Sports: I've joined a dragon boat team, I'm going to take part in the next trails, I've taken part in soccer competitions, and practiced surfing. Events: concerts, exhibitions, after-work networking, and more! I've been able to meet people of different cultures from all over the world! Finally, living in Hong Kong makes it easy to travel to countries like Japan, Korea, and Thailand, which are a long way from France. In conclusion, if anyone reading this is hesitating about doing a VIE at Saint-Gobain in an Asian country like Hong Kong, I can only say one thing: don't hesitate, go for it! Better remorse than regret!" Nathan said.
The VIE program not only provides these young professionals with invaluable international experience but also helps us at Saint-Gobain to internationalize and diversify our team. Their contributions are making a significant impact, and we are proud to be part of their professional journey.
"I'm very happy to be in Hong Kong. This expatriate experience is enabling me to develop both professionally and personally. It's a new experience because I'm discovering Asia for the first time. It's really nice to discover a new culture, see beautiful places, and taste new dishes. Hong Kong is a very interesting city because everything is easily accessible, and you can quickly move from the city to the countryside. I also met some great people, which helped me learn a bit more about Hong Kong culture. It's hard to get bored in Hong Kong! The only problem for me is the climate, which can be difficult at times; you have to learn to live between the pouring rain and the stifling heat.
But this contrasting climate, combined with all the other qualities I've mentioned, makes this city unique." Romain said.
We are proud of Nathan and Romain and very grateful for their contributions to our team. Their enthusiasm and dedication are truly inspiring!
