In October, Stormshield played host to seven students from the Roubaix Ecole de la deuxième chance (“School of the Second Chance”) and two of their teachers, giving them a taste of the world of work. More than just a CSR initiative for the company, it was also a superb experience in human terms. Stormshield HR Director Sylvie Blondel has been working alongside these young people for a few years now, and reflects on her experiences.

Question: Sylvie, what is the Ecole de la deuxième chance?

Sylvie Blondel: It’s a school which operates nationally in France, enabling young people who dropped out of the school system to re-engage with it and get back into work without returning to the traditional curriculum, which doesn’t suit their needs. The support is tailor-made to align with the issues, history and training desires of each young person.

Q.: Why did you get involved with the Roubaix branch?

S. B.: I first heard about this school eight years ago. I decided to get involved because I feel I’m “one of the lucky ones” in life, and I wanted to do something useful for people who are ready to fight to improve their situation. Not only that, but through my role in HR, I have the skills and experience to guide and support young people who may be a little lost, advising them and helping them to break into the professional world.

Q.: How did the partnership between Stormshield and E2C work?

S. B.: We partnered with the teachers to organise three half-days, the aim of which was to prepare the students for a job interview. We did this in three stages: thinking about who they are and learning to introduce themselves; learning how to present their experience and what they can offer; and lastly, working on the whole package and their “sales” pitch at the interview.

And the students visited us at our Villeneuve d’Ascq premises: for most of them, it was their first experience of being in a company.

Q.: What were the outcomes of this initiative?

S. B.: There were plenty of “firsts” for the students: first time in a business, first meeting with HR staff, first job interview, first formal speaking opportunity, and so on. These were basic skills, as the goal was to restore their confidence and show them that I wasn’t there to judge them. There was progress at both an individual and a collective level, as they offered one another mutual support.

Q.: And the practical outcomes?

S. B.: Some of them landed interviews along the way, and were even recruited! One of the students was given a temporary contract as a till operator at the end of a pre-hire internship; four others got internships, raising their profile among companies and potentially leading to job offers at a later date. These workshops were useful!

Q.: What did this experience give you?

S. B.: For me, it’s an opportunity to “take a step back”. It makes me feel useful: I equip them with tools, and something practical. It also really energised me. The students are really charming, and they expect a lot: there’s a feeling of anticipation and welcome. It’s great!

Q.: And what about Stormshield?

S. B.: For Stormshield, this partnership with the École de la deuxième chance falls within our CSR policy: our aim is to give a physical form to our philosophy of making a social difference and increasing our visibility. And once again, it’s a chance for all Stormshield employees to gain a different perspective and appreciate the difficulty some people have in accessing the world of work. We don’t all start life with the same opportunities! One of our in-house values is “Collaborative Success“: and with the students, we’re telling the outside world too.