An ongoing story: from trainees to trainers, meet Raïd, Tom and Pierre-Jean

Established in Toulouse since 2008, the Derichebourg aeronautics training centre offers more than a dozen aeronautics training courses to companies as well as to individuals wishing to supplement their initial training or retrain in order to boost their career, whatever their age. Given the shortage of technically-qualified candidates in a tight market, trainees who graduate with a Professional Qualification in Metallurgy (CQPM - Certificat de Qualification Paritaire de la Métallurgie) systematically find a job in the aerospace industry.

At Derichebourg aeronautics training, we always stay in touch with former trainees. Some return for further training, while others are recruited by customer companies such as Airbus, ATR, Derichebourg aeronautics services, etc.

The training centre recently hired three new trainers who are already well known to us. Tom, Raïd and Pierre-Jean were trainees at the training centre around ten years ago and joined the team of trainers in 2024.

Pierre-Jean, aged 31, remembers: "After obtaining a vocational baccalaureate in agriculture, even though I was interested in the sector, I decided to change direction and retrain as a fitter, at the Derichebourg aeronautics training centre in 2012. With my newly acquired qualification, I was hired by Airbus successively at Station 40 on the A320 as a fitter/turner on fuselage/wing section assembly, then two years later I switched to Station 40 on the A350 because I had rounded out my skills with training in both electrical and mechanical systems. At Airbus, with this kind of training, you can move as you like from one profession to another: in 2021 I worked for a while on the A330 and then as a mechanic on the A350".

As for Raïd, 32 years old, he was planning to supplement his basic training by learning even more about the aeronautical professions: "After my BEP diploma and my vocational baccalauréat in electrotechnical studies, I wanted to move up another level, so I joined the electrical-wiring class of 2013. I was improving my skills and at last working in an aerospace environment, learning from expert trainers at the training centre, as well as during my work placement. Just after my CQPM, I joined Station 42 on the A330 as a nose fuselage systems integrator and then moved to Station 40 for fuselage wing assembly on the A350 in 2015".

Over a number of years, these trainers have gained extensive professional experience that has honed the expertise they acquired during their CQPM training. Combining theory and practice is the key for developing and becoming proficient in this type of sector. They have acquired invaluable skills on several programmes, which has given them an overall perspective of the aircraft value chain.

Tom, aged 34, says "After a first year specialising in the mechanical engineering of flexible materials, I obtained a vocational baccalaureate in Business. I spent two years in the undertaker industry, among others, and I even trained as an excavator driver in the public works sector. Then a friend told me about training courses in the aeronautics industry, which inspired me to see what the sector had to offer. After obtaining my CQPM as a Cabin Integrator, I quickly moved on to work at various jobs for Hutchinson on the A380 cabin, then for ATR as a Customizer on the A72/41/42, before joining Airbus on a permanent contract in 2016. As I had no local ties, I went to Germany to work on the A320 Cabin, then on the A320 at Stations 20 and 17".

Despite their initial backgrounds being very different, these three trainers have two things in common: the first is their desire to learn more and more about an exciting and constantly evolving sector, and the second is a strong affinity for exchanging and sharing with others.

They all agree on wanting to further their careers while focusing on sharing their knowledge with people, motivated by the human aspect of passing on their knowledge and skills, with an overriding concern of being attentive to their trainees to help them become more proficient. They are convinced that the essential qualities needed to excel in this profession are an open mind, patience and, above all, a strong desire to pass on their knowledge.

Their greatest satisfaction as trainers is to adapt to each individual learner. Raïd explains: "As a trainer, it's important to adapt to each trainee in order to provide personalised teaching that meets their specific needs". They, more than anyone else, know that the trainees cover a wide range of profiles: men and women, some who have just come of age while others already have over 40 years' professional experience; but all of whom have felt the need or the desire to retrain.

For Raïd, Tom and Pierre-Jean, this diversity is what makes their classes so rewarding.

So when we asked them what qualities they needed to succeed in their jobs, all three unanimously replied: "You have to like people".

A certain amount of courage and dynamism is also needed to juggle theory and practice, both in the classroom and in the workshops.

Alongside his professional activity, Tom is a volunteer fireman and rugby coach, fields in which interpersonal skills and teaching ability are essential values. "To pass a state certificate in a sport, you have to enjoy working with people and know how to get a message across and pass on values, and consequently to earn respect and foster interest. I was pretty sure that training in the aeronautical field would be a good career move for me".

At the Derichebourg aeronautics training centre, the courses lead to qualifications and are aimed at helping trainees join a company after acquiring a solid professional foundation. The fact that the centre turns out such accomplished graduates is also due to these passionate trainers who take pleasure in passing on their knowledge, sharing their experience and guiding those who follow in their footsteps.

Thanks to the commitment of all our trainers, each trainee is given a unique opportunity to succeed and develop in the aeronautical sector. A big THANK YOU to all of them!