Describe yourself in 3#  
#Motivated 
#Patient 
#Persevering 
 
What are your current tasks and what do you like most about your job? 
I've been working as a journeyman formworker for 6 months at Bouygues Bâtiment Ile-de-France - Industrie et Equipements Publics. I'm currently working on the Anne Frank secondary school site in Antony, and my tasks are varied: I'm pouring concrete, I'm doing ironwork, I'm making formwork...  
 
Since my arrival, I can see that I've made a lot of progress and quite quickly; I'm more at ease with the tasks I'm given. What I like most about my job is that I have the chance to work with a tutor who knows his job well and to be part of a close-knit and supportive team. 
 
Can you describe your daily life? What is a typical day like?  
The day starts at 8 a.m. with a muscle warm-up, which allows us to prepare ourselves physically, then we have a 15-minute safety briefing to remind us of the rules to follow before entering the site, then we drink coffee while talking about the work to be done during the day.   
As far as my tasks are concerned, I go with my tutor: I cut wood, I adjust the panels, I scrap, i.e. I put in the iron reinforcements to construct the buildings. I'm also in charge of the formwork and I accompany my tutor when he pours the concrete. 
At Bouygues Bâtiment Ile-de-France, we pay particular attention to our waste; we have large skips to sort it out! 
 
Who trains you?  
On site I am trained by my tutor Apareçio Rodrigues Alfonso, who has 30 years' experience in the building industry and on sites. To be trained by Apareçio is a great opportunity because, in addition to being experienced, he is very educational and patient. 
My boss is called Jérémy Amathieu; when I need something in the office, he's the one I come to see. Jérémy is also responsible for filling in my apprentice's booklet, a document that allows me to write down the skills I have acquired on site and during my training. 
 
What is your training?  
I'm currently doing a sandwich course at the Gustave Eiffel centre to obtain a professional qualification as a formworker. It's a two-year course. Next year I'll take the BAC to specialise further and move up the ladder.  
 
Can you tell us something that marked you when you arrived? 
The plans! Learning to read plans is tedious... At first it was difficult to understand them, now it's easy. There's also something else that has impressed me: the tools and machines we work with. Before joining Bouygues Bâtiment Ile-de-France, I had never seen the tools I use today. When I arrived, I didn't know how to work or how to use them. 
 
How did you find out about Bouygues Bâtiment Ile-de-France and how did the recruitment process go?  
I'm from Mali, and I arrived in France in 2019. Thanks to the Ecole de la deuxième chance in Paris, I was able to join the Centre Gustave Eiffel. The Centre Gustave Eiffel then put me in touch with Bouygues Bâtiment Ile-de-France. I had an interview, which went very well, and I was taken on as a journeyman. 
 
Any advice for future trainees or apprentices who might want to join Bouygues Bâtiment Ile-de-France, and the Bouygues group in general? 
Don't give up, and look for work where it's available! Not all jobs are easy, but you have to be brave and prove yourself!