Result the most varied profiles have their chance

Good news for graduates: despite the crisis, the energy trades continue to recruit. In 2009, the objectives displayed by industry heavyweights are impressive: 4,000 hires for Areva in France including 600 junior engineers , 1,000 frames at EDF (80 of graduates), 600 positions for GDF Suez (25 of beginners), 2,000 for Total...

But lower volumes than in previous years. According to Apec, only 8 of the sector firms believe increase their volume of recruitment in 2009. "Companies have more difficulties to fund their projects, they have therefore closed their hiring," explains Jean-Paul Medioni, Director-General of the Office of recruitment Anton Research.

However, the dynamics is positive. In addition to oil and gas, always look for new talent, industries renewable energy required as a future jobs, especially for young graduates, deposit very attracted to these issues: some 500,000 jobs is planned by 2020. As nuclear power, he focused the majority of current needs: EDF account thus develop and operate 10 EPR in the world by 2020, while Areva plans to invest nearly 10 billion euros in the construction of power stations by 2012.

The Alumni advantage

But specialized in nuclear training are too rare to meet the needs. Result, the most varied profiles have their chance. "It is not necessary to have followed a specialization to work in our business." "We provide to the new hired training advanced, enabling it to carry out a supplementary learning", said Dominique Lagarde, Delegate General Manager in charge of HR of EDF. Holds a master degree in industrial maintenance, Fabien Beels and was recruited in October last by the public operator, to a position of engineer maintenance on the site of Belleville-sur-Loire. Its mission: to ensure the proper functioning of the plant equipment and intervene in the event of disability. He first followed a formation of three months, which allowed him to discover the operation of a power and assimilate the safety rules. Since then, he works in binomial, chaperoned by an older officer. "Be truly operational, should go through a long process of training." "Normal, because nuclear power requires a high degree of rigour and a punctilious observance of safety rules", believe.

Many other trades are accessible to young graduates: R & D, engineering, production, commercial functions support (procurement, information systems),... "We recruit on the set of functions", announces Jean-Paul Biard, Director of development HR of GDF Suez. But competition is tough: as opportunities to reduce in other industries, engineers tend to rush to the doors of the players energy. "We have a little more choice this year, notes Dominique Lagarde. We receive more than 50 candidates qualified by position against thirty previous years. "It is desirable to have at least an internship experience in the sector.

Among the major opportunities, studies and design function takes the top of the keypad. "It's the ideal way to learn the trade and store the fundamentals," said Jean-Paul Medioni. A graduate of the Ensic, school of chemistry of Nancy, Elodie Bourdis-Magne, for example, was hired in September as a design engineer in the branch network of GDF Suez. His job consists of conducting studies to develop and improve the gas transport network. She is working on a new tubes for the Paris-Nancy network installation, to increase the speed of flow. "This is a position that requires both technical skills and a good relational, she explains." I am in contact with the responsible owner of the site, and I am regularly on-site to study the environment of future installations.