Launch of “Learn”, the new NTN-SNR Training Programme

 

In order to respond to an increase in demand for labour, the NTN-SNR Group is launching its vocational training programme in November. Located at the heart of its aerospace site in Haute-Savoie, this unique “school” is open to everyone…

Aerospace, at the cutting edge of technology, is a fascinating industry. In April 2018, the extension of the NTN-SNR plant in Argonay, dedicated to this industry and specialising in the design and manufacture of bearings, confirmed the growth of this strategic market. Close to Annecy, this plant designs bearings for aerospace clients. Engine manufacturers such as Safran, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce and even General Electric make use of these solutions for Airbus and Boeing aircraft engines. The Group’s bearings can also be found in the rotors, turbines and transmissions of several types of helicopter. Furthermore, NTN-SNR is at the heart of the space adventure with the turbo pumps that equip Ariane 5!

In order to meet the needs of this ever-changing market, NTN-SNR decided to create L’Ecole des Applications des Roulements NTN-SNR (LEARN) or the “NTN-SNR school for bearing applications”. Its purpose is to host, train and integrate the company’s future certified grinders and mounters. The programme will be launched on 18 November 2019.

  • A new launch ramp
    NTN-SNR plans to recruit more than 150 people on its aerospace site in Argonay by 2023. This forecast is based on an increase in demand and in mobility as well as employee retirement figures. It is for this reason that the NTN-SNR Group, already known for the quality of its in-house training, is offering specific support to anyone who wishes to discover this new industry and obtain a specific qualification. This is the purpose of the LEARN project. Backed by national and local partners (Ministry for labour, national job centre (Pôle Emploi), the metallurgy federation (Chambre syndicale de la métallurgie), UIMM, ADEFIM74, OPCO2I, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, local government, etc.), the vocational training programme on offer comprises three main actions: recruitment and induction, training of basic technical skills and an assessment of work skills, and the involvement of NTN-SNR teams to pass on and assess skills.
  • Recruitment without the need for a CV
    Lasting 13 months, this structured, progressive and entirely practical induction and training programme is open to any candidate over 18 years of age, without the need for any qualification or diploma. No CV is requested during the recruitment phase, made up of half a day (four hours) of practical logical-reasoning and mounting tests, followed by an interview to discuss the candidate’s aims. After the selection process, LEARN is split into two stages: – A one-month, full-time core course that falls under the POE (Préparation Opérationnelle à l’Emploi) scheme run by Pôle Emploi. These 140 hours of immersion – including two workshop observation days – let the candidates discover our mounting and grinding activities in order to narrow down their training goals on the basis of their skills and aims.

    – A specific 12-month
    course either in grinding or in aerospace mounting (fixed-term or open-ended work/study contracts). These specialisation courses, each of which trains between eight and 12 work/study interns per session, are run by NTN-SNR experts and external trainers.
  • Mission: CQPM certificate
    At the end of the programme, which leads to a qualification in machining techniques, the new grinders and mounters are awarded an “equivalent metalworking qualification certificate” (CQPM) that confirms that they have acquired the professional capacities needed to work in the industry on a national level. LEARN will be launched on 18 November 2019 and the recruitment process will begin in October 2019. While the first training course will only concern the “grinding” specialisation, mounting will also be offered as from the second training course in March 2020. This is a great opportunity for the Annecy region, where the unemployment rate, though below the national average, stands at 6.4%.
5 questions for… Max Pichard, learn project manager within the NTN-SNR human resources department

« Aerospace: high precision work »

What type of person are you primarily looking for to join the LEARN programme?

We are not looking for any specific type of candidate. Quite the contrary, we are opening up our recruitment process to anybody who is keen and has the necessary skills: a young person without any qualifications or diplomas, somebody who is changing career or going back to work after parental leave or who has lost his or her job. However, to access the recruitment tests, the candidate must be at least 18 years of age and agree to work alternating shifts (based on two eight-hour shifts).

What are the recruitment stages?

We are going to follow a simulation-based recruitment method (“MRS”), which means that no CV is requested. The person’s interpersonal skills, motivation and logical-reasoning and practical skills will make the difference, rather than experience and diplomas. The first stage comprises half a day of practical tests (four hours) involving the mounting and dismounting of objects with an instruction sheet or a technical drawing, for example. It is only after these real-life activities, and depending on the results, that the candidates will be interviewed, still without a CV. The interview is the final test before the candidate joins LEARN.

You talk about a “programme” rather than a “school”. Why?

It is important to differentiate between LEARN and a traditional school. First, as our training is 100% practical and not theoretical: there are no pupils sitting behind a desk and looking at a blackboard. The students will be immersed in a real-life situation. Secondly, the programme’s qualification is not a “diploma” but an “equivalent metalworking qualification certificate” (CQPM).

Can you explain the role of a mounter and of a grinder?

On the basis of the plan and schedule previously drawn up by the methods department, the machinist who specialises in grinding (or “grinder”) manages a piece of machining equipment whose cutting tool is a grinding wheel. The grinder makes small batches (around 50 parts) while managing the running conditions, settings and tool changes. The aerospace mounter also uses a plan and carries out the different mounting operations such as: visual and dimensional inspections, assembly, marking, packaging, etc.

What are the characteristics of the aerospace sector?

The aerospace sector is special, and the machining jobs are unlike any other. Here, there is no assembly-line work. A human does the work, not a machine – as the caricature may lead people to believe. The parts are very valuable and made in small quantities, like the work of a goldsmith. That is why, to work in the aerospace industry, you have to love accuracy, technical discussions, inspections and measurements, and be independent and have a strong sense of responsibility. Quality stands at the heart of our business. It should not be forgotten that the parts made here are destined for Boeing, Airbus (aircraft and helicopters) and even the Ariane rocket!

Learn in figures

  • 280 m2 of workshops and a teaching platform
  • 140-hour core course
  • 13 months of training in total
  • 3 recruitment rounds per year
  • 2 expert trainers dedicated to NTN-SNR
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