Portrait of Charlotte BALZAC (ISEN, 2023)

08 March 2024 Portrait

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Interview with a woman engineer

HELLO, can you briefly introduce yourself?

Hello,

My name is Charlotte, I'm 23 and I'm a JUNIA ISEN engineer.

We're going to take a trip down memory lane. Can you tell us about your university career: training, specialization, associative life, projects, internships?

I started at ISEN in 2018 with a preparatory course in Numerics and Biology, then moved on to the engineering cycle, choosing the Cybersecurity specialization.

During my student years, I was part of the Human'ISEN association. I joined as secretary, then vice-president and finally member. It was thanks to the association that I decided to apply for 2 labels offered by JUNIA and the Companieros school: the handimanagement and HF-management labels.

As far as internships/jobs are concerned, I've done several like any other JUNIA engineer:

I was a multi-skilled worker at Metalians. During this first-year internship, I discovered the world of work. I spent 1 month drilling parts, packing them into cartons and checking product quality.
In 4th year, for my 4-month internship, I chose to go to Belgium to work for oXya. During this time, I applied myself to co-constructing a data warehouse and creating metrics reports around safety data.
Finally, for the 5th year, I opted for a professional apprenticeship contract and for continuity in my work by extending my work-study placement.

I'll pass on to you my experiences in banking (1 month) and at the Lille Opera (4 years), which gave me an open mind and enabled me to broaden my personal knowledge.

What's your best memory of your studies at JUNIA (HEI, ISA and ISEN Lille)?

There are so many good memories, but if I had to pick just one, it would have to be the end-of-study celebration. It really marked the end of 5 years at ISEN, and I was able to spend it surrounded by friends and family, which makes it a wonderful memory.

When you were studying, did you already know what you wanted to do and what job you were aiming for?

When I decided to go to ISEN, I didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted to do next, so I didn't have a specific job in mind! That's one of the reasons why I decided to do digital and biology. This dual training between ISEN and ISA meant that no doors were closed to me, and that I had 3 extra years to figure out exactly what I wanted to do.

Once I'd decided to go to ISEN, I had to decide what I wanted to specialize in. I hesitated between 2 areas: Big Data and Cybersecurity.

And in the end, it was Cybersecurity that won!

What has been your career path since graduating?

I graduated in 2023. Since September, I've been working as a Cybersecurity Engineer at IParcus.

What are the main tasks in your job?

At the moment, I'm working on security awareness missions for companies and training for students, as well as governance, risk and compliance missions.

How has your network (school, alumni association, family, professional) played a role in the development of your career?

It's thanks to Mr. ROBILLARD, a teacher-researcher at ISEN, that I chose to try my luck in digital engineering and biology. He was able to reassure me and my family when it came to making choices for Parcoursup.

What's more, when I was looking for an internship for the 4th year, it was a meeting with Mr. LOUIS, a former ISEN, that enabled me to join oXya on an internship and work-study program.

As a female engineer working in a professional environment that is often considered and stereotyped as masculine, would you have any advice for current female students considering a similar career path?

Dare. That's the best advice you can give! In the office, I'm surrounded by male colleagues, and the fact that I'm a woman doesn't change the way they behave. They're extremely benevolent, and integration into the team went off without a hitch.

So, dare to choose a voice that seems to be stereotypical, as long as the path you choose pleases you.