The grass looks always greener on the other side. Sometimes it is. But it’s really a matter of perception. By default, we crave novelty. It’s human nature to yearn for new experiences and seek adventure. After all, more experience means more growth. But sometimes we overlook the possibilities in our own backyard. And this is Cédrick’s story. As a New Caledonian native, he returned home to join our consultant crew and enjoy a rewarding career.
In case you haven’t been, New Caledonia is an island that’s part of France’s overseas territories. With an area of 18000 km² and a population of only 271,000, there’s a lot of beautiful real estate to explore. It’s anything but crowded with a negative migration and the low density contributes to a relaxed, high quality island lifestyle.
Approximately 10% of the world’s nickel resources live on the island, which is why it’s become well known. With 3 major production plants, New Caledonia is the fourth largest nickel producer in the world. As an industry, the nickel economy creates thousands of direct and indirect jobs and also requires an influx of unique and specialized skills.
Between limited post-secondary options and the desire for adventure, many choose to study abroad and unsurprisingly, France is a popular choice. After a taste of the big city life and the European experience, many young professionals choose to remain overseas. As a result of this trend, companies rely on a balance of local talent joined with international professionals to realize their professional ambitions.
Born on the island, Cédrick grew up here enjoying a passion for nature, sports, learning hunting, and fishing. The island lifestyle was a great fit. When it was time to study, he began in Noumea and quickly found an obstacle. He needed to carry on his studies abroad to reach his full potential. So he went to France and graduated in industrial engineering. He embraced the opportunity to take his various internships at home. “My life has always been and will always be here,” he admits.
Armed with an engineering degree and a lot of ambition, it’s often challenging to get a start in the professional world. This is when he met Easy Skill in Noumea, who recognized his strong potential. After sharing his technical profile with several major mining clients, we quickly landed his first assignment. Both parties were delighted with the relationship and Cédrick built his reputation as an enthusiastic, skilled, and reliable consultant. “Remain committed to what you want to achieve and never give up,” advised Cédrick to fresh graduates.
Millenials have earned a bit of a bad reputation among workplaces as flighty. In traditional industries especially, there can be an aversion to hiring young professionals who seem to lack long-term commitment. After all, if they’re bound to leave quickly why would a company want to spend time and effort training them? Fortunately, the stereotype is untrue. In fact, millenials stay longer at a company than gen X workers at the same age.
Almost two years later, Cédrick is still a part of the Easy Skill crew and we couldn’t be prouder. He’s now on his third assignment with Easy Skill at the northern nickel plant and he’s loving the journey. “What I appreciate the most is the opportunity to join different workplaces and gain a variety of experience that accelerates my knowledge in the fastest way possible. It also helps me build a terrific network of people in a short time,” declares Cédrick.
Like all good things, sometimes there’s an end. We all know contracting roles are not forever. The path is unknown. For many people like Cédrick, this sense of adventure is part of what makes a career path more exciting. Here at Easy Skill, we thrive on helping people and companies reach their true potential by finding the right workplace fit. By creating opportunities for our consultants, we also create opportunities for our clients to achieve more with the right teams. And this in turn, positively impacts the communities we serve and shapes the future.