1. How did you start at SPIE?
Claire Vanheeghe : I had the opportunity to do an internship at SPIE Trindel when I was doing
postgraduate advanced industrial studies at a Pierre et Marie Curie university, after graduating in
electrical engineering. The internship gave me a really close-up view of the work of a business manager
and to have an initial experience of working at SPIE, a company that puts faith in its employees.
Once I had completed my studies, I got back in touch with SPIE and was offered a position in a SPIE
office in Eastern France. I was 24 years old and I had no fears of leaving the Paris region. So I started
working at SPIE, directly as a business manager in electricity for customers in the steel and
chemicals industries. I had everything to learn and it could sometimes be very complicated,
but my line manager saw how motivated I was and took the time to teach me the profession.
How did your career develop after that?
C.V.: Although I really enjoyed my work as a business manager, the area of new projects that I was
dealing with didn’t really suit my temperament because it involved working on a large number of
small short-term projects. So I wanted to switch to maintenance. Although it wasn’t my sector, my
managers decided to give me my chance. So in 2002, I left the operational team and became head
of the Maintenance Development department at the same office in in Eastern France. I recruited
and managed a team of four methods technicians. I learned a lot over a period of seven years, at
the same time as having two children.
How have you balanced motherhood with working as a manager?
C.V.: I could do it because when I returned from maternity leave, I got my old job back and my
husband was there to support me. I’ve been successful through sharing tasks, enabling both of us
to develop in our careers. At SPIE, I have always been fortunate enough to enjoy the support of
mentors who have believed in me and helped to train me constantly. In the frame of our gender
diversity network So’SPIE ladies, I now give up time to meeting girls and talking to them about
technical careers through my involvement in the local branch of an association called “Elles
bougent”. Women have just as much to bring to a team as men – their contributions complement
each other. Meanwhile, I have recently decided to move on to the next stage of my journey within
the Group by joining the new subsidiary, SPIE Facilities, which brings together our activities in
building maintenance and Facilities Management.
Claire Vanheeghe is Maintenance Development manager in SPIE Est. In her 20-year career,
this electrical engineer from an academic background has successfully balanced her professional
development with her personal life.
Find more about our job offers on www.spie-job.com/en
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WITHOURSO’SPIEPEOPLE
“SPIE has always
given me opportunities
to develop.”
