## 15 Open

the doors of the R&D center where I work were open. As 8 or 9 years ago, only the families could visit some of the benches and workshops. This time, it was my mother, not my wife, who could accompany me. And at 10 o'clock, the doors were opened with lots of families, including my N+2 manager. The visit began by 3D printers for prototypes and some innovation projects, only those soon showed to the Media, of course. There was a game for children, not for the elders, ah ah!

Of course, a part of the flagships of every car brand was on display....SUV, except for an Italian brand of the group. And then, some of the last concept-cars were in a workshop, the one I work next. Too bad I couldn't get into my lab. But we had access to all the type of Test Benches and Workshops I have worked into or with...Of course, my manager was there with his parents and wife, as many of my colleagues from other services. I knew most of the activities but not all. My mother was very impressed by the complexity of the cars, with internal combustion or with Batteries. She has seen the battery-packs in a way you never get to see them, and the engine of her former car with every part unmounted...my day-to-day!

9 years ago, I needed 1h30 to see every stands. This year it was 2h30 and with so many interesting things for every one. All was not perfect and sometimes, the reality is a bit more complex, but difficult to explain. And in the same time, this week is the last week of our intern : A nice guy who didn't want to work in the automotive industry. He still doesn't but at least his internship would be helpfull as an engineer with all the basis in measurements and quality. It's difficult to find people to work in the automotive industry, even with the EV transformation. It's more difficult to find people to work in Metrology. There's so much to learn in every physical domains but it's perhaps because we are all passionnate about what we do, measuring from the µm to the µA or µV or mbar. Yes, the future is open, but we are unknown.

Unknown but fot those who know our service, we are a reference... with so few ressources at the moment. Since 25 years in the automotive in the same company, It's always the same—we're short on resources and have to do so much more with so little. We have to be smart, to be agile, as they say now. And when I heard how it was in our German brand, when my company bought it, I see the differences : Engineers where we had Technicians, More people and brand new benches where we had one technician for several benches. In China too, they did like in Germany...but for the moment, they are cheaper than us. The world is changing and the Industry is not going to open more plants in Europe. But for some Research and Developments, fortunately, we haven’t been left behind in every area yet. 

I don't know how the children present in those "Open Doors" looked at our jobs and if they wanted to do "like their father/mother". I hope that they don't want to be influencers or salespeople straight out of business school, selling their hearts and souls for glory. I work in a very small site, even if my Mother have found it big (she worked in a bigger site, before). I had sometimes the impression of a family and I hope we'll keep that spirit there, which is completely different in the same company, 1km further. I'm not stupid, I know some bad managers, some toxic management too in this site. But for just one day, the reality seemed different, with more open minds.

2Dɛ
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