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What do I expect from IET – Community - France & Paris.

Former Community Member over 6 years ago

Firstly who are the IET Fr MIET members?

I joined this PEI in 1980 from Grenoble. I was on substantive leave from MoD. I decided to stay for a longer period and got married here. At that time we were the first to come over with the EU agreements of that period.

There were already ex-patriot UK people with huge benefits living here, there were the UK EU adventurers with no objectives but work was abundant, there were the first student exchanges, and some had married into French families. I did not meet any UK people who simply came here to live and work at that time.

Most of us found the difference between the UK and France as difficult as between the UK and China. They just did not live, eat or drink like us.

I was advised by the first UK settlers to just join in and enjoy myself, which I did.

I first met French culture when I organised the “entente cordiale” between the Concorde R&D groups of UK RAE and French ONERA. It was unbelievable, when the opportunity to have a job and career change came, I took up nuclear engineering in France.

I returned to the UK which had drastically changed – Thatcher, strikes, riots. My name was plagiarised in my work. I had to leave the UK after my employers failed to protect me. I returned to France.

The first time every one talked of the quality of life in France, the second time it was the Iraqi wars and crisis.

So what do you need to work and survive in France now and how can the IET French Community help.

France is huge; it is not realistic to travel from SE or SW France for a meeting in Paris.

Maybe we need a newcomers guide such as most French towns give to new arrivals.

France is still totally different from the UK.

We have different categories of IET members who are at least engineering & technology related.

-Ex-patriot, UK enterprise sales & marketing staff, Erasmus students, Enterprises from the UK that have delocalised with their staff, those that have married into families, entrepreneurs and SMEs in IT technology and those that now just want to work and live in France etc.

What would you advise

Should we have a MIET arrivals’ guide

Should we have guides to French language courses

Should we have guides to CPD in France

Should we give advice on French administration

What about the dos and don’ts of French culture.

Or should we just mind our own business and keep it to ourselves?

I recommend reading : Stephen Clarke – 1000 years of annoying the French and other titles and most of his references. French English history is not as taught in schools.

Out of season hotels in France are cheap, maybe one or two visits with IET families or friends to E&T venues could be affordable.

And the French Community AGM & voting should be on line and at distance.

I’m retiring from E&T have fun in France

Give Rob McCann some help

John Gowman MIET (ex ITEME Grenobl 1980)

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0 Keith Parr over 6 years ago

I'd support pretty much all Mike has said, although I'd add that (in my view) it is the IET's interpretation / implementation of the Data Protection Act which has contributed to the problem, rather than the DPA itself. I cannot believe that the Data Protection Officer could have any problem with an LN officer maintaining a database of contact details freely given to the LN by members with the specific purpose of remaining in contact with the LN.

I suggest also that the IET's international objectives are more focused on India and China, Europe qualifies at best for a watching brief. The IET has limited resources (money, staff, volunteer time and effort, ...) and it has to use them where it believes it can have the greatest impact.

Referring to John's post:

I think that most members want:-

1.       Registration at ECUK - why? to what extent is this recognised / valued in Europe?

2.       To keep in touch with IET - why?

3.       Social networks have probably replaced IET communication - yes

4.       Do not want to go to Paris - agreed

5.       Do not want expensive gin & tonic cocktail parties 200km from home, France is a huge country - agreed

6.       To be informed of E&T events in their regions - agreed, which brings us back to Mike's post

But our President is above ordinary members, This is the real problem with UK PEIs and IET in General.

I disgree completely. I have had the pleasure of working closely with a number of IET Presidents and I can say from personal experience that those with whom I have worked cared very much about the ordinary member.

France is not Beneluxe, every country in Europe has its traditions and principles, your ideas are good but are MIETs in France interested in anything other than titles?

I'm aware of that, John. My company was French and I have been closely connected to France for the last 25 years or so, for the last six I have lived in France full time. I do not think that any member remains a member for the "titles", with the possible exception of maintaining CEng as a sort of insurance policy "in case". Such titles are not recognised in France.

My suggestions were intended to underline that the IET is not only about looking after its members, rather its raison d'être is to spread / share knowledge widely. The success of an event is not measured by how many IET members attend but by how many non-members attend and, if it's difficult to get our message across to members, it's a thousand times more of a challenge to reach non-members. Which is why collaboration with other professional bodies, educational establishments, business, and (local) government can be helpful.

Keith
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0 Keith Parr over 6 years ago

I'd support pretty much all Mike has said, although I'd add that (in my view) it is the IET's interpretation / implementation of the Data Protection Act which has contributed to the problem, rather than the DPA itself. I cannot believe that the Data Protection Officer could have any problem with an LN officer maintaining a database of contact details freely given to the LN by members with the specific purpose of remaining in contact with the LN.

I suggest also that the IET's international objectives are more focused on India and China, Europe qualifies at best for a watching brief. The IET has limited resources (money, staff, volunteer time and effort, ...) and it has to use them where it believes it can have the greatest impact.

Referring to John's post:

I think that most members want:-

1.       Registration at ECUK - why? to what extent is this recognised / valued in Europe?

2.       To keep in touch with IET - why?

3.       Social networks have probably replaced IET communication - yes

4.       Do not want to go to Paris - agreed

5.       Do not want expensive gin & tonic cocktail parties 200km from home, France is a huge country - agreed

6.       To be informed of E&T events in their regions - agreed, which brings us back to Mike's post

But our President is above ordinary members, This is the real problem with UK PEIs and IET in General.

I disgree completely. I have had the pleasure of working closely with a number of IET Presidents and I can say from personal experience that those with whom I have worked cared very much about the ordinary member.

France is not Beneluxe, every country in Europe has its traditions and principles, your ideas are good but are MIETs in France interested in anything other than titles?

I'm aware of that, John. My company was French and I have been closely connected to France for the last 25 years or so, for the last six I have lived in France full time. I do not think that any member remains a member for the "titles", with the possible exception of maintaining CEng as a sort of insurance policy "in case". Such titles are not recognised in France.

My suggestions were intended to underline that the IET is not only about looking after its members, rather its raison d'être is to spread / share knowledge widely. The success of an event is not measured by how many IET members attend but by how many non-members attend and, if it's difficult to get our message across to members, it's a thousand times more of a challenge to reach non-members. Which is why collaboration with other professional bodies, educational establishments, business, and (local) government can be helpful.

Keith
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What do I expect from IET – Community - France & Paris.

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