At Grands Moulins de Paris, there are over 200 different professions. Because milling can be perceived as a very male-dominated field, we turn the spotlight on jobs held by women, with a first portrait of a passionate and determined woman: Laëtitia Boutron, line operator at Briare.
I worked for Sofria for 15 years, before it was taken over by Grands Moulins de Paris, which I joined 10 years ago. On November 1, 2023, I'll have been working at the Briare site for 25 years. In fact, I was awarded a médaille du travail for my 20 years with the company.
Over the years, my job and my missions have changed.
What position do you currently hold?
For several years now, I've been a product line operator, supervising the smooth running of my packaging line. My role is to start up the machines, monitor operations and provide first-level maintenance, such as for Francine preparations and flours, as well as flours for artisan bakeries and other markets. It's a job I've been passionate about for all these years.
What do you love about your job?
Today, I'm in a job with a variety of tasks, and there's no redundancy since I change lines very regularly. Another thing I really like is that, for several years now, I've been training men and women to become line operators on the various machines. I love passing on my knowledge to people, which brings a certain recognition to my work and motivates me even more.
Did you imagine doing this job when you were young?
For several years now, I've been a product line operator, supervising the smooth running of my packaging line. My role is to start up the machines, monitor operations and provide first-level maintenance, such as for Francine preparations and flours, as well as flours for artisan bakeries and other markets. It's a job I've been passionate about for all these years.
How did you get to where you are today?
At the Briare site, there are many opportunities for career development. I started my career as a Line Operator. I then became a Francine line operator on the cartoner, a machine that loads products into cartons and bags. Then I became a Line Manager on the bagging machine, in particular for 2.5kg (Francine) and 5kg to 20kg packs (flour for bakers).
And now I'm a Line Manager for several lines, from product manufacture to packaging.
In addition to the job changes, I've had the chance to develop my skills. Training people has boosted my self-confidence. Recently, I've been trained on the yeast line, which requires greater precision since we work with small sachets (baker's yeast, etc.).
I think that employees have their own opportunities for development, so you have to be able to seize opportunities and learn to communicate with your managers. For my part, I'm planning to get my CACES* so that I can be even more autonomous and replace certain colleagues if need be.
*"The CACES, or Certificat d'Aptitude à la Conduite en Sécurité, is a kind of driving license which, once obtained, authorizes the driver to operate construction equipment such as auxiliary cranes, forklift trucks and aerial work platforms. It not only certifies the driver's ability to operate self-propelled mobile and lifting equipment, but also reduces the risk of workplace accidents associated with the use of such equipment". (Source : Gojob)
Do you see any disparities between men and women in these positions?
Obviously, it's easier for men to get jobs as line operators than for women, who are limited to carrying heavy loads of up to 15 kg during bagging. Nevertheless, at the Briare site, we pay particular attention to offering women opportunities in these professions.
This year Grands Moulins de Paris scored 99/100 on the gender equality index. Did you know?
I had no idea that the equality index was so high at GMP. It's a very good score, and I hope we'll be reaching 100% soon! At the Briare site, in any case, I can testify that management values gender equality. And I think that everyone has a role to play in bringing about change!
What would you say to a potential recruit to convince her to apply?
This profession is still considered masculine, but this is not the case, since women can work just like men. Which is very rewarding! Women and men are treated equally, and we all have the same opportunities for advancement.
You just have to be prepared to work different shifts, from early mornings to late evenings.
To conclude, what are the 3 values that define Grands Moulins de Paris?
Sharing, caring and know-how.
