Briac Tanguy, Jordan Lauer, and Maxime Pineau are three second-year students studyinggeneral engineeringat theAngers campus, recruited as "health liaison students." They wanted to make themselves available to others and listen to their classmates.
Listening and empathy, sought-after qualities
In conjunction with the SUMPPS (University Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion Service) atthe University of Angers, student health representatives received a week of training on topics such as sexuality, sleep, nutrition, hearing, alcohol, drugs, and vaccination. This training equips them with the skills to identify risky behavior and act as a link to the relevant authorities . "The student health representatives take their role seriously and to heart. They are proactive and will soon be organizing initiatives on the Angers campus, such as the "Moi(s) sans tabac" (Smoke-Free Month) campaign, which will take place in November. It's a way for them to put their skills and qualities to use in a very professional manner," say Christian Delaunay, Emmanuelle Gilles, and Manuella Robin, student health liaison advisors , in unison .
Being a health liaison student is a practical experience that complements our engineering training.
Skills at the heart of the engineering profession
Briac and Maxime are aware that being recruited as student health representatives is a real bonus in their careers. "This experience allows us to develop many skills that are valuable in a professional context. These skills may be specifically related to the field of health or more broadly to communication and organization. It's a real-world experience that complements our engineering training." Interpersonal skills are also very important, as student health advocates must listen to and understand their peers' difficulties while ensuring that they do not take the place of professionals. "Students can come and see us, and we will always be there to try to find solutions together or to refer them to the appropriate people," says Briac Tanguy. "Beyond listening, our role is also to raise awareness among students about the various risks associated with excess, " adds Jordan Lauer. These are skills and qualities that are sought after in engineers, particularly in the context of team management in a corporate setting.
For Briac Tanguy, "this experience as a student health liaison has reinforced my career plans, which are to continue my studies in the medical field by studying biomechanics, a field that bridges engineering and biomedicine. This experience, which I gained alongside mygeneral engineering training, has been very enriching and has opened my eyes to the next stage of my career!"
