Guillaume Nivet has been working at Trimble since 2014: this engineer is now thriving as an onboarding manager. Meet a passionate man who's not afraid to wear many hats.
At the age of 38, Guillaume Nivet already has a wealth of experience behind him: a graduate of Icam, a general engineering school, he was hired immediately after completing his training by one of France's construction majors. After a year as a civil engineering works supervisor with the company, he joined one of its subsidiaries, specializing in concrete prefabrication, as a project manager. " I joined this entity to be able to monitor projects, quantities and production for 6 years", he explains.
It was an exciting adventure, but one that made this young father want a change of scene. "After 7 years with the same company, I wanted a new challenge. So I applied for a job at Trimble as a trainer and support, and I was hired," Guillaume recounts.
"I found values at Trimble that were close to my heart"
The engineer's choice may come as a surprise, as he was unfamiliar with Trimble software. " I come from Brittany," explains this Parisian by adoption. "I was most familiar with Trimble in the agricultural sector. In the construction sector, I only knew SketchUp as a Trimble solution."
But this didn't stop him from becoming a trainer for Tekla Structures software. "Trimble's proposal matched my desire perfectly: to take on a new challenge by changing fields and discovering a new universe in a promising sector. What's more, at Trimble I rediscovered the values I hold dear: being yourself, and being able to collaborate with other teams."
After a few years, and having contributed his expertise to the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project, which uses Trimble solutions in England, Guillaume Nivet became onboarding manager: a new stage in his career.
A permanent link with customers and teams alike
What does an onboarding manager do ?i have two missions," Guillaume explains. "The first is to guide new customers into the Trimble world. When you bring a new solution into a company, the process is sometimes vague and mysterious. We're there to make sure that everything goes smoothly and that the customer becomes autonomous as quickly as possible. That way, they can use our products efficiently, in a short space of time."
And the second mission? "As a manager, I have to support my teams. I help to ensure that employees are never stuck. I always try to bring a bit of good humor, so that everyone feels fulfilled and everything runs smoothly", he sums up.
Guillaume Nivet enjoys juggling these two roles. For him, the key to a good working relationship, but also to effective problem-solving, is listening. "We've been in our customers' shoes. We know their problems and we can help them find solutions. For us, the most important step is to listen to them so we can help them achieve the goals they want to reach."
"The devil is in the details
For Guillaume, it's clear that "digital transformation is a turning point in the construction industry". But the enthusiasm and curiosity associated with this technological revolution must not lead companies to rush into action. " They're going to have to review all their processes to integrate all the new tools into every stage of building a new project," he explains.
"The main challenge will be to improve communication between the various players involved in a project. A change in one player inevitably leads to changes in others. How do we get this information across? "The devil is in the detail', and everything has its importance, especially in the construction industry."
This is where the onboarding manager and his team come in. "It's very important to support the company in its choices. Thinking things through, getting the right advice, taking the time to learn about the software and working with experts, as we are, means you can effectively integrate the right solutions into your business," Guillaume sums up.
Developments that make you curious
Passionate about his job, Guillaume sums up his mission in three words: ingenuity, curiosity and pride. "What I like is to be part of something concrete: we start with an architect's idea, put down on paper, and then all the players in the building industry get organized to make sure that this idea comes out of the ground, in front of us."
He is also convinced that connected construction will play an increasingly important role in this process. "My advice is to stay curious! The construction industry is evolving enormously, with new tools coming out, new ways of designing and sharing information. It's essential to stay informed, to see what's new, and to implement it within the company whenever possible". And the onboarding manager is never far away to lend a hand..
Find out more:
- Watch Guillaume's video interview
- Discover Trimble solutions
