In Brittany, Talendi personalizes courses to promote the integration of disabled people

When Daniel Lafranche, general manager of Talendi (formerly Ateliers de Bretagne) receives visitors, they often ask him “Where are the disabled people?” » “In business, we don’t see them, in fact. They are exactly like all the other employees,” he laughs. There perfect integration of these workers with disabilities , both motor and mental, owes nothing to chance. It is the result of the long preparation process carried out by Talendi, which employs 550 people in total, including 420 disabled people.

With Pôle Emploi and Cap Emploi, the subcontractor, particularly industrial, has developed a whole process to welcome new arrivals, analyze their “natural aptitudes”, then organize a gradual increase in skills. “It is first of all a matter of remobilizing these people who often have difficult paths, of restoring their confidence in their abilities,” continues Daniel Lafranche. The final objective being of course to maintain the employability of these employees thanks to the implementation of ad hoc training in Talendi’s historical specialties, machining, cabling, or welding, but also in new sectors, digital for example.

In business, we don’t see disabled people. They are exactly like all the other employees.

Daniel Lafranche, general manager of Talendi

Thanks to this strategy, the internal school (the “Métiers” school) was awarded, in June 2019, a “Lumière” trophy which rewards innovative players in terms of the inclusion of disabled workers. In addition, Talendi has also adopted a collaborative management mode, allowing everyone to participate in improving positions, working conditions, “and the performance of its sector”, according to the manager.

Training and digital

Because even if it remains an adapted work company, the company, whose headquarters is based in Noyal-Châtillon-sur-Seiche, south of Rennes, does not forget the economic fundamentals. “Our desire is to respond to the new needs of clients, to participate in their performance, while ensuring the economic balance of our structure,” insists Daniel Lafranche.

This strategy led the company to diversify its activities. Long focused on the automobile industry, it has gradually broadened its scope to other sectors such as agricultural machinery, aeronautics and railways. She is now exploring that of mobility through the maintenance of scooters or electric bikes. Recently, Talendi even launched training (lasting eight months) in sewing, hoping to take advantage of the relocation movement in the sector. An already winning bet, the marine clothing brand Royal Sea having chosen to entrust him with volumes.

Last axis of this policy: the development of a “digital” center, specialized in reprography or the processing of dematerialized documents, such as invoices or fines for example. This strategy, “ultimately very close to that of a traditional company”, according to the manager, has enabled Talendi to achieve 15 million euros in annual turnover. “And therefore to be considered an ETI,” notes Daniel Lafranche. In France, of the 800 adapted work actors in France, only six have reached this size.