Finding the Right Flow with Arnaud Ludig

Tell us a little bit about your professional background?

I did my engineering training in France and have been in Canada since 2015. I’ve always worked in the field of systems and safety engineering—I started in nuclear, then moved to power, and have been in rail and transit for the past seven years. Five years ago I started at AtkinsRéalis as a specialist, and have had the opportunity to increase my scope of work and move on in the company.

What inspired you to become an engineer?

The original reason was my wish to be part of major projects that create big added value for the public over time. I’m very passionate about project engineering. Working on these massive projects also means I have an exciting opportunity to work with a lot of people. My average week tends to involve at least 10 different groups within our organization.

When I joined AtkinsRéalis , I was living in Toronto on Eglington Avenue near Yonge Street, so it was very exciting for me to become part of a project that is changing the overall landscape of the city and happening right in my neighbourhood. I really felt that this was my city, my neighbourhood, my project…it feels good to be part of such positive change.

What is the coolest thing you are working on?

We are putting the operations together for Eglington Crosstown now, so the project is transitioning from a raw civil systems project to a living thing. Our team supports the operations and works with the processes to make sure we can safely and reliably bring that system to life. Steadily, we are ramping up and accompanying the project team, demonstrating that things work and providing assurance to the clients and stakeholders that we can move to the next milestone. Lately, the team is really in an operational environment—being part of daily call, being aware that there’s an issue in the morning and, by the afternoon, working with the other teams to resolve the problem. We might not be the lead on all of them, but it’s exciting being part of the immediate solution. It’s an extremely rewarding aspect of the job. 

What do you think has had the biggest impact on your career development to date?

It’s the fact that I’ve grown as a person thanks to mentorship and always being surrounded by a diverse and expert team at AtkinsRéalis . My career development has really been a step by step process where I’ve always been guided by good people. I know that over the next years there will be more opportunities to grow and also opportunities to be rewarded for that growth.   

What is the best advice you were ever given. Who was it from?

On the project side, the best advice I ever got was when I was working in Ottawa for a small company. The boss would always say, “No pressure, No flow.” It’s a very engineering thing to say, but it works on many levels. I’ve learned from various leaders that to lead a team well you need to apply some pressure, while at the same time ensuring that there is flow so things don’t become turbulent. It’s a metaphor for life, really.

What is your favourite quote and why?

“Accept people for who they are, not who you want them to be.”

That came from a World War II camp survivor who visited my high school. The power of his speech and the reasons behind why he so strongly believed those words stuck in my mind. It is applicable to everything in life—from respecting the diversity of all people, to being a successful leader who sees and empowers people for who they are instead of trying to change them to fit a more convenient mould.

Tell us one fun fact about yourself.

When I moved to Toronto, I became a board member for the Centres d’Accueil Héritage, an organization that provides housing and many other services for francophone seniors in French. I like to be involved in my community doing volunteer work. I think it allows you to be open and meet people you may not otherwise have met. It’s helped me grow as a person. I just moved recently, and I’m definitely looking forward to getting involved in my new community.