We Are Randox | De Bordeaux à Belfast…Anthony Borsato passe 15 semaines en Irlande du Nord!

As a global diagnostics company, with distributions and offices in 145 countries across the globe, Randox has plenty to offer students who are interested in understanding how an international organisation operates. Whether you are a placement student or a graduate you will be sure to gain great experiences, make new lifelong friends and broaden your employability skill set for the future.

Anthony Borsato, a French placement student currently working in the Finance Department here at Randox, told us about his experience living and working in Northern Ireland. Following his 15 week placement, today is Anthony’s last day and we are interested to hear what he has learnt from his time spent in our global organisation.

“I arrived in Crumlin at the end of July having travelled over from Bordeaux which is in southwestern France. I am studying continuous improvement engineering at Cesi School of Engineering, and as part of the apprenticeship programme I have to undertake a 15 week placement in an English country to help not only improve my English but to gain an international experience working abroad.”

After hearing good reviews from a previous placement student Anthony decided to come to Randox

“Last year another placement student who was on the same course as me came here. So I thought it would be a good idea to meet up with her to hear how she got on, find out what she did during her placement and hear more about Northern Ireland. She was extremely positive about Randox and really recommended coming over. I was reassured when she explained how much consideration Randox put into placements for international students – my mentor would speak French and be able to help with any issue to do with my placement. She also said that the people I’d be working with were very friendly and helpful. Knowing this made me feel much more comfortable about the move and I could see why she had been able to enjoy her time with the company. All in all, the feedback she gave me was really encouraging so that’s what enticed me to come.”

Anthony went on to discuss what his placement involved and how he enjoys having a varied range of tasks to complete each day.

“I like being challenged and learning new things on a daily basis. My responsibilities include updating the software with any new records and checking financial records and any recent transactions.”

Anthony’s team leader quickly identified his ability to develop strong customer relations and his bi-lingual talent was particularly useful with customers who speak French.

“As a global business there are many customers who speak languages other than English so being able to converse in another language is a real advantage in every department here. I was able to work on a number of occasions with our French customers and help to resolve any issues they had. When I go back to France I will have to conduct a presentation on what I did during my placement with Randox so I will have a lot to talk about.”

Anthony continued to tell us what he’s done during his free time and what he will miss the most when he returns home.

“I live in Belfast with six other people, my roommates are from Spain, Poland and even India so I have made some good friends from different nationalities. There is a good atmosphere here and there is a lot to do. I enjoy seeing the sights and experiencing all that the Belfast nightlife has to offer. I brought my own car over when I travelled across France from Bordeaux to Cherbourg. From Cherbourg I got the ferry which docked in Rosslare and I travelled up from there. It was an 18 hour journey but it was worth it as I wanted to be able to travel around Northern Ireland and see as much as I could. At first it was a little tricky getting used to driving on the other side of the road but now I’m used to it. When I go back home I will have to remember to drive on the right hand side again.”

“I live near Queen’s University which is a beautiful historical building that is a must see -especially at night. I also experienced my first traditional Irish fry which was very tasty. During my holidays in August I took a trip to the North Coast and the Giant’s Causeway which was great. I have also explored Derry, Sligo and Donegal, visited friends in Omagh and Enniskillen and took a day trip to discover the Mourne Mountains. I even spent a weekend in Dublin so I have managed to squeeze in a good bit of sightseeing since being here.”

“I have made some good lifelong friends during my time at Randox. So I think that is what I will miss the most when I leave along with the great work atmosphere. Randox is a fast paced environment and you are able to meet a range of people, not just those who work in the same department as you. I learnt a lot from my co-workers who were very welcoming from the moment I started. They taught me the phrase “on it like a car bonnet” which I will be introducing my family to when I return to France! In the future I hope to be able to come back and visit the friends I’ve made here and discover more of Northern Ireland.”

We’ve thoroughly enjoyed having Anthony as part of our team during 2016 and wish him the best for the future.  

Au Revoir Anthony.

A la prochaine!

If you are interested in working with a global company and completing your placement with Randox make sure that you check out our careers website for all our current opportunities.

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