truck loader

system engineer

driver

software engineer

senior software engineer

ALSTOM

A typical day at Alstom revolved around structured yet dynamic electrical testing processes. Mornings often began with reviewing test plans per IEC/EN standards, followed by hands-on validation of traction systems using tools like MATLAB, LabVIEW, and thermal cameras. Cross-functional coordination with design and safety teams ensured alignment on failure mitigation. Post-lunch involved data analysis, report generation, and Kaizen meetings to refine processes.

The most valuable lessons came from bridging theory and real-world constraints. I mastered:

Failure Mode Anticipation: Proactively identifying risks (e.g., capacitor degradation) through HIRA methodologies.

Standards Implementation: Translating abstract clauses (like EN 50328) into actionable test protocols.

Stakeholder Diplomacy: Aligning R&D, suppliers, and certifiers on technical compromises.

Management fostered accountability through clear KPIs (e.g., 30% field failure reduction targets) but allowed autonomy in problem-solving. Leaders were accessible, though occasional bureaucracy slowed innovation. The workplace culture thrived on collective ownership—engineers freely shared insights, and successes like our patented insulation solution were celebrated team-wide.

The hardest aspect was balancing aggressive deadlines with safety-critical precision. For instance, compressing 4-week test cycles for Mumbai Metro required meticulous risk concessions (e.g., reduced sample sizes pre-approved by TÜV). Conversely, the most rewarding part was seeing tested systems operate flawlessly in revenue service—like our CBTC upgrades passing cybersecurity audits with zero non-conformities.

Alstom’s blend of technical rigor and global collaboration shaped me into a holistic engineer. The challenge of harmonizing innovation with compliance—while knowing my work directly impacted passenger safety—made every breakthrough deeply fulfilling

There is no moral. Everyone that I worked with hates the place and treatment. There union doesn't seem to have a back bone. They don't care for the workers.They treat you as a modern slave almost. too many childish rules for the worker, then for the office workers. Management looks down at the workers. HR is horrible don't trust the head Guy in there.  Can't pay there bills and vendors on a timely mater. So your always waiting for parts cause they won't bring them until they get paid. Then they complain when you are not getting things done. Then make you work overtime with no parts to get the job done Really? Who dose that? Or theirs a big rush on something that needs done ASAP and you get done and it sits there for over a week or 2 or 3. Who's Running this place? a Child? Just Feels like there something shady is going on with the upper management and with the money. Like spend $100,000. on equipment but complain if you need or missing parts. It takes weeks to get while you could of gone to the store in town to get in minutes. Organized Far from it.  There is a lot of office workers and the place still runs unorganized. You got multiple people from different countries and speck different  languages which is great and awesome, but theirs seems a lack of communication going on the line.  Some engineers have the worker figure out how to put something together and then draw plains on how the worker put it together and take the credit. Isn't that their job, and why they are getting the big bucks.  Instead riding a workers coat tails that's getting $13-16 a hour. Or better yet building subway cars without plains for the workers to go by. Really? The upper management needs to go now! This company is being run into the ground at the Hornell, N.Y. location and the town going to suffer for it.

It's hard to say what's great about Alstom without inserting a caveat almost immediately. I'll try my best to outline a bit of both the pros and cons.

There are many great employees, but the company does not have a tendency to value them. The real deadbeats who work there, seem to quickly progress through the system by utilizing their best friends to move up the ladder. Cliques within management is a problem.

Turnover is pretty high due to the facility severely undervaluing its employees and using outdated management techniques to "get the best out of their employees" such as screaming and shouting expletives when something doesn't go upper managements' way. 

You feel like family and bond close with a lot of your co-workers, but it's usually through commiserating over some uphill task that is poorly outlined and not well explained. 

Methods and Tools are very outdated which can be frustrating. You would think that this company is cash strapped and can't afford better. I worked for small logistics companies that had better IT systems in place.

Collaboration is a big part of working for Alstom and people really do work hard to function together. It was amazing when things would run like a well oiled machine. Lots of very well educated professionals who have plenty to learn and share with one another. 

Overall, the company was great for a small period of time. I couldn't spend more than a few years working for them, but the experience is invaluable.

•	Worked as HR Manager with the management and heads of department for implementing HR policies & procedures in line with core organizational objectives
•	Executed systems, metrics, processes and initiatives to build a performance driven organization (Appraisal & People Review)
•	Full implementation and working knowledge of HCM HR Modules i.e. recruitment and onboarding, performance management, L&D, succession planning, HR budgeting, Managing Payroll & benefits, Competency Mapping and gathering, storing and accessing employee information, employee self service and policy making and implementing. Supported  the HR team to maintain the local HRIS and data in ALSTOM People Service
•	Hired quality resources for business by achieving budget numbers by adhering to TAT
•	Developed and implemented policies for effective management of available human resources and development of human capital across the organization
•	Coordinated with Senior & Middle Management to ensure efficient local implementation (coordination, compliance) on global mobility and delegation for employees based at various sites across globe; applied the respective policies (LTAP, STAP & IFAP)
•	Completed people management processes (objective setting, development and improvement planning, know-how assessment, performance management & succession planning), supported management and employees in the implementation of the ALSTOM People Management cycle

I was head hunted by from my indeed profile to work for this company. I had an interview, was told all these wonderful things, what they had to offer about their Vallejo facility and that I would be in a 6 month probation as a temporary employee before being hired on as permanent. I was told about all the benefits I would get after 6 months and the starting pay was excellent. After being hired it ended up being a temp to hire contract where I was working for a temp agency not Alstom themselves. Turns out there are people there who have been temps for years and have never been hired on permanently. Two months after leaving a company I had been with for 9 years I was let go because, this what I was exactly told, I was too much of a perfectionist, I wasn’t as fast as the older guys who work there and that they had a slow down in materials being delivered. 
How can I be as fast I was still learning the processes of the job. It’s a fast paced job and every couple of weeks we were moving to the next process and this was new to me so I was needing to be trained. The people I charge of ordering materials don’t order them by date needed but by part number numerically, so that means parts will be in collecting dust that aren’t needed yet while the current parts that are needed are in back order, which slows down production and gives them the opportunity to let the workforce go to save on production cost.

Alstom is a company focusing on result and somehow care about people. Working there was very interesting because I had the full power to take decision and change the organization of my department. With my team we create a new culture in the way to manage worldwide the general expenses and capital investment expenses, which leads to huge savings to the company. It was hard to change the culture of the company but with the support of the CEO we achieved the target.
The difficult part of the job was to convince all the headquarter where all the vice-presidents were located that we must change the culture of spends, they were all thinking that as soon as they had a budget, they were allowed to use it as they want, my goal was to show them that even if the budget was accepted, they had to spend it wisely as a good father. So with the same budget we could buy more or buy what was budgeted but by spending less, Out of a budget of 1.1 billion of euros, we could achieve a saving of 11% (121 millions of euros).
The most enjoyable part of the job was the recognition of the change engaged and results could be seen by all stakeholders, and the biggest recognition was to see people trying to integrate my department which when I arrived was considered as the department where the company was putting all those no one wants in his department.

	Responsible for the planning & execution of the projects.
	Arrange coordination & communications with the subcontractors (kick off meetings, progress meetings, 
	Arrange coordination & communications with the suppliers (receive and evaluate quotations, finalize the best techno/commercial suppliers).
	Supervise the progress of suppliers and delivery deadlines.
	Supervise the projects progress, monitor site activities and coordinate with site staff.
	Fulfill the site requirements.
	Prepare monthly projects progress reports, 
	Responsible for completion of the projects & quality issues as per the planned profits and deadlines.
	Arrange invoicing and collection of payments from customers.
	Evaluate the project management tool requirements for projects and identify industry standard tools that best fit work’s needs. 
	Recommending and Selecting required materials (Software / Hardware) that comply with works environment through dealing with market companies from negotiating pricing selecting required models and work arrangements.
	Preparing Health Life and Safety procedures and training programs, providing necessary safety equipments & tools for this purpose.
	Hiring, interviewing, appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees.
 
________________________________________

What is the best part of working at the company?
They use the bully tactic to get workers to be nervous of certain people and don’t really train you. They just mock and intimidate you if don’t do something fast enough without proper training and they’re extremely disorganized. Orders are missing parts regularly. It seems everything that goes wrong on there always becomes someone else’s fault and they will blame the “new” guys 1st if they can spin a story. Terrible place to work but the interview and 1st week they give a very warm impression. Most of them anyway.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The absolute disrespect and being treated like I should be afraid to speak out of turn or think at all for that matter. Even though I have a great deal of experience and treat people much kinder.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Pretend to be busy when there’s nothing to do and don’t speak to anyone unless you have a very detailed reason to do so. You will be mocked often.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Trying to find something to do and avoid being harassed or frustrated. Every morning I woke up for work I dreaded the idea of walking through that door and dealing with those people.

What is the best part of working at the company?
What we Build ,Automated People Movers, all the transport cars in the airport. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The amount of work EVERY group tries to throw at everyone. The most overloaded I have ever been, anywhere I have worked. Extremely process heavy, Alstom loves to populate spreadsheets with generic information that really has not value from a day to day standpoint. It effects production output SEVERELY and add completely unnecessary stress!

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Culture is, do your job, work all day, come in on off days, take your paycheck, you are just a number. No fun, morale is bad. They spend money on everything else other than employees. 4% bonus is something but essentially an extra paycheck, nothing you can really do anything with....

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Stressful, barely enough time to eat lunch without someone asking you something that they should be able to take care of on their own. Most floor level workers are completely lazy and have no skills, they will hire anyone who passes a drug test.

Sr. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER – PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
ALSTOM – ROCHESTER, NY   (Temporary Assignment)       Feb 2009 – Mar 2010
•	Developed test equipment and test specifications for Frequency Ratio and Core Loss 
characteristics of wound and unwound toroid cores. Have written Test Procedures, Test Plans and Summarized test results. I have written R-Notes to issue changes to certified documents, P-Sheets, Test Procedures, Tool Drawings, and Part Drawings.
 I have used many of the instruments in the Electronics Lab such as Oscilloscopes, Frequency Generators, Voltmeters/Frequency Counters, in the process of developing several test systems and methods. Have worked with the Voltech System Analyzer to measure Inductance, Resistance, Core Loss (Watts), and other properties of wound toroids. I have worked with 
purchasing on the outsourcing of two products; Transformers and Bonds. I have used in ALSTOM the Engineering Change Process (R-Notes), EDM Drawing Management System, P-Sheets, SAP system for Time Recording, Bill Of Materials, Purchase Ordered Materials, Inventory Materials, and developed QA Documents for use in Receiving Inspection.

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