A Little Opera After Work
Isabelle Acteon lives in France but works in Switzerland. Her
search for a temping job took the 37-year-old to Le Brassus in the
Vallée de Joux, which is known as "Watch Valley" due to the
large number of watchmakers based there. She has been employed at
the Baudat print shop for eleven years and is primarily responsible
for quality control. She enjoys reading in her spare time and is
also a huge opera fan.
You commute daily between France and Switzerland. Do you spend a great deal of time in the car?
No, not at all. If I cross the border at Valor, it's only 27 kilometers from my home to work. My morning commute takes no more than 30 minutes.
How has a Frenchwoman ended up working in Switzerland?
That came about by sheer chance. When I graduated, there weren't many jobs in the legal profession in France.
I could have waited for the situation to improve, but I didn't want to and instead widened my search to other sectors. Swiss salaries are very good so I also looked for work there and got a job at Baudat. I've been here ever since.
What does your job involve?
I spend most of my time in postpress, where I'm responsible for quality control, packaging and shipping. I also help out in prepress with the production of our advertiser entitled "Feuille D'Avis de la Vallée de Joux." If Ms. -Baudat is short of time, I take care of the proofreading. I also do the typesetting.
As a law graduate, don't you sometimes feel the job isn't enough of a challenge?
No, not at all. It's very challenging and I have a great deal of responsibility. The quality of my work has a direct impact on the impression the print shop makes and thus on customer satisfaction.
What do you particularly like about your job?
The combination of physically and mentally challenging work and the variety provided by the many different activities.
What do you do in your spare time?
I like reading but my favorite pastime is going to the opera - in Geneva, Lausanne and all over France. If there's a good production on, I always try to go.
If you were granted one wish, what would it be?
I would love to be a good singer.
You commute daily between France and Switzerland. Do you spend a great deal of time in the car?
No, not at all. If I cross the border at Valor, it's only 27 kilometers from my home to work. My morning commute takes no more than 30 minutes.
How has a Frenchwoman ended up working in Switzerland?
That came about by sheer chance. When I graduated, there weren't many jobs in the legal profession in France.
I could have waited for the situation to improve, but I didn't want to and instead widened my search to other sectors. Swiss salaries are very good so I also looked for work there and got a job at Baudat. I've been here ever since.
What does your job involve?
I spend most of my time in postpress, where I'm responsible for quality control, packaging and shipping. I also help out in prepress with the production of our advertiser entitled "Feuille D'Avis de la Vallée de Joux." If Ms. -Baudat is short of time, I take care of the proofreading. I also do the typesetting.
As a law graduate, don't you sometimes feel the job isn't enough of a challenge?
No, not at all. It's very challenging and I have a great deal of responsibility. The quality of my work has a direct impact on the impression the print shop makes and thus on customer satisfaction.
What do you particularly like about your job?
The combination of physically and mentally challenging work and the variety provided by the many different activities.
What do you do in your spare time?
I like reading but my favorite pastime is going to the opera - in Geneva, Lausanne and all over France. If there's a good production on, I always try to go.
If you were granted one wish, what would it be?
I would love to be a good singer.
Heidelberg News
Issue 271 of Heidelberg News is available now. Copies free of charge can be requested by e-mail or fax, +49 (0)6221 92 50 42. Order Online
