1.4 Onboarding & The "Stagiaire" (Internship) Protocol

1.4.1 The Stagiaire Program

The entry point for junior talent is the Stagiaire (Internship)Intern) Protocoldesignation, a strict 3-month fixed-term engagement. This period is not an observational role; it is an operational stress test.

The Conversion Gate: Improvement Project

Conversion from Stagiaire to Full-Time Employee (FTE) is not automatic; it is earned through the successful delivery of a Capstone Improvement Project.

• Requirement: The Stagiaire must identify a specific gap in the Dannie Handbook or a physical inefficiency on the factory floor and implement a measurable solution.
• Validation: A presentation of the "Before" and "After" states is required at the end of Month 3.
• Outcome: If the project fails to demonstrate value or understanding of the system, the contract terminates without renewal.

1.4.2 Mentorship Architecture: Buddy vs. Mentor

To prevent resource dilution and role confusion, support for new hires is bifurcated into two distinct roles.

The Buddy (Cultural Guide)

• Role: A peer assigned to navigate the "unwritten" logistics (e.g., software access, expenses, slack etiquette, coffee machine protocols).
• Duration: Intensive support for the first 30 days.
• Selection: Typically a peer of similar rank, strictly distinct from the direct manager to allow for "safe" questions.

The Mentor (Technical Guide)

• Role: A senior engineer responsible for technical calibration, code reviews, and career trajectory mapping.
• Duration: Long-term engagement starting from Day 1.
• Mandate: The Mentor is accountable for the Stagiaire's technical output quality during the trial period.

1.4.3 The Trial Period (Probation)

For direct Full-Time hires, the first 90 days constitute a probationary period governed by a 30/60/90 Day Plan. Performance is measured against explicit output gates, not hours worked.

The Deployment Schedule

• Days 0-30 (Absorption): Focus is on information intake. The hire must read the Handbook, set up the environment, and complete the "First Ticket" (a minor, pre-defined task) without breaking the build.
• Days 31-60 (Contribution): Focus shifts to execution. The hire must pick up standard tickets from the backlog and execute them with decreasing guidance from the Mentor.
• Days 61-90 (Autonomy): Focus is on independent ownership. The hire must lead a small feature or process improvement from initiation to deployment.

"Fail Fast, Fail Friendly" Policy

The probation period serves as a bi-directional filter. If cultural or technical misalignment is detected, the engagement must be terminated immediately rather than prolonged to the 90-day mark.

• The Stagiaire45-Day Program:Check:
   A mandatory "Go/No-Go" review occurs at Day 45. If the trajectory is below the "Level 2" competency line, the offboarding process is initiated.
  • StructurePhilosophy: Early termination is not a punishment; it is a correction of a hiring error. It preserves the candidate's time and the team's momentum.

  Final Checklist

  Onboarding Domain	Operational Mandate
  Stagiaire Duration	Fixed 3-month fixed-termterm; internship. Theno Conversionautomatic Gate: To graduaterollover to full-time,time.
  Hiring Gate	Conversion requires a Stagiaire must complete a specificcompleted "Improvement Project" that measurably fixes a problem in the handbookHandbook or factoryprocess floor.gap.
  Mentorship:Support Roles	Assigning aA "Buddy" (cultural guide)Peer/Logistics) and a "Mentor" (technicalSenior/Technical) guide)must distinctbe fromassigned thebefore manager.Day 1.
  TheProbation Trial Period (Probation):Plan Explicit	30/60/90-day deliverables. "Faildeliverables Fast,must Failbe Friendly":written Earlyand exitsigned protocolsoff ifby the culturalManager fiton isn'tDay right,1.
  Fail ensuringFast fairnessProtocol	A tomandatory both"Go/No-Go" parties.review is executed at Day 45; misalignment triggers immediate separation.