Benoit Lamontagne: An instructor and a student
“I like to talk to people, share what I know and help them develop themselves," Lamontagne said.
When Benoit Lamontagne is confronted with a quandary, he finds solace in writing lists. Following a particularly stressful work meeting in 2018, Lamontagne returned to his office, deliberately searched for a blank sheet of paper and began listing his top priorities. Caring for his mother who suffers from a chronic health condition, and participating in sports like tennis occupied the highest spots. His job, which he felt wasn’t teaching him as much as it once had, couldn’t even crack the top five.
“I remembered how much I love to learn,” Lamontagne said. “I have to be constantly learning and since that wasn’t happening at work, I needed to remove it from my life.”
So after working for 13 years in the aerospace field of avionics product development, Lamontagne, an electrical engineer and a member of the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ) and the Chartered Administrators of Québec (C.Adm.), felt compelled to soar in a new direction.
Rerouting to a new destination
Lamontagne vowed never again to work as an employee. He concluded that the best way to spark new learning opportunities would be to launch his own business. So, on a Friday in October 2018, shortly after this realization, Lamontagne left his job with a plan in mind but without having anything lined up for Monday.
“I thought to myself, ‘I have all this expertise in project management; why shouldn't I share that with others?’” Lamontagne said.
For the last five years, Lamontagne has succeeded in doing just that. As a self-employed management consultant and trainer, specializing in project management, continuous improvement and leading organizational transformation, Lamontagne now conducts more than 300 hours of teaching annually, some of which are spent with students at Concordia Continuing Education.
“I like to talk to people, share what I know and help them develop themselves,” Lamontagne said.
During his workshops at Concordia Continuing Education, Lamontagne fosters a collaborative environment, encouraging participatory discussion, which he believes allows students to best absorb the material.
“The goal is to have them leave with something tangible that they can apply to daily life,” Lamontagne said. “When I’m giving trainings, I want people to learn and also have fun.”
His outgoing personality in the classroom carries over into his personal life. He swims at least three times a week, plays tennis and video games, and spends a lot of time with his family.
While he enjoys his time away from the classroom, he never strays too far from it. In 2021, he earned his master’s in business administration (MBA) from HEC Montreal, marking another milestone in his pursuit of lifelong learning.
“You learn a lot through school, during your first job, but then it stops,” Lamontagne said. “I wasn’t learning anymore in my 30s until I made the choice to pivot at 37. Once I stop learning, I’ll probably want to do something else.”
To register for Lamontagne's upcoming workshop, "Integrated Project Management," click here.