How’s your work-study program at Naval Group going? What are your responsibilities?
It’s going really well! I’m now in the second year of my digital systems engineering degree. I alternate between spending several weeks studying at SeaTech, attached to the University of Toulon, and working at Naval Group within the Systems, Equipment and Propulsion (SEP) department in Ollioules. This rhythm suits me well because it means I can focus fully on either my studies or on my training at Naval Group, where I work on integrating submarine communication systems. My tutor is a system architect and entrusts me with tasks involving multiple subsystems, such as contributing to study activities and supplier monitoring, which really helps me discover the role of technical specifiers. I work both on my own or as a pair with other employees in the department.
What led you to digital systems engineering after your career in the medical field?
I spent 13 years working as a general radiology and MRI technician and I enjoyed the technical aspects of the role. However, the repetitiveness of the work over the years and the feeling that I was no longer challenged made me realise that at 37, it was time to move on. I started reflecting about what I wanted to achieve in the next stages of my career. It was a process of introspection during which I reflected on what really interested me. I also spent a lot of time talking about careers with friends, and my partner, himself an engineer, supported me throughout. I came to the conclusion that what I absolutely needed in my work, alongside the technical dimension, was the possibility to think, investigate, find solutions. And so it seemed obvious that I should become an engineer, although I knew it wasn’t going to be easy! I enquired about possible training in Toulon and contacted the SeaTech school. I knew I had a lot of ground to make up, so – completely independently – I immersed myself in the entire upper secondary school maths curriculum. I also took online courses in several engineering disciplines, including programming, electronics and networks. When SeaTech saw how determined I was, they accepted my application to study digital systems engineering via the work-study programme and I began in September 2023.
Why did you choose Naval Group for your work-study company and what do you like about your new job?
Being from Toulon myself, I was of course familiar with Naval Group as the company is part of our local heritage! I had friends working here and I had a good general idea of what Naval Group does, but also of its friendly corporate culture, an important aspect for me at this stage of my career. I felt very welcome! What I particularly enjoy is the teamwork and the diverse topics I’ll work on in any given day, but I also love that I’m constantly thinking, questioning and learning. In the end, the most difficult thing about my career change wasn’t doing it, but believing it was possible; I just had to fight that little voice in my head telling me I’d never succeed. The funny thing is that when I’m working on communication systems, although it’s a completely different profession, I come across physical phenomena such as radiation and problems related to wave propagation – concepts that are very familiar to me.