Hugo Virchien, industrial engineering engineer, class of 2012
Since high school, Hugo Virchien had aimed to attend an engineering school in order to pursue careers requiring both technical and management skills.
"After earning a technical degree in mechanical and production engineering, which gave me a solid foundation, I wanted to broaden my education to include industrial engineering as a whole. The industrial engineering program offered by Arts et Métiers for my career plans."
A lasting commitment to the company
There were several reasons for choosing an apprenticeship program: "The opportunity to truly integrate into a company, the chance to get involved in longer-term projects that gave me more responsibility, and the professional opportunities that this first experience would open up." Hugo Virchien completed his work-study program within the same aerospace group, but in two different divisions. "This allowed me to understand how the company's operational excellence strategy was implemented in two distinct contexts."
Rigorousness and autonomy
For Hugo Virchien, apprenticeships offer many advantages for developing technical and interpersonal skills: "First and foremost, they require rigor, independence, and a sustained pace throughout the three years. You have to be aware that these years are demanding. This type of training is now widely recognized and increasingly sought after by companies. Engineering apprentices leave school with an engineering degree and at least a year and a half of experience: that's a huge advantage!"
