Guillaume Matéo, an engineer at MBDA, completed the AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE PROJECT MANAGER postgraduate diploma (BAC+6) in 2022-2023. Read his testimonial and advice.
Can you introduce yourself?
I am Guillaume MATEOI work at MBDA which is a European missile manufacturer. Within this company, I am a software designer and integrator for military equipment, in this case a firing sequencer.
What are your responsibilities?
As a software designer and integrator, we receive requirements from the systems engineering department. The goal is to develop and implement the software in accordance with these requirements. We then conduct tests on the platform to ensure that the software will work properly with the hardware.
Which master's degree did you pursue? And why did you choose that one?
I completed the Specialized Master's Degree Aeronautical and Space Project Manager at the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Bordeaux, class of 2022-2023. Both because I think ENSAM is a historic school. It's a school that is well placed to understand industrial issues, which is partly why I wanted to do this Specialized Master's degree at this school. I wanted to take a step back and get an overview of how the aerospace industry is structured.
What did this six-year degree bring you?
I believe that this Specialized Master's degree has been useful to me because it allows me to acquire dual managerial skills, in addition to the technical knowledge that I also acquire through my engineering studies. It also allows me to develop my soft skills and address certain issues that are only touched upon briefly in engineering school. I'm referring to management, but also to finance and supply chain. We also have the opportunity to learn a little more about the architecture and structure of different aircraft, which really gives us a diverse range of skills.
What is your best memory?
My best memory was the feasibility study and design of an electric VTOL that was to carry out taxi and freight missions. It was a six-month project that followed you throughout the theoretical part. As I wanted to step outside my comfort zone, I decided to be project manager with another of my colleagues. We managed a team of ten people for Airbus, which was the end customer.
Why do you recommend this training?
So I would recommend this program both because I believe that, historically speaking, Arts et Métiers is a school that is well positioned to understand industrial issues, and because it allows students to develop soft skills in addition to the hard skills they acquire in the engineering program. It also allows them to gain responsibility and better prepare for their professional lives.
What advice would you give to future MS ASPM students?
I would say that you need to be curious, passionate about aeronautics, really want to work in this field, be willing to step outside your comfort zone, and take on responsibilities, for example through the main project during the internship. But you have to enjoy stepping outside your comfort zone and putting yourself in challenging situations.
If you had to sum up your year in one word?
So, in a word, I would say "challenging" because you learn things that you don't see in depth in engineering school. It allows you to tackle new aspects such as the supply chain, finance, and management, because learning to manage a team is not necessarily easy, especially when it's new.
