The Mixed Energy challenge, which aims to introduce young girls to careers in industry, was open to all establishments of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Corsica Academy. It is supported by the Campus of Trades and Qualifications of Excellence, Industry of the Future South. Eight high schools and two middle schools, or nearly 90 students, took part in the challenge, the aim of which is to form teams of volunteer girls to introduce them to the electrical industry and careers in the energy sector. “We set up a team, all sectors combined, of six girl students based on volunteering, supervised by Anna Bougon, applied art teacher and project referent.“, specifies Maryléa Vial, head of the business office.
The objectives of this challenge, which promotes the feminization of energy professions, are numerous and varied and it is clear that they are also necessary.
Energy and nuclear power, men’s jobs?
The EDF Tricastin power plant, which has 15% women in its workforce, wishes to make its teams even more feminine. At the Argensol high school, the feminization rate is even lower, since out of 395 students in the establishment, there are only 15 girls.
The Mixed Energy challenge aims first of all to highlight the career paths of women in technical professions, but also to discover the energy sector, to reflect collectively on the challenges of diversity in business and to broaden the scope of possibilities on the question of orientation.The students had to present a production of female nuclear professions. We opted for portraits through the words of women to make some want to work and pursue their career dreams in so-called men’s fields. “, adds Anna Bougon.
For these portraits, the project of which is called “The nuclear power and them”, the Argensol high school won the heart of EDF. A reward after months of effort and difficulties encountered. Given the fact that girls are not in the same classes or in the same sectors, they do not have the same schedules. It was therefore quite complicated to bring them together to work on the project.
Despite these complications Léa Garcia (15 years old), Cassie Aymard (16 years old) and Nina Jean (17 years old) all 3 students in boilermaking, Mathilde Bonfils (16 years old) and Cécilia Techer (16 years old) students in light vehicle mechanical maintenance and Justine Gouby (16 years old), a bodywork student, successfully met the challenge they had set for themselves, in the most beautiful way.
