Par
Julien Munoz
Published on
Jan 19, 2025 at 9:54 a.m.
In Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (Manche), the cradle of submarines for more than a century, the industrial and military adventure takes place in the ships of Naval Group and on the benches of the School of Military Applications of the atomic energy (EAMEA). “There is onlya single school for nuclear power in the armieswe remind you on the site. It's here. »
Almost 70 years old
Created in 1956, the School of Military Applications of Atomic Energy was temporarily installed in Paris before arriving in Cherbourg, a submarine construction port, two years later. Its training focuses on nuclear propulsion, weapons deployment and nuclear risk management.
800 people visited the site
Around 800 people visited the place, Saturday January 18, 2025on the occasion of an open day. A record.
In Querqueville, EAMEA is, within the Ministry of Defense, the only joint school to offer a 3-year diploma course.e cycle, forming atomic engineering engineers in the fields of naval propulsion and weapons.
Here, we train all personnel of the Ministry of the Armed Forces, military and civilian, in nuclear sciences and techniques. We also train civilians from our industrial partners, including Naval Group, particularly in the field of nuclear propulsion. I believe that we have a training offer that has really met its audience. Many young people today want to join the Navy, like technical professions. The school's success also credits the Navy as a nuclear operator.
Professions
The EAMEA trains the entire nuclear defense sector, particularly watch commanders and operators in the propulsion control position of nuclear submarines or the Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier. But also technicians in radiation protection, weapons, management in nuclear exploitation or even crisis situations. The training of those involved in the operation of naval propulsion represents the core business of the school. The passage within it allows you to acquire the theoretical and scientific foundations before specializing within the pre-boarding schools. Around sixty teachers – around twenty from the civilian sector – are trainers.
For the Suffren and other Barracuda-type submarines, the school notably trained chemists and instrumentalists.
The context, in recent years, has evolved, with the revival of the nuclear sector in France, desired by the President of the Republic.
At stake is the independence of France, for the development of so-called carbon-free energies, but also for the nuclear deterrent force. This is how a whole range of activities and jobs which is redeploying, including for Defense, responsible for meeting the challenge of the credibility of nuclear deterrence. A national, strategic ambition, as well as a long-term vision.
-For BTS, places are snapped up
Among the visitors, many high school students and their families. Some came from Lyon, others from Lille or Gap. “This year, many are coming to learn about the BTS maintenance of production systems,” says the school’s Pasha. Carried out under military status, this diploma prepares you for the profession of naval propulsion atomic engineer, in partnership with the Alexis-de-Tocqueville comprehensive high school in Cherbourg.
Hundreds of kilometers to discover this school
For generations, the school has been training atomic sailors for the French Navy and other armies affiliated with the field of nuclear defense. If the idea of the open days is to introduce locals to the site for a day, and thus highlight French military heritage, more and more visitors do not hesitate to travel several hundred kilometers to take information about training. The BTS, first of all. What is being done in Cherbourg is not being done anywhere else. We still need to make it known. This year, an intern comes from Reunion Island.
“We have a whole communications plan to promote our training,” explains ship commander Yann. “We have participated in around thirty student fairs. Each time, there is, beyond the information that can be found on the stand, instructors who have been submariners or nuclear surfers. The goal is for them to be able to talk about their background, their career. Meeting people is a big investment. an effect. corridors, we meet people from Lyon, Besançon and other places in France. These are people that we have already met in the salons. Coming to school allows you to have additional information. Future candidates leave with a signed and dated letter of recommendation. One more asset in a file.
Two years after seeing the light of day, the training is alreadyone of the most popular from France.
From 15 places in September 2023, it rose to 30 places in September 2024. Last year, there were nearly 200 candidates.
It is a very very good sector which should allow us to meet the capacity gaps, between the two aircraft carriers as well as the current Triomphant class SSBNs and the 3G SSBNs. It is absolutely necessary to create additional skills to guarantee these bevels. It is therefore today that I am hiring the sailors from the nuclear BTS who will be used for these future capability angles. It's a whole long-term strategic plan and it's not me who will see all of its effects. He will be the successor of my successor… Because all this will happen in the 2040s. We are still far away but we are making these decisions now.”
“An attraction to an atypical profession”
The students are under military statuswear the uniform of a petty officer of the National Navy and are paid. The training is free but requires carrying out at least one initial 9-year contract in the French Navy at the end of the training. Academic and technological education is carried out by the high school. Military, maritime and trade education is conducted by EAMEA. Application internships are carried out in organizations of the National Navy.
In the end, they will be operators, in order to operate the nuclear reactor, the electrical plant and the type of propulsion that allows the ship to move.
« There is an attraction for an atypical professioncontinues ship commander Yann. Running a boiler room 300 meters underwater is not something common. » The BUT, a three-year diploma launched at the start of the next school year (with the IUT of Cherbourg), should make it possible to attract more high school students from the general baccalaureate in the coming years.
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