How were you selected to take part in the competition?
Mathéo: After my vocational baccalaureate, I completed my apprenticeship at Naval Group, after which I was hired. WorldSkills is well known in my region: my former high school, Edmond Doucet in Cherbourg, is an institution of excellence for welding and has already produced a champion. This motivated me: it was an opportunity both to demonstrate my skills and to step outside my comfort zone.
Maxence: Mathéo and I have similar backgrounds: I also completed a vocational baccalaureate, then a year-long work-study placement at Naval Group in Nantes-Indret. Today, I am an employee of the company. I work on unique, prestigious programs, like the future nuclear submarines and the new-generation aircraft carrier (PA-NG). My participation in WorldSkills came about quite naturally. I had already won a gold medal in the “Best Apprentice in France” competition, for which I welded a replica of the Eiffel Tower. A trade specialist encouraged me to aim even higher by taking part in WorldSkills.
How did you prepare?
Mathéo: I followed a six-week intensive training course at the Lycée Doucet, which a former “trade champion” had attended. My former teacher coached me, and I also practised at the Naval Group welding school whenever I had the chance.
Maxence: I prepared in my free time, on Fridays, at the Fab Academy in Bouguenais, a training centre for young talent in industry. It involved three months of hard work, often after days spent on site or shifts as a volunteer firefighter! I took a full week off just before the competition and devoted this time to preparing myself. It was demanding, but highly stimulating.
Tell us about the three days of the competition.
Mathéo and Maxence: Fourteen candidates were in the running. On the first day, we had to weld pipes, and on the second, stainless steel and aluminium parts. On the last day we had to weld the “pressure” part: a complex assembly to be completed in five hours, based on precise plans. Nothing could be left to chance: quality of weld beads, cleanliness and finishing. The outcome had to be flawless with no leeway for any rework. A true demonstration of technical mastery and rigour!
What did you take away from this experience?
Mathéo: I received a medal of excellence, but I was aiming for the podium. Two mistakes cost me dearly. At the time it was frustrating, but it taught me to put things into perspective. We experienced everything to the full: the pressure, the pride, as well as the disappointment. And ultimately, we also learned more about ourselves.
Maxence: It was amazing. There was a real team spirit between the competitors, as well as exchanges between the trades and a genuine recognition of manual skills. The competition pushes you to surpass yourself, without losing enjoyment in what you do.
Do you see this as a springboard for the future?
Mathéo: Welding is a constantly evolving field offering a lifetime of learning to the keen and curious!
Maxence: We also want to pass on our knowledge and help apprentices progress. We haven't forgotten where we came from, and we want to give something back.
Passionate, driven by high standards and a thirst for knowledge, the future is in safe hands with profiles such as those of Mathéo and Maxence! For these two young welders, excellence is not simply a goal; it underlies their whole approach to their work.
Cherbourg: the school for exceptional welders
Clément Dupuis, an instructor at the Cherbourg Welding Training Centre (CFS), joined Naval Group in 2007 on a work-study program. Now an experienced welder, he has been training others in the field for eight years. At the CFS, Clément transmits his unique know-how, essential for manufacturing submarine hulls.
There is no room for error in this highly specific field of welding. Welders learn the processes specific to Naval Group and acquire mastery of 80 HLES steel, a French material used for nuclear attack submarines that guarantees resistance at great depth.
Each year, Naval Group welders renew their qualification at the CFS – a rare standard of expertise. The Centre also trains apprentices and welders from foreign navies. At the end of 2025, eight Indonesian professionals were trained there as part of a transfer of skills. The goal: to provide them with the qualifications necessary to manufacture the hull of the future Indonesian submarines – Scorpène® Evolved – locally, in Surabaya.
