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Led by ArianeGroup, a new aerospace vocational baccalaureate available soon in Kourou 04-01-2022 | 3 minutes
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This year will see the opening in French Guiana of a completely new study option – a new vocational baccalaureate option, focused on aeronautics and space.
The aerospace industry in French Guiana suffers from a lack of people coming through the local educational routes with the high-level skills matching needs. Up till now, there has not been a specific aeronautics and space training program delivered locally.
Since signing a partnership with regional authorities in French Guiana a couple of years ago, the ArianeGroup site in Kourou has been working hand-in-hand with French Guianese schools. The primary goal is to develop degree programs tailored to the company’s needs for launcher integration engineers and technicians. The training-led baccalaureate program will also offer student enrollees apprenticeships.
Future students will have access to the Kourou site’s in-house Ariane 6 production training center run by Lydia Amakoud. Here, they will be able to work on real-life scenarios with equipment mock-ups. This is essential for training to acquire the launcher integration skills that ArianeGroup needs.
Nicolas Lyonnet, Ariane 6 launch vehicle architect at ArianeGroup, who manages the new baccalaureate project, explained its ambitious scope:
“Our goal is to train young French Guianese students to a skill level adequate for working on Ariane 6 launcher integration. Designed in close collaboration with professors, the training program will enhance fundamental knowledge and help students to fully grasp the main principles regarding mechanical, electrical and fluid-related interfaces between the launcher and the launch pad. The training provides a comprehensive understanding of the risks that each launcher integration phase entails, and the strict operational demands that come with the job. Students will also learn about working environment constraints that come into play in each launch vehicle life cycle, from the preparation phase to take-off.”
This partnership promotes the upskilling of French Guiana’s young students and school pupils by opening up possibilities for finding local jobs in the regional aerospace industry.
