On Friday, September 4, Unlimited Chief Engineer Officer cadets began the new academic year at ENSM’s Saint-Malo campus!
Luc Varin, Director of the Saint-Malo campus, welcomed the students who are beginning their higher education journey today at an institution with a unique history spanning more than 450 years. This first year will be demanding, and their success will depend on their personal commitment, as well as their attendance, regular work, and ability to ask for help. “Do not be modest in your ambition to succeed.”
François Lambert, Director General of ENSM, echoed the campus director’s remarks: officer cadets are already expected to conduct themselves as professionals. The consideration and support they receive from ENSM’s teaching and administrative staff, as well as from the authorities, will continue throughout their studies and accompany them throughout their careers. They are the representatives of the French flag and of the shipping companies that have chosen to place their trust in ENSM and its French officers.
This year, adjustments have been made regarding the possibility of recruiting students from French Maritime Vocational High Schools. The Director General assured them that they have a future in this particularly rich sector: the maritime industry.
François Lambert then addressed the young women present: “Hold on and persevere. This School is here to show you that no profession is off-limits to women.”
Servanne Escoffier, guest speaker, sailor and entrepreneur, asked the students to imagine themselves in the middle of the ocean, at 3:00 a.m., in the midst of a storm, with just one question on their minds: not whether they will cross the finish line, but rather whether their boat will allow them to make it safely back home.
As a sailor, Servanne has taken part in numerous ocean races, crossed the Atlantic, travelled the world and competed in legendary races. Yet in her speech, she emphasized that performance never rests on one person alone. “We often celebrate one person’s arrival, one person’s achievement.”
The training of Unlimited Chief Engineer Officers is less visible than deck officer training. Yet the hundreds of hours spent in engine rooms and shipyards, the repairs, and the dedication of all the women and men involved are what make the adventure possible. The true hero of any ocean crossing will always be a team.
Servanne Escoffier concluded by inviting the students to visit her company: “Being a guest speaker is about creating a genuine encounter.”
Daniel Debauve, Deputy Mayor of Saint-Malo, responsible for urban infrastructure, traffic and parking, shared the honour of attending the ceremony as a former teacher at the École de l’Hydro. Future officers are the custodians of a proud tradition, but also the driving force behind its renewal, within a changing blue economy that will make them key players in the world of tomorrow.
His remarks were echoed by Jean Virgile Crance, First Deputy Mayor, who emphasized the cultural dimension of maritime projects and their connection with the École de l’Hydro.
Finally, Daniel Cueff, Vice-President for the Sea and Coastal Affairs at the Brittany Regional Council, called on the students to “consider Brittany as the centre of the maritime world”, a “maritime region that strongly supports your School and your education.”
Wishing all our students from Saint-Malo a wonderful start to the new academic year!