Thalès, French giant of industry and new technologies, is affected by the lack of competent young people in the field of STEMs (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). In one of the group’s research and development centers, in Palaiseau, in the south of Paris, the lack is not new, but we organize ourselves. A report by Orianne Gendreau.
No need for a white blouse for Juan Trastoy, a researcher in quantum physics at Thalès. He has been working there for eight years and, each year, when finding young doctoral students to support him in his research, he encounters difficulties. However, the latter are fundamental to advancing on a subject. However, he does not have so much to complain about his colleagues: “” There are more fashionable subjects, so here, these are quantum subjects, it’s a little more fashionable, so students are looking a little more these subjects »»he explains
Young people in science and technology are rare and this shortage is not new. In the laboratory alongside that of Juan Trastoy, Laura Ly works on biomimicry. She left her engineering school twenty years ago and confirmed it, already in 1998, nobody embarked on industrial research: “” There must be about ten on 80, knowing that other people planned for other trades, even in finance. »»
“” There is a disinterest in science and technology in the education system, it does not help young people to go to these trades “, analysis Patrick Pélata, the president of the Academy of Technologies in Francefor whom the sciences lose their attractiveness from college.
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In 2023, France was one of the European countries the least well classified in mathematics and sciences, a place that does not push students to technological professions. Sarah Lannes, research engineer at Thalès, is a volunteer in the association They move for orientation. Intended to motivate young girls to turn to new technologies, she had to change targets. “” When I go to college, I have a lot of college students who tell me :: “No, but math is hard.” But I admit that when we go, we talk more and more to young boys because everyone says to me: “Maths are hard”, She laughs. And it’s a bit of a shame, because math is really good and it would be good for more people to believe it. Often, [les collégiens] are very very afraid. »»
Fighting self -censorship also goes through scholarships. For Marko Erman, scientific director at Thalès, we must go and find the disadvantaged populations. Thalès provides nearly 250,000 euros to motivate young people to join the technological professions. “” We will financially support students with a remarkable course from disadvantaged circles, having started their academic curriculum in the fields of sciences “, he says.
France is not the only one affected by this shortage. Last December, a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development showed that the countries of theEuropean Union Surely lacked competent people in new technologies.
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