Mahdi: Advanced Masters in Pyrotechnics and Propulsion

Why did you choose this program at ENSTA Bretagne?

"Before enrolling in the Advanced Master in Pyrotechnics and Propulsion at ENSTA Bretagne, I was an aeronautical engineer in the Air Force. The Advanced Master's degree complements my previous education and the experience I gained in my defense career in aerospace and propulsion.

I chose ENSTA Bretagne because it's well-known for its level of excellence and the quality of its visiting lecturers, and because it's the only school in France to offer this program.

Did the training live up to your expectations? What do you think of your experience?

"I'm very satisfied with the Advanced Master's program, and I learned a lot. I liked it so much that I encouraged my brother to enroll here after his engineering degree, and he's just started the Advanced Master in Naval and Offshore Architecture!"

After 6 months of classes on campus, you did your internship. How did that go?

"I spent six months in the lab at PRISME (Laboratoire Pluridisciplinaire de Recherche en Ingénierie des Systèmes, Mécanique, Énergétique) at INSA Centre Val de Loire and the Université d'Orléans. My supervisor was a great teacher. He's just left his job to become France's Scientific Ambassador to Indonesia. During my six months, I managed some projects for the defense industry and other companies, and I also discovered the research side of things, by writing a scientific article, for example.  At the end of my placement, the lab offered me a job, and now I'm working there as a research engineer."

How was your integration into ENSTA Bretagne? Did you enjoy student life in Brest?

"I'm an international student from Tunisia, so I had the advantage of organized get-togethers and welcoming events when I first arrived in Brest. ENSTA Bretagne's integration program is really good. All the international students were invited to a welcome event at Brest City Hall, and we also went on a boat trip in Brest harbor.

The counselors and international relations staff were always able to give us information and answer our questions. In the Master's program, we were only in class at ENSTA Bretagne for six months, so I didn't have time to get involved in the Student Union, but I participated in a lot of the sport activities organized on campus.

When I arrived at ENSTA Bretagne, I decided to live in the student residence, and after three months I left to share an apartment with friends. Brest is a wonderful city to study in; there are a lot of students and the cost of living isn't too high!

We had a great class atmosphere. We formed a strong team, and the conditions for working on projects were really good. I'm thankful to the administrative staff and the teachers who helped us with all the procedures we had to follow, and were always willing to lend an ear.