News
Two SKEMA students selected for immersion programme at the École Navale
From 7 to 11 July 2025, Adrien Nadal and Antoine Vasseur, both first-year Master in Management (PGE) students at SKEMA Business School – the former based at the Sophia Antipolis campus and the latter in Lille – will take part in Opération Immersion, a week-long programme at France’s École Navale, alongside 23 other students from top French institutions. The objective: to gain first-hand insight into military life and the strategic issues of maritime defence.
Adrien, Antoine, you were selected after a highly competitive process to take part in Opération Immersion. Can you tell us what the programme involves?
Antoine Vasseur: It’s a one-week programme hosted at the École Navale near Brest, in Brittany. We’ll be staying in the same conditions as naval officer cadets, in shared duplex rooms of 80 square metres. It’s a total immersion. While the Navy keeps many of the details under wraps to preserve the element of surprise, we already know the week will include lectures, visits to combat units, sea excursions, and a sporting challenge called the Naval Race.
One of the goals is also to foster ties between the military and future private sector leaders.
Adrien Nadal: In truth, it’s more than a training course – it’s a shared experience built around cohesion and discovery. We’ll be supervised by military instructors and integrated into mixed crews alongside twenty École Navale cadets. We’ll also take part in a mission focused on maritime security issues. It’s concrete, hands-on and completely new for us.
How were you selected?
A.V.: We had to submit a full application including a CV and cover letter addressed to the Admiral in command of the École Navale. Only 25 students were selected, from top-tier institutions like HEC, Sciences Po, École Polytechnique, Centrale, and IMT Atlantique.
I’m currently working in an investment vehicle dedicated to the defence industrial and technological base (BITD).
A.N.: That multidisciplinary background is what will make the experience so valuable. The programme is also designed to build bridges between the armed forces and future private-sector managers. We’ll even be presenting our school at the start of the week, giving SKEMA visibility in a different sphere.
What motivated you to apply?
A.V.: I’m currently on a gap year and interning at Sotheby’s. I’ve always been interested in the defence sector but never took the leap. This programme gives me the chance to explore it from the inside, without any prior commitment – and maybe consider a professional future connected to this world.
A.N.: As for me, I’m currently interning in an investment fund focused on the defence sector, and I previously worked with entrepreneurs in this field. This immersion will allow me to deepen my understanding of military issues and build more meaningful dialogue with stakeholders, many of whom are former high-ranking officers.
What are you hoping to gain from this immersion?
A.V.: Broader horizons, new encounters, and a deeper grasp of maritime security challenges. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on personal civic engagement.
A.N.: And to see how civilian careers can intersect with defence issues. This could be a pivotal step in shaping our future career paths.
