GARD Sabrina Berkane, graduate of the University of Nîmes, winner of the FEM’Energia 2022 competition

On December 6, the award ceremony of the FEM’Energia 2022 competition organized by WiN France took place in Paris. Since 2009, this ceremony has honored women who work in the nuclear industry. The 2nd prize this year went to Sabrina Berkane, recent graduate in Pro 3D License (Dismantling, Waste and Asbestos Removal Technologies). This work-study program is jointly organized by INSTN-CEA Marcoule and the University of Nîmes. This award recognizes the success of students and the excellence of the training provided at Unîmes.

Holder of a degree in Tertiary Science and Technology (STT) and a BTS in Customer Negotiation, Sabrina Berkane has decided to direct her career towards the nuclear sector. After earning her undergraduate degree in radiation protection from INSTN as a valedictorian, she held a tenure as a technician in this specialty. Wishing to further her knowledge in nuclear, and thanks to her bac +2 level, she joined the University of Nîmes to follow the Pro 3D license.

To do this, the service dedicated to continuous training of Unîmes, UNIFOP, accompanied Sabrina in completing her financing file to access her training and in the administrative follow-up which acts as a link between her and her company. ” I was very worried at the beginning of my university education. L3 Pro 3D’s training, which deals with waste and nuclear decommissioning, is very comprehensive. I appreciated the variety of speakers and sharing with students. After graduating, I was employed by D&S Ingénierie, a company that matches my values Sabrina says. On December 6, Sabrina Berkane also won the 2nd Fem’Energia prize, awarded in Paris by WiN France. An extraordinary and atypical course that values ​​the excellence of continuing education at the University of Nîmes.

Since 2009, WiN France, WiN Global and EDF, in collaboration with the Institut de France, the Academy of Sciences, Sciences and Education, have awarded the FEM’Energia prize to encourage and financially support women passionate about the nuclear sector . This award is aimed at high school girls, students and women who work in this sector. It contributes to the development of diversity and co-education in this field with several objectives: making women more “visible” in the professions by highlighting an exemplary action that deserves to be known, shared and encouraged; facilitating access to first jobs for female students by offering of apprenticeships, professionalisation contracts, internships and helping them to build their professional project.

« This competition was an opportunity for me to highlight my atypical career and my professional retraining. I studied commerce and nothing predestined me for the nuclear industry. This competition has taught me that, as a woman and a mother, there is always a place in an exciting industry despite prejudices, an industry where professional development is always possible. “, Sabrina Berkane details.

The underrepresentation of women in the nuclear industry

In 2019, according to data provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), women represented only 22.4% of workers in the nuclear sector. Although the proportion of women in senior technical management positions has increased in the nuclear industry, they are still underrepresented.