At just 22 years old, Raphaël Potelouin represented France at the world’s largest skills competition in Shanghai. Ranked 11th globally out of 34 nations competing in Mechanical Engineering, this former student of Les Eucalyptus high school in Nice wins a prestigious medal of excellence.
Nothing initially predestined Raphaël Potelouin to grace the international stages of WorldSkills, yet this adopted southerner won the medal of excellence in Mechanical Engineering in Shanghai a few weeks ago. “At the time, I’ll admit I wasn’t in a competitive mindset,” admits the 22-year-old. It was under the impetus of his vocational high school teacher at Les Eucalyptus high school in Nice that the breakthrough happened.
After a first regional attempt ending in second place at the 47th edition, the pair tried their luck again two years later “boldly.” What followed was a constant rise. Victory at the national level, then selection to the French Team for the ultimate meeting in Shanghai.
To move from the national level to the world stage, the pace changed radically. Under the guidance of the French Coach, he juggled for a year between his job and weeks of 7 to 15 hours of additional training, complemented by intensive courses and trips abroad.
“It’s a super well-organized competition, everything is grandiose and spectacular. There were 1,500 competitors in total, escorted by police at each move. It’s a bit like the Olympics. We felt a bit like stars!“, he recounts.
A result against global giants
Following the competition, Raphaël Potelouin won a medal of excellence, a distinction awarded to candidates reaching a high level of points. He finished in a brilliant 11th place out of 34.
A result all the more remarkable given the competitive context. If France finished 4th among nations in the overall ranking, preparation conditions vary greatly from continent to continent.
“ In France, we are volunteers. We train in our free time, alongside our respective jobs. In certain Asian countries like Korea or China, candidates are hired full-time by large companies for four years to do only that. French potential is gigantic, but investments are not yet the same,” explains the young medalist.
While WorldSkills regulations prohibit participating multiple times as a competitor, the adventure doesn’t end there for Raphaël Potelouin. He is about to become a Regional Expert to take over from his former trainer. His objective is to train and coach the future talents of the Côte d’Azur region to take them too toward world heights.
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