Industrial mechanics and technical training honored by the 2025 Alpine Mechanical Excellence Competition
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They are between 17 and 28 years old, come from all over France, and share a common passion: industrial automotive mechanics. On June 13, 2025, the 16 finalists of the Alpine Mechanical Excellence Competition (CEMA) gathered at the Le Mans site, Renault Group’s center of expertise for chassis systems, on the eve of the 24 Hours race. On the agenda: a demanding final round in an iconic setting, highlighting technical know-how, encouraging vocations, and showcasing Renault Group’s commitment to training and knowledge transmission.
High-precision industrial mechanics to transform the automotive industry
Automotive mechanics is no longer what people think it is. That’s the powerful message carried by the CEMA since its launch in 2022. Organized by Renault Group and Alpine, in partnership with the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of National Education, OPCO Mobilités, ANFA and FACOM, this unique competition in France focuses on technical excellence to promote professions that are often underestimated, and still largely male-dominated.
This fourth edition brought together nearly 1,500 participants, a record number, reflecting the growing enthusiasm for an event that combines education, competition and a passion for innovation. After a written test and regional semi-finals, eight teams of two were selected for the final. Held at the historic Le Mans site, a symbol of chassis excellence within the Group, the candidates were assessed not only on their mechanical skills but also on their soft skills: teamwork, stress management, and communication. Excellence is also a mindset.
“It’s a real pleasure to be here with you, at this iconic Le Mans site of the Group, to celebrate the CEMA final. This competition highlights the expertise within our industry. It shows young people that mechanics is a profession of excellence, full of promise, innovation, and passion,” said Jean-Dominique Senard, Chairman of the Board of Renault Group, as he presented the awards to the winners alongside Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, Minister of Employment and Labour, Interministerial Delegate Patrick Toulmet and Bruno Famin, Director of Alpine Motorsports.
Technical training as a lever for an ambitious HR strategy
More than just an event, this competition embodies Renault Group’s vision of training. In response to the rapid transformations in the industry, electrification, digitalization, and the circular economy, the Group is heavily investing in upskilling its teams and its network.
Founded in 2021, the ReKnow University, Renault Group’s corporate university, has become a cornerstone of this transformation. With over 38,500 people already trained, it offers programs focused on the technologies of tomorrow: electric motors, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data and more. At its campuses in Flins, Cléon and internationally (currently in Turkey, Spain, Argentina and Brazil), technical training is based on a “learning by practice” approach.
“When we promote young people, training and highly technical professions, we create vocations. And these vocations are key to meeting the challenges faced by our network. In a world undergoing a major energy transition, this competition aims to encourage young people to pursue ambitious career paths, ones that are full of promise and real opportunities.”
Arnaud Sautier
Head of Network Training for France
The Renault network: a driver of inclusion and equal opportunity
With 2,700 agencies and 450 dealerships, Renault’s network is one of the densest in France. It also serves as a powerful platform for social inclusion, working closely with Apprenticeship Training Centers (CFAs), vocational high schools, and key industry stakeholders. Through the CEMA, it is the trainers themselves (teachers, judges and institutional partners) who come together to sustain a virtuous ecosystem where technical training in industrial automotive mechanics meets employment.
The competition is also part of a broader push for inclusion. In 2025, female participation reached 7%, a modest but growing figure in a field still largely dominated by men. Renault Group is working to reverse this trend with clear goals: 50% of apprentices and interns to be women by 2025 and 30% of senior managers to be women by 2030.
“This competition is a fantastic showcase for our professions. It gives participants a great opportunity to demonstrate their skills and potential. It shows that mechanics, far from outdated stereotypes, is a field of expertise, innovation, and passion,” emphasizes Arnaud Sautier.
The winners of the 2025 edition, Loïc Caron (19) and Axel Malle (23), will complete an internship at Hypertech Alpine in Viry-Châtillon, a deep dive into a hub of high technology, with the prospect of an apprenticeship contract. A bridge between vocational school and the world of motorsport.
