Laure Colmet, Professional Firefighter

Laure Colmet, Professional Firefighter 

After a STAPS (Sciences and Techniques of Physical Activities and Sports) degree at UPPA, Laure Colmet studied for the IUFM competitive exam and joined the SDIS 64 as a volunteer firefighter. A fulfilling experience that led her to a change of course! 

In 2007, you started a STAPS degree on the UPPA campus in Tarbes. Why did you make this choice?  

In the final year of my Baccalaureate, I wanted to become a PE teacher or a primary school teacher. I hesitated between the two... I chose the STAPS degree and the Education and Motricity specialisation because it offered me the possibility of doing either. Also, I come from Mourenx, in Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and I was keen to study close to home at a university with a smaller feel. The STAPS degree from UPPA in Tarbes ticked the most boxes, allowing me gain independence while remaining close to my family and the handball club I played for at national level with my twin sister. In the end, after the STAPS degree, I went to the IUFM in Pau to take the competitive examination to become a primary school teacher. At the same time, while studying for my Master’s, I started working as a high school supervisor and joined the voluntary fire service. It was an eye-opener! I began to question whether I could be a teacher for the rest of my life. I loved the primary school work placements and the contact with the children, but I found the job thankless and was afraid I would lose my motivation after a few years. I felt much more fulfilled on the ground than in a classroom... Changing direction wasn't easy. I took the professional firefighter exam twice, first in 2013 and then in 2018, because there was a five-year gap between them. I joined the SDIS 64 in 2019. 

What university teach you and was it useful? 

We don't do anything in vain, my career is proof of that! During the course at IUFM, students from the STAPS Education and Motor Skills programme had a real head start in pedagogy, because we had spent three years learning how to structure a task, lead a group, prepare an activity, speak in public, etc. Another example: my initial STAPS and IUFM training came in handy when I sat the written tests for the professional firefighter competitive exam. Compared to other candidates, I had learned how to write and was able to concentrate during the 4-hour exams. The same goes for the sports tests: we had covered almost all the sports during the STAPS course, so I was perfectly prepared! Also, if I want to progress within the SDIS in the future, I have the required level of education to sit the competitive officer’s examination. During your studies, you acquire two very valuable skills: maturity and self-confidence, which are essential for studying for and passing a competitive examination. 

What words do you spontaneously associate with UPPA? 

Conviviality, autonomy, transition to adulthood.

What advice would you give to a young person starting a degree at UPPA?

I would tell them there's no such thing as failure. It takes time to find the right path for you and the career in which you will flourish. You can make a mistake and bounce back! When you're 20, your vision of a profession is rarely objective. On the other hand, everything you learn is useful one day or another. You just need to bring all these elements together to forge your own path.