Michaël Cheloudtchenko, founder of MikaProd

“Studying on the Montaury campus was a great opportunity”

In 2007, with a Master’s in Logistics, Operational Activities and Information Systems under his belt, Michaël Cheloudtchenko from Biarritz became a freelance web developer. At the same time, he taught office automation and computer programming.    

Why did you choose this Master's degree? 

The year I did my Baccalaureate, I went to the open day at the Montaury campus in Anglet. It was a brand new site that was very pleasant and surrounded by greenery, which made me want to join UPPA and study close to home. I didn’t really know what career path to choose. I really liked physics and equations, so I enrolled in Physics and Chemistry. At the end of my DEUG (General University Diploma), I decided to go for a course that would boost my job prospects. One of the lecturers had spoken to us about the LAOSI (Logistics, Operations, Information Systems) course, also on the Montaury campus, which offered training in both logistics and IT. It was just right for me! Especially since I had done several work placements with a freelancer during my undergraduate and Master’s courses. Not only did I find his job fascinating, but I also discovered a way of working that suited me perfectly. The seeds were sown… 

When did you set up MikaProd? 

At Master's level, lots of students were tempted to continue studying. Personally, I wanted to work. In addition, the freelancer with whom I'd done my work placements encouraged me to set up my own business so that we could share certain projects. I was 25 and the adventure was tempting, so I set up my own business in 2007, which also allowed me to stay in the region. That was important to me! For nearly 15 years, MikaProd has been developing websites, applications and videos for all sectors of activity.  I have an office in Hasparren, in the Basque Country. 

What does the Montaury site mean to you? 

It’s a great campus for studying. Since 2002, I’ve barely missed single a term! After graduating, in addition to setting up MikaProd, I started teaching office automation and HTML language part time. Teaching is another facet of my professional life. When I was a student, I myself had very good contact with the professional speakers who came to campus... As a developer, teaching also encourages me to regularly update my skills. IT is a field in which you can quickly become overwhelmed. As it happens, there are quite a few connections between what I do behind the scenes at MikaProd and I pass on at Montaury and at the computing IUT in Bayonne.  

What words do you spontaneously associate with UPPA? 

Memories and atmosphere.

One of my fondest memories is being a guitarist in the metal band Katalepsis... One day, after a concert in Bayonne, someone spray-painted our name on the pillar of a building in Montaury... It's still there and I'd love to know who the fan was! (Reach out if you’re reading this article!)

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

I'd tell them about the advantages of the Montaury campus: it's an ideal place to study, the lecturers are always on hand to help, the classes are small and there's more of a school-like atmosphere than that of a big university machine. I'd also recommend finding out about all UPPA's courses of study, because these days you can do almost anything locally. Moving away isn’t necessarily a guarantee for success!