At the entrance to the Lacilla garage in Matran FR, a young man smiles at us with a banner. Now the pride of the family business: A few weeks ago Florent Lacilla (23) won the professional world championship title as an automotive mechatronics technician at the WorldSkills Competition 2022 in Dresden (Germany). There are many reasons for its success: professional knowledge or months of psychological training. But also the support of his family and companies.
An unshakable mental strength
“I have had excellent support from professionals in my profession, my family and my coach. My preparation was perfect”, explains Florent Lacilla. He describes an example of how mental abilities are tested and developed under difficult conditions: “I will never forget that at AGVS (Auto Gewerbe Verband Schweiz) late in the evening, when our head was no longer fully focused, we had to start the exercises.” Probably would rather go to bed.
always well looked after
During Florent’s ten days in Dresden, his family supported him wherever and whenever. “At first I thought his presence would stress me out. But having him by my side after a busy day did the opposite. Thanks to them, I was able to charge my batteries and shut down for a few hours.”
Garage Lacilla is a family owned business with around 20 employees. His father, Jean-François, holds the reins. His mother, Corinne, is involved in management. His brother Samuel is in charge of sales. They are all like a heart and soul and share a passion for cars. “The fact that we fit in so well with each other was definitely a success factor,” says the young mechatronics engineer. “And that harmony bears fruit.”
a father’s pride
«Our motto has always been: Let apprentices and employees work and at the same time give them responsibility. If something goes wrong, we are of course there to help, because we are aware that we are all in the same boat,” explains workshop manager Jean-François Lacilla (58) with a smile on her lips. This desire for independence, with a pinch of care, is characteristic of the company.
Add to this the exceptional character of the young champion, and his father constantly says: “Florent has always been completely dedicated. When he starts something, he sees it through to the end,” says the workshop manager. This quality is essential in an ever-evolving profession. Once upon a time, people who repaired cars were just “mechanics”. The name Mechatronics indicates that: Today, sound knowledge of computer science and electronics is essential.
business card
The high quality culture on which the family business is based has already been recognized by the authorities of the canton of Friborg. In 2018, Garage Lacilla was named the best training company in the technology and mechanics category. The success of the young champion will further increase the level of awareness of the company. This raises the question of whether Florent has any ambitions to make the garage bigger.
“I wouldn’t go that far, but I think my victory could make a good business card and help get recognition for the profession. By the way, my medal aroused interest in my work among some of my friends,” Florent says happily. One thing is clear: the man from Freiburg wants to one day take over the family workshop with his brother Samuel. “It’s a little early to hand over the baton,” Father Lacilla explains. “But Florent clearly showed interest in his temperament when we asked him.” (laughs)