Faced with environmental, economic, and societal challenges in the forestry and wood industry, Arts et Métiers a project to prepare the skills of tomorrow.
" Forests are essential in the fight against climate change, thanks in particular to their ability to store carbon, thereby helping to control greenhouse gases," explains James Dat, director of the Campus des Métiers et des Qualifications d'Excellence Forêt-Bois Bourgogne Franche-Comté.
Wood, meanwhile, is positioning itself as the material of choice for ecological transition and sustainable construction, responding to the need to build a low-carbon industry. However, the sector is currently facing a shortage of recruits in training and a large number of professionals retiring within the next five years.
A Forest Van to promote careers in the wood industry
To boost the appeal of the forestry and wood industry, the A2ForBois project is focusing on innovative tools and awareness-raising initiatives, among other things. Among these initiatives, the Forest Van, a mobile vehicle, will travel throughout the three regions involved in the project (Burgundy-Franche-Comté, Grand Est, and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) to promote forest-related professions to middle school and high school students and teachers.
At the same time, a digital library will be created to centralize communication tools and make them accessible to regional stakeholders and those in neighboring areas.
"Improving training opportunities is also at the heart of the project. New initial and continuing training programs will be developed to meet the specific needs of businesses and involve professionals more closely in educational pathways," explains James Dat. Innovative technologies will be integrated, such as digital twins, notably the wood unrolling twin developed as part of the JENII project at the LaBoMap laboratory on the Cluny campus."
In addition, educational forest plots will be developed to test new silvicultural practices in the field. The lessons learned from these experiments will then be used by training centers.
Supporting businesses and diversifying recruitment
In addition, the A2ForBois project is committed to supporting forestry companies and sawmills in their development. This involves strengthening skills, increasing the number of employees, and improving their employer brand. By reinforcing the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and promoting innovation, the project aims to make the transfer of research and innovation from companies and research centers to training faster and more efficient.
At the same time, A2ForBois wants to diversify recruitment channels by facilitating professional retraining. The goal is to open up the sector to talent from other sectors and to improve collaboration with career guidance and employment advisors. "Unfortunately, many learners and job seekers are unfamiliar with careers in forestry and woodworking. It is essential to diversify recruitment sources and enhance the attractiveness of careers in the sector," emphasizes James Dat. The project also relies on international collaborations to enrich local practices and better promote products made from decaying or bark beetle-infested local wood as alternatives to more traditional materials.
The A2ForBois project
The A2ForBois ( Avenir Formation Forêt-Bois) project has been selected as a winner of the "Skills and Jobs of the Future" call for projects and will receive €21.3 million in funding, including a €12 million grant from the France 2030 program over five years.
Launched on November 13, 2024, this partnership brings together Arts et Métiers other organizations, such as the Besançon EPL, FCBA, ONF, Fibois BFC, Institut Agro Dijon, AgroParisTech Nancy, and the Universities of Burgundy and Franche-Comté. Also involved are the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region, the DRAAF BFC and the Regional Academic Rectorate, companies, forestry cooperatives, and training establishments, representing a consortium of 16 partners.
It is part of a strategic context: in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, a region where forests cover 36% of the metropolitan area, the forestry and wood industry plays a crucial role in biodiversity, air and water quality, and ecological transition. However, it faces major challenges: low recruitment rates for training (42% of places filled), massive turnover among managers (40% expected to leave within five years), and limited appeal due to the perceived difficulty of the jobs. " There is also the issue of forest decline, which has increased by nearly 80% in 10 years,"explains James Dat.
The project was submitted by the Campus des Métiers et des Qualifications (CMQ) d'Excellence Forêt-Bois de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, supported by Arts et Métiers the LaBoMap on the Cluny campus. This structure, certified by the French Ministry of Education in 2022, supports members of the forestry and wood industry in their skills and training needs. In Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, the sector employs more than 21,000 people.
