2/ TRAINING PAR EXCELLENCE TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF A LOW-CARBON INDUSTRY

Since the 2000s, local authorities, companies and the University Littoral Côte d’Opale have been partners in the territory’s transformation with a view to setting up the training sectors of the future.

Today, the Dunkirk area offers a whole host of industry related training courses. In order to support the territory’s transition towards becoming carbon neutral, some existing training courses are complemented by modules on energy efficiency, process electrification, etc. Others have been created from scratch, following the signing of the Local Education Pact, and have been developed in direct conjunction with major local contractors, training centres (AFPA, EPID Vauban, AFPI, FCIL) and provisional skills requirements.

Dunkirk is home to two engineering apprenticeship courses

IMT Nord Europe offers:

•  A course in energy engineering since 2020
• A course in engineering linked to the nuclear sector from the start of the 2023-2025 academic year
• A new department made up of teacher researchers and laboratory equipment

The Engineering School of the Littoral Côte d’Opale (EILCO) introduced a course in Energy and Environmental Engineering in 2020 and plans to incorporate two new training courses, one on green hydrogen and decarbonisation and another linked to the evolution of logistics processes. In 2024, the IMT Nord Europe/EILCO centre of excellence will join the Euraénergie Campus to be as close as possible to the innovation ecosystem. Eventually, a potential 360 students could be hosted on the site each year

Discover the story of Louise MARTEL and Hugo SCHLOSSER, students at ITM Nord Europe in Dunkirk.

The Opal Coast, an area of excellence for training in the decarbonisation of industry

In the pursuit of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, the territory has applied to the “Jobs and Skills of the Future” call for expression of interest through the C-DéCIDé project (Centre of Skills Development for a Decarbonised Industry). The project has won €16m in government funding, including €8m directly from the ANR.

Spearheaded by the ULCO, in partnership with various academic and territorial stakeholders (the Greater Dunkirk Urban Council, Hauts-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Euraénergie), the AFPA and local industrialists (ArcelorMittal France, Total Energies Learning Solutions, Verkor), the project is aiming to make the Opal Coast a national benchmark for training in the decarbonisation of industry. Unique in France, this “Décarbo Industrie Académie” (Industry Decarb Academy) is for both initial and continuing education students, as well as professionals who wish to retrain by developing cross-disciplinary skills alongside technical skills, from the certificate of vocational competence right up to a doctoral degree.

7 new technology skills transfer platforms

7 new technology training platforms, called “training workshops”, will be interconnected, including the Euraénergie innovation park, the OLEUM centre, the Digital Lab or Maison de la Recherche en Environnement Industriel (Industrial Environment Research Centre).

Purpose: To enable employees of partner industries to get an education and obtain micro certifications in specific subjects such as CO2 capture, multi-energy systems maintenance, waste recovery, etc. New national qualifications in decarbonised industries will eventually emerge.

C-DéCIDé’s 6 major areas of training

• CO2 capture, usage and storage technology
• Electrification
• Renewable energies
• Heat recovery
• Industrial process digitalisation and
• optimisation
• The circular economy

A project of such ambition could only be rolled out in Dunkirk! For years now, we have been joining forces to undertake major projects for our territory. Thanks to the wonderful community dynamic, we will be able to train several tens of thousands of students and professionals in all the skills the territory needs, from the certificate of vocational competence right up to a doctoral degree. We have 5 years to rise to this challenge and make these new training courses indispensable for the future of the territory’s industry, and above all, the future of our national industry.

Arnaud CUISSET, Vice-Chancellor of the University Littoral Côte
d’Opale, Representative for major projects and leader of the C-DéCIDé project.

The AFPA Dunkirk is the winner of the call for projects to host the national incubator for hydrogen production training.

Frédéric DELESCLUSE, FPA Director (Calais and Dunkirk) 

With the Education Pact, Dunkirk is becoming an innovation laboratory for academic and professional orientation.

The JobLabo, an innovative concept for promoting careers in industry and recruiting differently

“Learning by playing” is the theme of this new tool developed in Dunkirk. It is similar to a technical platform, giving the impression of immersion right into the professional world but associated with an innovative framework and pedagogy. The “JobLabo” allows individuals to explore the different sectors of the industry and test the aptitudes needed for these jobs, in a fun and interactive way. At the end, individuals will receive a personalised report, a list of sectors or jobs that would suit them best and also a list of companies in the region seeking their skills, or even training courses matching their profile.

ArcelorMittal Digital Lab

Digital development is also key to industry decarbonisation. Data collection and analysis helps us to measure and optimise initiatives and processes.

Examples of initiatives :

• Awareness, training through after work activities
• Industry Technology Day 4.0: a unique occasion for start-ups and industrialists to discuss solutions for digital transformation, energy performance and even decarbonisation.

By contributing to the Call for expression of interest “Jobs and Skills of the Future” and as part of the C-Décidé project, the DEFI 4 training centre, founded by industrialists, will offer training entitled “Digital and Decarbonisation” to employees.