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Young people receive training in Nantes

Learning by doing: innovative vocational training for short-staffed electrician professions

The Air Liquide Foundation supports the Icam, at the Nantes site (West of France), to develop its production school. Through practical training, young people who dropped out of school are rediscovering their desire to learn and acquiring a professional skills certificate in electricity. The goal is to achieve 100% positive outcomes

Production school

Every year, 16 young people aged 15 to 18 who dropped out of school are trained in electrical wiring and assembly. For this program, the Icam chose instruction by production schools based on "learning by doing".

The vocational instructors from the Icam provide these  young people the skills that industrial groups looking for workforce expect them to have. The students carry out actual customers' orders with equipment similar to what they will be using at future employers. 

After the training, the young electricians are ready to join the labor market.

A mentorship system between the Icam's engineering students and students from the production school helps to develop skills on both sides

The Icam chose instruction by production schools based on "learning by doing"

Short-staffed professions

In France, more than 80,000 young people leave school without any qualifications every year.

Following feedback from industrial groups about their difficulties in recruiting qualified electricians, the Icam launched its two-year training, at the end of which trainees obtain a professional skills certificate. 

Target: all trained students find work or continue studying in this field after their training.

How the Air Liquide Foundation is participating

The Air Liquide Foundation participates in the purchase of a thermal printer and a test bench to enhance the training and production workshop.