-

IStock / City Presse

Faced with global warming, many countries, including France, are trying to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

However, the building sector alone represents 45% of the energy consumed on national soil and 25% of CO2 emissions, according to government figures.

The State's energy strategy therefore necessarily involves improving the building stock.

The objective: to renovate 500,000 homes per year.

And to keep up, the construction industry needs manpower.

Present in the plan

In 2019, the Ecological Transition Agency (formerly Ademe) estimated that the workforce in the residential building sector had jumped 49% in ten years, while those in the renewable energy market had climbed 30% over the same period.

And the recruitment trend is expected to intensify in the coming years.

In 2018, a prospective study by Ademe thus evoked job creation of up to 900,000 jobs by 2050, under the assumption of a very committed policy.

However, the 2020 post-health crisis recovery plan devotes some 30 billion euros to ecological transition, including 6.7 billion for the renovation of public and private buildings.

Up to 55,000 jobs could be created over two years with this investment, according to government forecasts.

A panel of professions

The entire construction chain seems to benefit from it.

Upstream of renovation projects, for example, individuals are increasingly turning to energy advisers to optimize their installations.

Likewise, construction companies rely on renovation project managers, energy performance team leaders or qualified insulation workers to carry out the work.

Various trades also consist in intervening downstream of the sites.

This is the case of the flow economist and the operations technician, who will be responsible for the energy monitoring of buildings for the local authorities.

More broadly, from the installation to maintenance of equipment, through the management of intervention teams and project managers, the energy renovation sector offers career opportunities.

And if you are not delighted with wage employment, many professionals are entering the market as freelancers or entrepreneurs.

Economy

Employment: How to combine work and retirement?

Economy

Employment: What are the rules governing redundancy?

Different routes

There are many courses, in apprenticeship and through university, which allow training in the construction and energy renovation professions.

Here are a few examples:

  • The construction worker: you can go through a CAP depending on the desired profession, such as those of wood constructor, thermal installer or even insulation and waterproofing.

    Obtaining certificates of professional competence (CCP) makes it possible to obtain certain approvals in eco-construction.

  • The energy advisor: the profession is accessible from bac +2 with a DUT thermal engineering and energy or a BTS fluids energy home automation.

    Several professional licenses targeting renewable energies are available.

    And if you go on to a master's degree in the fields of energy or an engineering degree in energy engineering, you can have great prospects in terms of coaching and team management.

  • The energy renovation business manager: this requires a vocational baccalaureate or a BTS, which can in particular be supplemented by a level 5 diploma course within the Compagnons du duty.

  • Energetic transition

  • Training

  • Economy

  • Construction

  • Building