the building calls to anticipate the question of training

The rescue mission of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral follows its path with its lot of uncertainties. On the strength of the building in view of the fragility of its vaults, the fear of a gap between pledges and actual generosity, or on training and recruiting staff.

This last point was discussed at length at the meeting of entrepreneurs of France Medef August 29, 2019, at a round table bringing together stakeholders building and heritage. To the central question "Our Lady, and after?", Michel Guisembert, appointed head of Chantiers de France calls for "showcasing the professions of excellence".

A few days after the burning of the Parisian cathedral, the Ministers of National Education and Labor had jointly launched the "Chantiers de France". The operation aims to make the restoration of Notre-Dame the trigger for a broader movement of training apprentices in heritage trades.

"The planets are aligned to achieve something good (…), it is still a very fragile idea, we could miss"worries the Chantiers de France pilot, who is also president of Worldskills France. At this stage, the co-chairman of the Group of Historic Monuments (GMH) Fréderic Létoffé believes that "is difficult to evaluate the human resources needed to carry out this project".

Give visibility

While heritage trades struggle to make themselves known and attract young recruits, Michel Guisembert, Frédéric Létoffé and Jacques Chanut, boss of the FFB, admit in unison that the fire of Notre-Dame could arouse interest new for cut stone or carpentry. "We start to see young people who question companies, CFA or companions", illustrates the co-chair of the GMH.

But behind this stammering craze, there is the question of the post-Notre-Dame. "There is a need to give them visibility," Frédéric Létoffé shade "we still do not know how to tell a young man who works in stone cutting if he can evolve and become a construction manager, curator or heritage architect".

"A very large number of young people do not know the existence of trades", confirms Michel Guisembert. An observation that questions professionals about their communication: "we need to highlight successful people in life", submits the president of Chantiers de France. Many heritage professionals will be present at the first meeting of the Ile-de-France organized on September 13th.

"Let us serve the cause of Our Lady but do not deceive anyone"nevertheless warns Michel Guisembert. "We can not promise a young apprentice that he will have to cut a gargoyle, but there are many other exciting things", he says.