Skills and professions of the future: an engaging electronics sector connected to local communities

Funded by the "skills and professions of the future" call for proposals launched as part of the France 2030 national investment plan, CAP ELENA focuses on the electronics sector in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The objective is clear: to meet the growing demand for skilled workers and inspire new vocations in a sector facing labour shortages.

Electronics, the discreet foundation of our digital lifestyle

Noëlle Lewis: "There is no digital technology without electronics. While smart, connected devices are everywhere, their electronic circuits are often invisible. CAP ELENA was created to raise awareness of essential professions, strengthen ties between educational institutions and industry, and tailor training programmes to regional needs."

A threefold challenge: appeal, partnership, education

N.L.: "CAP ELENA is based on three main priorities. The first is to build a solid bridge between academia and industry. We need to better understand the real needs of businesses, which vary from region to region. In Nouvelle-Aquitaine, there is a dense industrial fabric, with a few large groups and a large majority of small and medium-sized companies.

The second challenge is to restore young people's interest in science and its applications in industry. Today, careers in electronics suffer from a poor image. Electronics has disappeared from young people's imagination. It is everywhere, but hidden: locked away in our smartphones, our computers, etc. We need to re-establish this link between curiosity and understanding. To do so, CAP ELENA develops fun educational materials, participates in promotional events and conducts in-depth work on perceptions among middle and high school students.

Finally, educational innovation is at the heart of the project. Case studies, serious games about the globalised smartphone industry and professional immersion programmes: everything is done to train informed citizens who are in touch with industrial realities and environmental issues. We don't just train technicians, we train responsible individuals who are aware of their environment and their role in society."

A collaborative project, rooted in local communities

N.L.: "CAP ELENA is a consortium of 20 partners, including nine industrial companies, spread across the three academies of Bordeaux, Limoges and Poitiers. A survey conducted in partnership with the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region was recently launched among more than 300 companies to refine the mapping of skills needs, from high school to Master level. This survey will be repeated each year to ensure dynamic monitoring.

In terms of communication, a shared strategy and tools, and a future turnkey "communication kit" are being rolled out to harmonise actions and pool efforts.

The spirit of the project? Sharing, particularly between the six higher education institutions, engineering schools and universities. Faced with the challenges of electronics, the time for competition is over and the time for cooperation has come. The idea is to capitalise on best practices, save time and increase efficiency so that each institution involved can take concrete action."

A dynamic in motion

N.L.: "After a year and a half of implementation, CAP ELENA is now fully up and running. The team will be complete by the start of the 2025 academic year, and a major partner meeting - the ELENA Camp - is scheduled for July 3^rd in Bidart. This will be an opportunity to share feedback, discuss initiatives to boost appeal, and further strengthen synergies."