Transition in the Construction Industry: Passerelles, new coalition working to rethink skills and career paths

Led by Dominique Naert, an expert in civil engineering and sustainable construction and director of the School’s Executive Master’s programs in “Sustainable Real Estate and Construction” and “Energy-Efficient Renovation of Historic Buildings,” the Passerelles collective places skills at the heart of the construction industry’s transition. Supported by ENPC, CCCA-BTP, the Compagnons du Devoir, and the HQE-GBC France Alliance, it proposes rethinking career paths to make trades more attractive, more adaptable, and better suited to current changes. On the occasion of the Batimat international trade show, which will take place at Paris Porte de Versailles from September 28 to October 1, 2026, Passerelles is organizing a series of four roundtable discussions bringing together stakeholders from the sector: companies, training organizations, professional associations, public institutions, academia, the Academy of Technologies, and the French government - with the participation of Sabrina Roubache, Minister Delegate for Vocational Training - with the goal of testing the proposals against real-world realities and identifying the levers for their implementation.

mitigation, adaptation, and regeneration

The building sector now faces a historic responsibility. It must simultaneously contribute to mitigating climate change by reducing its carbon footprint, adapting the built environment to new climatic and societal realities, and regenerating territories, resources, and biodiversity.

This threefold challenge is profoundly transforming professions, organizations, and the skills required. However, while these objectives are now widely shared, there remains a shortage of human resources to achieve them. The sector faces a shortage of qualified professionals capable of meeting the demands of the ecological transition. Beyond sheer numbers, it is the very nature of the required skills that is changing: energy audits, eco-design, material reuse, bio-based materials… all areas of expertise that are still marginal in training programs but must now be integrated into all career paths.

Bridge Programs: Building the Missing Links Between Education and Careers

In response to this trend, the Passerelles collective and initiative were launched, spearheaded by Dominique Naert of the École nationale des ponts et chaussées and supported by the School, the CCCA-BTP, the Compagnons du Devoir, and the Alliance HQE-GBC France.

The Passerelles initiative thus proposes to rethink career paths in order to make professions more attractive—not by creating new degrees, but by building the missing bridges between existing ones. It aims to enable everyone to build evolving career paths, to recognize the value of acquired skills, to facilitate mobility between professions, and to develop a shared culture of collective performance.

“This approach draws inspiration in particular from the Swiss and German systems, which combine academic and technical excellence, the appeal of the trades, and lifelong professional development,” adds Dominique Naert. 

A collaboration on the Academy of Technologies’ report addressing workforce and training issues in the construction sector, in light of the challenges posed by energy-efficient renovation

The Passerelles collective also contributed to the Academy of Technologies’ report, “Workforce and Training in the Construction Industry: Addressing the Challenges of Energy-Efficiency Renovation,” which will be previewed at the Batimat 2026 trade show on September 28. In the report, the Academy identifies four key issues: a lack of appeal in the sector, significant quality issues stemming from poor coordination among trades, a regulatory framework ill-suited to renovation, and the devaluation of vocational education. It makes ten recommendations centered on two complementary areas: the professionalization of the construction sector and the revitalization of vocational education.

In particular, it recommends requiring a professional qualification to start or take over a construction business, establishing measurable performance requirements, promoting coordination among trades, strengthening continuing education and upskilling programs, and better aligning the needs of the ecological transition with training policies.

More generally, it calls for a revaluation of vocational education and better information for families about this type of education. It recommends placing training programs for construction trades under the oversight of the ministries responsible for the environment, urban development, and housing.

The Passerelles initiative is consistent with recommendations to strengthen training and upskilling programs and to promote the sector’s appeal.

The roundtables organized during Batimat

• Monday, September 28, at 12:15 p.m. – “Energy-Efficient Renovation: What Changes Are Needed in the Industry, and What Skills Are Required to Meet the 2030 Goals and Beyond?”
• Tuesday, September 29, at 12:15 p.m. – “Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Off-Site Construction: The Construction Industry Enters a New Century”
• Wednesday, September 30 at 12:15 p.m. – “From Craftsman to Conductor: Successfully Coordinating the Various Trades”
• Thursday, October 1 at 12:15 p.m. – “Reviving the Desire to Build: Attracting Young People, Women, and Talent”
• At the same time, on Wednesday, September 30, at 4:00 p.m., the white paper “Living Well Under the Roof,” resulting from the First Conference on Roofing Trades, will be officially presented by Dominique Naert, among others, at the French Building Federation’s booth (1-H50/54)