Nearly 500 "Open Factories" to promote industrial employment

During the first edition last year, "there were 240 factories and more than 20.000 visitors. This year, we will exceed 500 factories," Stéphane Gorce, president of the Society of Engineers of Arts and Crafts, which initiated the operation inspired by the Heritage Days, told AFP.

Paradoxically, while several industrial sectors have suffered greatly in recent months, with a negative balance of factory creations in 2025, many sectors are recruiting and some are struggling to fill their positions.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, there were 60.000 job vacancies in industry, according to the latest available data from Dares, the statistical service of the Ministry of Labour.

The Arts et Métiers engineers' society, which commissions surveys to gauge the image of industry among the general public, saw last year a decline from 11% to 8% in the proportion of respondents who would recommend that a relative apply for an industrial job.

A trend probably correlated with factory closure announcements, according to Mr. Gorce, who nevertheless points out that there are "careers to be made".

Thus, the metallurgy sector, which has 1,5 million employees, is counting on annual recruitment needs of 200.000 in the decade, the Union of Metallurgical Industries and Trades (UIMM) told AFP, particularly in the aeronautics and automotive sectors.

At the same time, the nuclear sector, which is experiencing a resurgence and accounts for more than 250.000 direct and indirect jobs, will make between 6.000 and 10.000 new hires per year until 2035.

Factories of all sizes across France, offering jobs for all skill levels, will welcome potential candidates.

To facilitate the arrival of middle school, high school and university students, the organizers financed bus transportation.

The list of sites can be found at the address https://journees-usines-ouvertes.fr/usines-inscrites/.

"The share of industry in GDP today is less than 10%", laments Mr. Gorce, who hopes that France will "rebuild its strength" in this area, like its German and Italian neighbors.