The building materials industry represents a potential of 1.400 recruitments per year

In an economic and social context disrupted by the health crisis, this work has the merit of shedding light on the state of the labor market in the materials sector before the arrival of the pandemic. We discover an industry that provides stable jobs, rich in a variety of professions, present in all regions, and offering evolving and lasting professional careers.

The building materials industry in France: an overview

The building materials industry covers a wide spectrum of activities, ranging from quarrying for the extraction of raw materials to the manufacture of products such as ready-mixed concrete (ready-mixed concrete), mortars and cements, prefabricated concrete products, but also the size and shaping of stones.

According to the latest annual UNICEM * survey, in 2018, the building materials industry represented 2.888 companies, spread over 5.861 sites, generating a turnover of 9.210 million euros. This production, mainly intended for construction (46%) and public works (44%), concentrates more than 73.500 jobs, a relatively stable figure over the last 4 years (72.189 in 2015 vs 73.576 in 2019).

The majority of employees in the materials sector work in production-related trades (44%), a quarter in administrative and commercial jobs, while less than a fifth occupy technical and supervisory positions. The jobs of drivers / operators of machinery and maintenance represent respectively 9% and 5% of total jobs.

96% of employees in the materials industry are employed on permanent contracts, ie 8 points more than for all industries. The annual median gross salary exceeds 30.000 euros.

While the sector is still very masculine, it also attracts women. They represent 17% of employees.

The study also shows that 52% of employees are 45 and over. This finding is obvious. The sector will have to cope with retirements and win back vocations among the youngest. This is one of the missions that UNICEM has set itself, in particular by promoting training and apprenticeship through its CFAs, but also by increasing the number of information meetings on the various professions in the industry.

Careers and materials: an industry that trains and recruits

Diversified trades and know-how

From CAP level to engineering diploma, from the extraction of rocks and minerals to their transformation and implementation, the construction materials industry offers a wide range of trades with diversified know-how and offers many professional opportunities.

However, one observation remains: despite the challenges for the future that the sector represents, very often companies find it difficult to recruit the qualified personnel necessary for the proper development of their activity and the regions. However, the environmental challenges coupled with the challenges of the construction of tomorrow make this sector one of the most dynamic and the most attractive in terms of career development, long-term employment and innovation.

UNICEM estimates that companies in the “quarry and materials” sector will need to recruit 1.400 employees each year, for 20 years.

The companies that are members of UNICEM offer a wide variety of professions (some examples):

• On a quarry: machine operator, treatment plant pilot, quarry manager ...
• On a ready-mixed concrete production unit: mixer truck driver, automated installation pilot, planning agent, etc.
• Stone trades and processing workshop: stonemason, building and decoration marble worker, machining, cutting ...
• Cross-functional jobs: laboratory technician, maintenance, administrative functions, accounting, human resources management, land and environment, sales, health and safety coordinator, etc.

Nearly 2 work-study trainees

Over the year 2018-2019, 2.429 young people followed initial work-study training. A figure which, even if it is still lower than that of 5 years ago (2.545 for 2013-2014), has proved to be fairly stable over the last 4 years. Work-study training mainly concerns the trades of drivers (913) and machine mechanics (1.008). The stone and marble trades attracted 341 apprentices.

Over a million hours of training committed in one year

In order to mobilize professional skills and adapt them to changes in professions, employees are trained throughout their careers. In 2019, 2.012 companies in the materials industry deployed training actions representing 1.002.364 hours with 44.876 beneficiaries. These are distributed among workers (41%), technicians and supervisors (27%), engineers and managers (18%) and employees (14%). The most popular continuing training courses are machine driving and safety, representing 14% and 13% of trainees respectively.

Dedicated CFA UNICEMs for a better approach to professions

The CFA UNICEM (apprenticeship training centers managed by the National Union of Quarry and Construction Materials Industries) located in Brittany, Occitanie and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, each year train more than 600 young people aged 15 to 25 years, in the various trades of the quarry and materials industries.

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* The annual UNICEM survey covers the field: aggregates, ready-mixed concrete, building stones and products for industry and does not include mortars, cement, and precast concrete.