The École Nationale Supérieure des Technologies et Industries du Bois (ENSTIB) is a major player in the future and innovation of the wood industry. We put a few questions to Laurent Bléron, Director of ENSTIB, to find out more about the school's success and its objectives for the coming years.
Can you introduce yourself? What is your background?
I graduated as an engineer from ENSTIB (École nationale supérieure des technologies et du bois) in 1997, and went on to defend a PhD in wood science at Nancy 1-Henri-Poincaré University in 2000, followed by an HDR (habilitation to direct research) at Limoges University in 2011. My research focuses more specifically on the behavior of assemblies and the valorization of hardwood species.
I began my career with a post-doctorate at the Bernese University of Applied Sciences in Biel (Switzerland) in 2000, then joined the Ecole des Arts et Métiers in Cluny as a lecturer for 11 years, where I led a specific line of research into the mechanical grading of wood and the detection of defects in lumber and veneer with a view to predicting mechanical qualities. Since 2012, I have been a university professor at ENSTIB, which I have headed since September 1, 2017. Prior to that, I was deputy director of the school since 2012, as well as director of studies for 2 years.
What brought you to work at ENSTIB?
ENSTIB is a young school, very dynamic and always creative. It's also an opportunity to work on an exciting project: what role will wood play in the future of technology? The training I received gave me the opportunity to work as a teacher-researcher as I had always dreamed. Now I've been given the opportunity to give back to the system what I've received, which is why I applied for the position of director of this school.
What role does the school play in the wood industry and in eco-construction?
ENSTIB is the only public engineering school in France entirely dedicated to the forestry and timber sector, under the authority of the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research. Over the past 30 years, ENSTIB has built up a system that is unique in France, with solid general training and specific courses dedicated to wood and its applications. This training enables ENSTIB engineers to occupy positions of responsibility in design offices, methods, research and development, production, quality, etc. Over 90% of the students trained at ENSTIB work in the forest-wood sector, and more specifically in the construction, energy and environment, biomaterials, production and logistics sectors for the wood industries. What's more, almost 50% of our graduates now work in the wood construction sector.
What difficulties do you encounter on a day-to-day basis in carrying out your mission?
ENSTIB is based in Epinal, in the Vosges. This area is unfairly unknown to future students. However, once they've settled in and enjoyed the exceptional natural surroundings and cultural offerings, they're generally won over.
What successes can you point to?
ENSTIB's aim is to offer a unique facility based on wood, a material that is both strategic and renewable. All this is done in the service of a societal, economic and environmental ambition. Our concerns revolve around "learning to learn", with the aim of passing on to our students the knowledge and working methods they need for their future careers. In this way, I believe the school has succeeded in instilling a meaningful trademark, and in empowering its students. Training tomorrow's global citizens is also one of our objectives, as is maintaining a high level of employability among our graduates. With an average time to find a first job of 12 days, we can confirm that our training programs meet the needs of industry, and this is undoubtedly one of the school's greatest successes.
Have you noticed a growing interest in this type of training? Why do you think this is?
Ecological awareness is probably one of the reasons why our students are so keen to consider a future in the wood industry. Many believe that this sector will be one of the solutions needed to achieve the objectives of a low-carbon society.
Are you planning to open any new courses in the coming years?
This year, we're opening a specialized engineering course designed to train high-level specialists who can immediately get to grips with the design and dimensioning of large-scale structures using mainly wood (buildings, engineering structures, commercial buildings, sports facilities, etc.). Three years ago, we opened up our engineering degree to apprenticeships. We still have a few ideas, but we'd like to put these courses through their paces before opening others.
How easy is it for ENSTIB graduates to find a job at the end of their training?
Today, the average time taken to find a job is 12 days. So it's safe to say that our graduates find jobs easily.
