/ 
From the shipyards of Vendée to the workshops of La Ciotat, the tension has become structural. Profiles are in short supply, whether for aluminum welders, laminators, marine electricians or project managers. Some companies have full order books, but are struggling to produce at the expected rate. In coastal employment areas, there is strong competition from other technical industries, notably aeronautics, energy and construction.
Faced with this situation, the industry is getting organized. Regional clusters, maritime training centers and technical centers are multiplying partnerships with vocational high schools and engineering schools. Local initiatives, such as the "campus des métiers de la mer" and work-study programs dedicated to the nautical sector, are multiplying. But volumes are still insufficient. The sector lacks visibility with the younger generation, who are often attracted by sectors with more media coverage.
Companies are adapting their strategies. Some are banking on in-house training to retain profiles from other industrial sectors. Others are reviewing their production methods: ergonomics, versatility, partial automation. Tomorrow's shipyard will no longer be just a workshop, but a continuous learning environment, where skills are cultivated as projects progress.
The challenge is also a cultural one. Restore the desire to build, repair and assemble boats in a world dominated by digital technology. Promote manual, often technical, always demanding professions. To make people understand that an electrician, a composite workshop manager or a mechanic are, in their own way, contributing to the ecological transformation of shipping and yachting.
In the years to come, the recruitment battle will be decisive. The nautical industry has already demonstrated its ability to adapt to economic and environmental crises. It will now have to face up to the challenge of passing on its know-how. Training, attracting and retaining: three key words that will determine the industry's competitiveness and longevity.
More than ever, the future of boating will also be played out on land, in workshops and classrooms.
