• This March 18, Terra Academia, a school and gas pedal of ecological transformation, inaugurated its first campus in the northern French town of Arras in the presence of its Chairman Jean-Michel Blanquer, Antoine Frérot and Estelle Brachlianoff, Chairman and CEO of Veolia, and Frédéric Leturque, Mayor of Arras. Terra Academia is an initiative of Veolia, the founding company, and aims to accelerate the development of training for professions linked to ecological transformation.

Between now and 2030, the ecological transformation is predicted to impact approximately 8 million jobs and potentially create 150,000 jobs in France, according to the Secretary-General in charge of environmental planning. As a result, Terra Academia, a school and accelerator of ecological transformation founded by Veolia, unveiled a great ambition this past March 18: make education on regions’ specific needs concerning ecological transformation more attractive and accessible.

By bringing together actors from the economic, academic, public and non-profit sectors, Terra Academia intends to train 60,000 people and offer work experience to 100,000 young people by 2030 in career discovery programs by 2030.

“Ecological transformation is a non-negotiable priority for humanity. It will not happen properly unless training, the absolute foundation for success, is not used to accelerate the process. We must take action, collectively as well as individually, to protect our planet and plan for human, economic and social progress in light of this imperative”, Jean-Michel Blanquer, Chairman of Terra Academia.

Terra Academia will work with young people, people in employment, people in retraining, local government managers, and local politicians. The school’s vocation is to adapt, enhance and create the necessary trainings by working with local academic providers, but also to bring to life a coalition of individuals committed to ecological transformation. Backed by an Institute of Higher Studies in Ecological Transformation and a multidisciplinary scientific council, Terra Academia will open its first courses, aimed at executives, in June 2024.

A skills catalyst to accelerate transition
Backed by a coalition of committed players, including the founding company Veolia, Terra Academia has already brought together a number of local partners, including EDF Hauts-de-France, the University of Artois and the FACE association, as well as national partners such as Dassault Systèmes and the Institut Mines Telecom. Tomorrow, this coalition is set to expand, as Estelle Brachlianoff, Veolia’s Chief Executive Officer.

“I firmly believe that education in ecological issues is essential for everyone, and this requires appropriate and accessible training, close to home and aimed at everyone. That’s why I’m calling on other companies who share this ambition to join our coalition” Estelle Brachlianoff, Veolia’s CEO.

Between now and 2025, three new Terra Academia campuses will open in France, before exporting the model internationally. See you in June and September 2024 for the inauguration of the next campuses in Paris and Deauville.