A SCHOOL FOR THE BATTERY IN BÉCANCOUR

By Anne Bourgoin

An agreement between the French company Verkor and the Consortium-Formation-Énergie Mauricie-Centre-du-Québec has just been formalized by Lucie Allard, Mayor of Bécancour. The project involves the implementation and operation of a school that will train students and workers in fields related to the energy transition. The agreement will enable the placement of interns, the exchange of teachers, the creation of a joint France-Québec battery curriculum and the forging of alliances.

Verkor has a two-year head start, since its school, built with 15 partners, has been running since 2022. “Both institutions have a vested interest in working together, given that their expertise will be complementary. In France, we’re mainly interested in the cellulier and modules part, whereas in Bécancour, they’ll be more related to raw materials,” points out Émilie Rondet, coordinator of the French Battery School.

A technical study is underway, in particular for the location of the future school, and job offers are being made for project managers and content experts. If it goes according to plan, students could start as early as the fall of 2024.