Illustrative photo
Volta Executive meta-analysis · 2026 edition
Industry · energy · energy transition
Roles in short supply 2026 the list of the 52 roles in industry and energy
The 52 roles that industry and energy can no longer fill, in 8 families and four shortage levels, with Paris and regional salaries. In France, six in ten roles are under high or very high tension, and nineteen of the thirty most strained are industrial (Dares).
52roles
in short supply, ranked in four levels
13roles
in extreme shortage: empty pipeline
19out of 30
of the most strained roles are industrial · Dares
10pages
as a PDF, free
01 · The situation
Four shortage levels
The pressure gauge of the 52 roles
Each role is ranked on four levels, from a market that is still active to an empty pipeline. Thirteen roles are in the red : for these, only direct search works.
Extreme shortage: 13 roles
Empty pipeline. Direct search essential. 6-12 months ahead. How to recruit: Targeted direct search, planning 6 to 12 months ahead, in-house training in parallel.
Industrial Maintenance Technician (Multi-skilled) · Multi-skilled Technician (Critical Sites) · Automation / BMS Technician · Shift Leader / Operations Supervisor (EfW, biomass, cogeneration, SRF) · Pipefitter, Qualified Welder (TIG, MAG, RCC-M) · Automation / Instrumentation & Control Engineer · Energy / Energy Efficiency Engineer · Nuclear Safety Engineer · Hydrogen Project Manager · Electrolyser / Storage Engineer · Industrial Cybersecurity Engineer (OT, ICS) · Plant / Site Director · Technical Expert (electrical, mechanical, automation)
02 · The definition
Definition
What is a role in short supply?
A role is in short supply when employers struggle to fill their positions: offers are plentiful relative to jobseekers, and jobseekers quickly find work again.
The statistical measure
Dares and France Travail measure tension through a composite indicator with three dimensions: the recruitment difficulties anticipated by employers, the number of job offers relative to the number of jobseekers, and how easily jobseekers find a job again. Seven complementary indicators shed light on the causes. In 2024, six in ten roles are under high or very high tension.
The regulatory list
The order of 21 May 2025 sets, region by region, the list of roles marked by recruitment difficulties. It is used to issue work permits and residence permits to non-European foreign nationals. This is what is known as the "official list of roles in short supply".
The employer survey
France Travail's Labour Needs Survey asks employers which hires they find difficult. In 2026: 43.8% of 2.3 million hiring projects, and up to 81% for refrigeration and air-conditioning technicians.
This map
It cross-checks these three sources against 120 recruitment assignments, within industry and energy only, and adds what they do not provide: a shortage level for each role and a salary range for Paris and the regions.
03 · The top 10
The ranking
The ten roles hardest to recruit
Ranked by shortage level, with the Paris range and the regional range for each, in annual gross fixed pay from experienced to senior.
Industrial Site Director Extreme
The hardest profile to find. 10 to 15 years of experience, total autonomy, full budget responsibility. Closed talent pool. Direct search essential.
- Paris
- 112–164 k€
- Region
- 100–146 k€
EfW Shift Leader Extreme
Thermal + operations + management. A role learned exclusively in the field. EfW sector consolidating, a profile found nowhere else.
- Paris
- 45–66 k€
- Region
- 40–59 k€
Automation / BMS Technician Extreme
Industry 4.0 = massive needs. Few school leavers. Many vacancies with no candidates.
- Paris
- 45–56 k€
- Region
- 40–50 k€
Electromechanical / Maintenance Technician Extreme
Structural shortage in every industrial region. An invisible, undervalued trade with long training. A talent pool that shrinks every year.
- Paris
- 45–56 k€
- Region
- 40–50 k€
Decarbonisation Project Manager (MOE) Critical
No training programme produces this profile. Thermal + energy + project management. Talent pool almost non-existent.
- Paris
- 58–84 k€
- Region
- 52–75 k€
Nuclear Safety Engineer Critical
EPR2 relaunch + ageing fleet. EDF is absorbing the entire available talent pool. Subcontractors fight over the crumbs.
- Paris
- 52–82 k€
- Region
- 46–73 k€
Energy manager / Energy performance High
Tertiary-sector decrees and RE2020 = demand explosion. Rare hybrid profile: technical + regulatory + business.
- Paris
- 63–90 k€
- Region
- 53–76 k€
Renewables / Agrivoltaics Project Manager High
The role is 3 years old. The APER law dates from 2023. A few profiles are emerging but demand already vastly outstrips them.
- Paris
- 54–87 k€
- Region
- 46–74 k€
EV charging project manager High
LOM law + RE2020 = massive rollout of EV charging points. Electrical engineering + site work + regulation.
- Paris
- 47–68 k€
- Region
- 40–58 k€
Maintenance / Operations Manager High
Promoted internally by default. Almost absent from the open market. Chronic tension across all production sites.
- Paris
- 62–99 k€
- Region
- 52–84 k€
04 · Hiring
Five proven levers
How to recruit these rare profiles
In an extremely tight market, recruitment is run like an industrial project: objective, team, schedule, deliverables, indicators.
The six mistakes that lose you the candidate, noted across our assignments.
- Writing a job description that excludes 80% of the market
- Waiting for 3 interviews and 4 weeks before replying
- Testing an industrial candidate like a strategy consultant
- Negotiating at the bottom of the range when the market is 15% higher
- Improvised onboarding, team not informed
- Underestimating the weight of the direct manager
In extreme-shortage roles, 80 to 100% of the pipeline comes through direct search.
05 · The map
By family
The 52 roles, family by family
Salaries in annual gross fixed pay, from experienced profile (5 to 10 years) to senior, excluding variable pay and job-related bonuses. Paris +12%, other regions -5% relative to the national base, except roles in extreme or critical shortage, aligned to the national level everywhere. A dash: none of our audited grids yet covers this role.
Maintenance, Operations & Methods
10 roles: Industrial Maintenance Technician, Electromechanical Technician, Multi-skilled Technician…
Open
Maintenance, Operations & Methods
10 roles: Industrial Maintenance Technician, Electromechanical Technician, Multi-skilled Technician…
| Role | Level | Paris | Region | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Maintenance Technician (Multi-skilled)Industry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | Extreme | 45–56 k€ | 40–50 k€ | Multi-skilled profiles are nowhere to be found. 113,000 end-of-career departures by 2030 in maintenance (Dares). |
| Electromechanical / Electrotechnical TechnicianIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | High | 45–56 k€ | 38–48 k€ | Strong cross-sector competition (industry, data centres, renewables). |
| Multi-skilled Technician (Critical Sites)Industry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | Extreme | 45–56 k€ | 40–50 k€ | Very strong demand. +30 to +45% since 2020. |
| Automation / BMS TechnicianIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | Extreme | 45–56 k€ | 40–50 k€ | Absolute scarcity. +50 to +60% salary increase. |
| Refrigeration / HVAC / Thermal Technician | High | – | – | Critical for the energy transition. +30 to +45%. |
| Shift Leader / Operations Supervisor (EfW, biomass, cogeneration, SRF)2026 Energy & Transition barometer | Extreme | 45–66 k€ | 40–59 k€ | Extreme shortage, no succession, experience required. 5x8 shift roles on energy-from-waste plants, biomass heating plants, cogeneration units and SRF lines: the talent pool is counted in tens nationwide. |
| Maintenance Methods / Reliability TechnicianIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | High | 45–56 k€ | 38–48 k€ | Key to industrial performance. Few trained candidates in the pool. |
| Maintenance / Operations Manager2026 Energy & Transition barometer | High | 62–99 k€ | 52–84 k€ | A strategic conductor role. Average pay inflation +40%. |
| Pipefitter, Qualified Welder (TIG, MAG, RCC-M)2026 Energy & Transition barometer | Extreme | 43–68 k€ | 38–61 k€ | EDF Grand Carénage, EPR2, ITER. Severely constrained talent pool. |
| Heavy Industrial Mechanic / Plant Machinery | Average | – | – | Construction, quarries, renewable parks. Shrinking talent pool. |
Production, Process & Industrialisation
5 roles: Line Operator, Machine Setter, Process Engineer…
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Production, Process & Industrialisation
5 roles: Line Operator, Machine Setter, Process Engineer…
| Role | Level | Paris | Region | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line Operator / Process OperatorIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | Average | 36–44 k€ | 30–37 k€ | Shrinking talent pool (-25%) and high turnover. |
| Machine Setter (machining, plastics, CNC) | High | – | – | Mass retirements vs insufficient training. +20 to +30%. |
| Process / Manufacturing EngineerIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | High | 56–78 k€ | 48–67 k€ | Demand doubled in 5 years. |
| Methods / Industrialisation EngineerIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | High | 58–87 k€ | 49–74 k€ | At the heart of reindustrialisation. +40% in needs. |
| Industrial Boilermaker-Welder | High | – | – | Nuclear, energy, naval, aerospace. Insufficient talent pool. |
Engineering, Design Office & Energy
9 roles: Electrical Draughtsman-Designer, Mechanical Draughtsman-Designer, Instrumentation Designer…
Open
Engineering, Design Office & Energy
9 roles: Electrical Draughtsman-Designer, Mechanical Draughtsman-Designer, Instrumentation Designer…
| Role | Level | Paris | Region | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical / Automation Draughtsman-Designer | High | – | – | Explosion in renewables and EV-charging projects. +20 to +30%. |
| Mechanical Draughtsman-Designer | High | – | – | A role in short supply, positions rarely filled. |
| Instrumentation / Electrical / Power & Low-Current (CFO-CFA) Designer | High | – | – | In high demand in energy, process and chemicals. |
| Automation / Instrumentation & Control EngineerIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | Extreme | 56–78 k€ | 50–70 k€ | Extreme shortage. Among the highest inflation (+50%). |
| Energy / Energy Efficiency Engineer2026 Energy & Transition barometer | Extreme | 47–67 k€ | 42–60 k€ | No. 1 role for salary inflation (+50 to +60%). |
| Energy manager / Energy performance2026 Energy & Transition barometer | High | 63–90 k€ | 53–76 k€ | Every % saved generates an immediate gain. |
| Nuclear Safety Engineer2026 Energy & Transition barometer | Extreme | 52–82 k€ | 46–73 k€ | EPR2, 60-year extensions, decommissioning. Chronic understaffing. |
| Stress Analysis / Mechanical EngineerIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | High | 56–78 k€ | 48–67 k€ | Aerospace, nuclear, defence, R&D. Contested profiles. |
| Embedded Systems EngineerIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | Critical | 56–78 k€ | 50–70 k€ | Defence, drones, avionics. Small talent pool. |
Renewables, EV Charging & New Technologies
7 roles: Energy Project Manager, EV Charging Project Manager, EV Charging Business Developer…
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Renewables, EV Charging & New Technologies
7 roles: Energy Project Manager, EV Charging Project Manager, EV Charging Business Developer…
| Role | Level | Paris | Region | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy / Renewables Project Manager2026 Energy & Transition barometer | High | 54–83 k€ | 46–70 k€ | Explosive demand (hydrogen, district heating). |
| EV charging project manager2026 Energy & Transition barometer | Critical | 47–68 k€ | 42–61 k€ | +500% since 2018. Complete profile rare, salaries rising. |
| EV Charging / Renewables Business Developer2026 Energy & Transition barometer | High | 62–90 k€ | 52–76 k€ | The ones who bring in the projects: constant bidding wars. |
| Agrivoltaics / Renewables Land Developer2026 Energy & Transition barometer | Critical | 54–87 k€ | 48–78 k€ | Ultra-niche (APER law). Very high pay. |
| Hydrogen project manager2026 Energy & Transition barometer | Extreme | 56–93 k€ | 50–83 k€ | Emerging sector: almost no experienced profiles. |
| Electrolyser / Storage Engineer2026 Energy & Transition barometer | Extreme | 52–85 k€ | 46–76 k€ | Hydrogen gigafactories, almost no experienced profiles. |
| Battery / BESS engineer2026 Energy & Transition barometer | Critical | 67–101 k€ | 60–90 k€ | EV gigafactories, stationary storage, fast-growing market. |
Site, Works & Delivery
4 roles: Site Foreman, Site Manager, Electrical Project Manager…
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Site, Works & Delivery
4 roles: Site Foreman, Site Manager, Electrical Project Manager…
| Role | Level | Paris | Region | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site Foreman (electrical, automation, industrial) | High | – | – | Field + technical + management: tiny talent pool. |
| Site Manager (industry, energy, HVAC)2026 Energy & Transition barometer | High | 48–71 k€ | 41–60 k€ | Every new site creates a shortage of managers. |
| Project Manager, Electrical / HVAC / Automation | High | – | – | No. 3 role for inflation, mainly HVAC and energy (+30 to +45%). |
| MV, HV Connection Project Manager2026 Energy & Transition barometer | Critical | 52–77 k€ | 46–69 k€ | Saturated queues, renewable projects on hold. Critical resource. |
Data, Digital & Industry 4.0
3 roles: Engineer, Industrial Cybersecurity Engineer, IIoT Architect…
Open
Data, Digital & Industry 4.0
3 roles: Engineer, Industrial Cybersecurity Engineer, IIoT Architect…
| Role | Level | Paris | Region | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Data EngineerIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | Critical | 62–90 k€ | 55–80 k€ | Needs growing by +80% (industry, energy, data centres). |
| Industrial Cybersecurity Engineer (OT, ICS) | Extreme | – | – | Under-trained nationally. +55%. Extreme tension. |
| IIoT / Edge Computing Architect | Critical | – | – | Smart factory. New role, talent pool still being built. |
Industrial Management & Site Management
5 roles: Production Manager, Plant Director, Works Manager…
Open
Industrial Management & Site Management
5 roles: Production Manager, Plant Director, Works Manager…
| Role | Level | Paris | Region | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production managerIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | High | 95–112 k€ | 81–95 k€ | Reindustrialisation: +30 to +40% in positions over 3 years. |
| Plant / Site Director2026 Energy & Transition barometer | Extreme | 112–164 k€ | 100–146 k€ | -30% in candidates for +40% in sites to manage. |
| Works / Industrial Project Manager (CAPEX) | High | – | – | Severe shortage of experienced profiles. |
| Technical Manager / DirectorIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | High | 112–134 k€ | 95–114 k€ | Tension steadily rising since 2022. |
| Programme / Industrial Projects Director2026 Energy & Transition barometer | High | 95–143 k€ | 81–122 k€ | Major nuclear, renewables and defence projects. Rare profiles. |
Quality, Regulatory & Technical Support
9 roles: Quality Technician, Quality Manager, Continuous Improvement Manager…
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Quality, Regulatory & Technical Support
9 roles: Quality Technician, Quality Manager, Continuous Improvement Manager…
| Role | Level | Paris | Region | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality / Inspection TechnicianIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | Average | 45–67 k€ | 38–57 k€ | Very tight in regulated industries (aerospace, pharma, energy). |
| Quality Manager / Auditor | Average | – | – | Rare, in-demand expertise. |
| Continuous Improvement / Lean ManagerIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | High | 58–87 k€ | 49–74 k€ | Senior profiles highly sought after. |
| Technical Expert (electrical, mechanical, automation) | Extreme | – | – | Mass retirements. National shortage. |
| Industrial HSE / QHSE ManagerIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | High | 76–95 k€ | 65–81 k€ | Heavier regulation, a much-sought-after field. |
| Environmental / ICPE EngineerIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | High | 56–81 k€ | 48–68 k€ | Long procedures (12 to 24 months), understaffed design offices. |
| Industrial / Technical BuyerIndustry & Energy Pay Barometer 2026 | High | 73–112 k€ | 62–95 k€ | Supply chain tensions, reshored sourcing, hybrid profiles. |
| Industrial Supply Chain Manager | High | – | – | Higher supplier risks, experienced profiles contested. |
| Sales Engineer / Technical Sales | High | – | – | Hybrid profiles (engineer + sales) are rare and contested. |
Seven dynamics, and none resolves before 2030
What makes the shortage last, with sources.
Open
Seven dynamics, and none resolves before 2030
What makes the shortage last, with sources.
01
Measurable structural shortage
Around 62,000 vacancies in industry in the second quarter of 2026, against 38,000 in the second quarter of 2017 (Dares, Acemo survey). 161,000 maintenance technician and supervisor positions to fill between 2019 and 2030, including 113,000 end-of-career departures (Dares and France Stratégie, Les métiers en 2030). Maximum tension in automation and BMS in every region.
02
Reindustrialisation and the energy transition
A simultaneous double demand shock: France 2030, reshoring, site modernisation, robotisation; at the same time, massive rollout of renewables, EV charging, hydrogen, storage and data centres. Both dynamics draw on the same skill families.
03
Salary surge in high-tension roles
Increases observed on our assignments (Volta Executive benchmark): +50 to +60% for automation engineers, BMS, energy engineers, energy managers. +30 to +45% for multi-skilled technicians, refrigeration/HVAC, EV charging. +20 to +30% for maintenance, machine setters, design offices. Non-speculative inflation, tied to 6 criteria that have become essential.
04
Industry 4.0, data and automation
Exponential demand for MES, SCADA, IIoT, supervision; real-time data; OT and ICS cyber; advanced automation; machine learning applied to processes. Consequences: +80% for industrial data engineers, +40% for automation, +55% for industrial cybersecurity.
05
Renewables and EV charging: the turbo effect
Publicly accessible charging points rose from 24,780 at the end of 2018 to 200,926 at the end of August 2026 (Avere-France), eight times as many. Hybrid roles (technical, regulatory, operations, land), insufficient training, double-digit growth, political pressure to speed up. Project managers in renewables, EV charging and agrivoltaics: extremely scarce profiles.
06
Unfavourable demographics
Between 2019 and 2030, the positions to fill among maintenance technicians and supervisors represent a third (33%) of 2019 employment, mostly end-of-career departures (Dares and France Stratégie, Les métiers en 2030). Young people are turning to digital careers. Roles involving on-call duty, work at height or unsocial hours are losing appeal. The talent pool shrinks just as demand explodes.
07
Tension in every environment
Energy and environment (EfW, incineration, biomass, cogeneration, SRF, anaerobic digestion, district heating, HVAC, renewables, hydrogen). Heavy industry (chemicals, metallurgy, food processing). High technology (electronics, defence, special machinery). Digital (EV charging, data centres, critical HVAC). No sector acts as a reservoir for the others.
Paris or regions: read the right column
How to read the two salary columns.
Open
Paris or regions: read the right column
How to read the two salary columns.
The ranges in this guide are written on a national basis, in fixed annual gross pay, excluding variable pay and role-related allowances. Paris and the regions are derived from them by a single coefficient, common to all the site's barometers.
Paris · Île-de-France
+12% on base pay for an equivalent role. This is where head offices, design offices and market-facing functions are concentrated.
Major cities
Lyon, Nantes, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Strasbourg: at the national median. Local tension offsets the absence of an Île-de-France premium.
Other regions
-5% on base pay, or roughly -18% against Paris. But the cost of housing is incomparable: at the low end of the range, disposable income is often higher.
Roles in extreme or critical shortage
No regional discount. The talent pool is national and the candidate goes elsewhere: a regional grid for these roles recruits nobody.
Cross-border (Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium)
Off scale. An energy engineer is reported at CHF 95-105k in French-speaking Switzerland against €43-48k in France, a ratio of one to two at face value, before cost of living.
Gap calibrated on IESF 2025 (36th survey, discount of about 20% outside Île-de-France), APEC (2025 barometer), Michael Page / Page Personnel (2026 study, 10 to 20% regional discount) and the salary data points from our 2025-2026 assignments.
06 · The essentials
In 30 seconds
Roles in short supply 2026, in four facts
The list
52 roles in industry and energy that are in short supply, including 13 in extreme shortage, 7 in critical shortage, 28 under high tension and 4 under medium tension (Volta Executive meta-analysis, 2026).
The context
In France, six in ten roles are under high or very high tension, and 19 of the 30 most strained roles are industrial (Dares, 2024 tensions, February 2026).
The field first
Employers rate as difficult 81 % of hires of refrigeration and air-conditioning technicians and 74% of those of industrial maintenance technicians, against 48% for industrial R&D engineers (France Travail, BMO 2026).
The duration
161,000 maintenance technician and supervisor positions are to be filled between 2019 and 2030, including 113,000 end-of-career departures (Dares and France Stratégie).
The full guide
10pages, as a PDF, free
- The 52 roles, family by family
- The shortage level of each
- Paris and regional salaries
- The seven dynamics that make the shortage last
- The five levers for hiring anyway
07 · Questions
8 questions
What people still asks us
What is a role in short supply?
A role is in short supply when employers struggle to fill their positions. Dares and France Travail measure it through a composite indicator with three dimensions: the recruitment difficulties anticipated by employers, the number of job offers relative to the number of jobseekers, and how easily jobseekers find a job again. In 2024, six in ten roles are under high or very high tension (Dares Résultats no. 5, February 2026).
What is the official list of roles in short supply in 2026?
The regulatory list is set by the order of 21 May 2025, published in the Journal officiel of 22 May 2025: it gives, region by region, the roles marked by recruitment difficulties, and is used to issue work permits to non-European foreign nationals. It replaces the order of 1 April 2021. The map on this page is different: it covers only industry and energy roles, with a shortage level and a salary range for each.
How many roles in short supply are there in industry and energy in 2026?
This map lists 52, spread across 8 families and four shortage levels: 13 in extreme shortage, 7 in critical shortage, 28 under high tension and 4 under medium tension. In the background: around 62,000 vacancies in industry in the second quarter of 2026, against 38,000 in the second quarter of 2017 (Dares).
Which roles are the hardest to recruit in 2026?
Field roles come before engineering roles. France Travail's 2026 BMO survey finds 81% of hires judged difficult for refrigeration and air-conditioning technicians, 77.7% for boilermaking and sheet-metal workers, 74% for general maintenance and industrial mechanics technicians, 73% for pipefitters, against 48% for design and R&D engineers in industry. According to Dares, nineteen of the thirty most strained roles are in industry. In our ranking, the top ten are: Industrial Site Director, EfW Shift Leader, Automation / BMS Technician, Electromechanical / Maintenance Technician, Decarbonisation Project Manager (MOE), Nuclear Safety Engineer, Energy Manager / Energy Performance, Renewables / Agrivoltaics Project Manager, EV Charging Project Manager, Maintenance / Operations Manager.
Do the salaries shown apply to Paris or to the regions?
Both columns are given. Ranges are written on a national basis, as annual gross fixed pay from experienced to senior profile; Paris and the Île-de-France sit 12% above, other regions 5% below. Exception: roles in extreme or critical shortage undergo no regional discount, as their talent pool is national.
Why do some roles show no salary?
Of the 52 roles mapped, 36 are covered by one of our audited grids and therefore show a range, with the source cited under the role. The other 16 show a dash: no reliable grid covers them yet, and we prefer to show nothing rather than an invented range.
How are these shortage levels determined?
By cross-checking France Travail's 2026 BMO survey (share of hires judged difficult, role by role), the tensions measured by Dares, the order of 21 May 2025 on roles in short supply, and 120 assignments analysed between 2023 and 2025. A role is classed as extreme shortage when the pipeline is empty and only direct search works.
Why will this shortage last?
Because end-of-career departures compound with reindustrialisation and the energy transition. Between 2019 and 2030, 161,000 maintenance technician and supervisor positions are to be filled, including 113,000 end-of-career departures, a third of 2019 employment (Dares and France Stratégie, Les métiers en 2030). Over the same period, publicly accessible charging points rose from 24,780 at the end of 2018 to 200,926 at the end of August 2026 (Avere-France).
08 · And now
The next 36 months
Three main trends to avoid simply enduring it
The shortage of technical profiles in industry and energy is nothing temporary. It is the new baseline.
Plan ahead before the need arises
Hires in extreme shortage are prepared 6 to 12 months ahead. Mapping the critical profiles in your roadmap (CAPEX, commissioning) is the minimum.
Tell the story of the job
A site that shows neither its project, nor its tools, nor its technical culture loses candidates late in the process. Content about the job is no longer optional.
Choose your battles
Distinguish strategic roles (never outsourced), strained roles (direct search) and operational roles (work-study, partnerships).
A role in short supply to fill
Let's scope your need together
A few targeted questions, a reply from Florian Beurtey within 24 hours, and a market map for your role.
Sources and method
- Dares Résultats no. 5, "Tension in the labour market in 2024", February 2026
Six in ten roles are under high or very high tension in 2024, against seven in ten in 2023. Nineteen of the thirty most strained roles are in industry, seven in construction: mostly skilled workers and technicians in maintenance, mechanics, electronics and metalworking.
- France Travail, Labour Needs Survey 2026 (Éclairages et synthèses no. 87, April 2026)
2.3 million hiring projects, of which 43.8% judged difficult. By role: refrigeration and air-conditioning technicians 81%, boilermaking and sheet-metal workers 77.7%, general maintenance and industrial mechanics technicians 74%, pipefitters 73%, non-managerial site supervisors 71.7%, design and R&D engineers in industry 48%.
- Order of 21 May 2025 setting the list of occupations and geographical areas marked by recruitment difficulties (Journal officiel of 22 May 2025)
The regulatory list of roles in short supply, region by region. It is used to issue work permits and residence permits to non-European foreign nationals, and replaces the order of 1 April 2021.
- Dares, job vacancies (Acemo survey), quarterly data
62,154 vacancies in industry in the second quarter of 2026, 38,059 in the second quarter of 2017, with a peak at 89,195 at the end of 2022.
- Dares and France Stratégie, "Les métiers en 2030", March 2022
Maintenance technicians and supervisors: 161,000 positions to fill between 2019 and 2030, including 113,000 end-of-career departures, or 33% of 2019 employment.
- Avere-France, national barometer of charging infrastructure
200,926 publicly accessible charging points at the end of August 2026, against 24,780 at the end of November 2018.
- Volta Executive meta-analysis
The four shortage levels and the salary increases by role are the firm's own assessments, drawn from 120 assignments analysed between 2023 and 2025. The ranges come from our two 2026 barometers, cited under each role.
This edition corrects three figures from earlier ones. The "81% of hires judged difficult" in the 2026 BMO survey concern refrigeration and air-conditioning technicians, not electrical maintenance and automation (53%). Vacancies in industry have not tripled since 2017: they went from 38,000 to 62,000. And the share of maintenance technicians who will leave by 2030 is replaced by the Dares and France Stratégie figure. Salary increases by role remain the firm's benchmarks.
Florian Beurtey, founder of Volta Executive. Engineer from Mines Saint-Étienne and AgroParisTech, formerly at EDF (nuclear power plant) and Safran before moving into recruitment at Michael Page. Lecturer at ISTP, Arts et Métiers ParisTech and Mines Saint-Étienne. Leads the community "La Voix de la Transition" (13,000 industrial decision-makers).
Page revised on 1 October 2026. PDF: October 2026 edition.