We are recruiting a profession: Plastic technician.

What do a shampoo bottle cap, a fireman’s helmet, a tennis racket or a window have in common? They’re all plastic. And to produce these millions of items, we need men and women who can operate machines. “We are experiencing a real shortage of plastics service technicians in our shops,” says Emmanuel Perdrix, president of Polyvia, the polymer transformers union.

The sector, although rocked by rising oil prices and the war in Ukraine, continues to thrive. In France it has 3,500 companies (mostly VSE-SMEs, often family-owned), employs 125,000 people and has a turnover of 40 billion euros in 2022. technicians, and this process is accelerating as many retire,” estimates Emmanuel Perdrix.

Joining the plastics industry means getting a secure job. “In these functions, recruitment is primarily on permanent contracts,” she confirms. And technical knowledge is well paid. »

Up to 40,000 euros per year for the most specialized

Salaries vary depending on degree level and especially experience. “A young CAP holder starts at just under €2,000 gross per month, but BTS starts at €2,300 gross per month and can quickly reach €35,000–€36,000 per year in management positions,” explains a branch representative.

Without going through management, technicians can expect to earn €40,000 per year if they gain extensive experience and join the ranks of developers or testers.

Certain plastics processing activities do not require degrees. Thus, among the members of the National Union of Plastic Extrusion, which specializes in long products for construction (window profiles, roller shutters, pipes, etc.), “we can learn this craft on the job,” assures Sylvain Godard, representative of SNEP. . But it takes 5 years to become a good extruder operator. And here we work in factories that employ about forty people, in subsidiaries of large global groups.

Available for women

The daily life of all these professionals consists of taming the material and the machines that will print it into the desired shapes throughout the day or according to the rhythm of 3×8. “The technician must know the tools and presses,” says Emmanuelle Perdrix, a business manager herself. This includes assembling and dismantling molds, running tooling, and maintaining the production file. There is adjustment and fine-tuning to get to the right part. The developer will participate in the development of new tools and try them out. »

In extrusion – a separate area, “the operator controls a 10 m long machine, he must make adjustments and manage quality. It’s very physical because it’s a continuous production and once it starts it doesn’t stop, you have to keep up with the times,” warns Sylvain Godard.

However, outside of this very specific sector, “carrying heavy loads and inaccessible items is no longer necessary, especially for women,” says President Polyvia. Plastics recycling is not a “Human Beast”. “Employees do not encounter odors, fumes, dirt, electric presses operate much less noisily, and there is no chemical risk,” she reassures.

Excellent insulator

The environmental problem remains, while petroleum-derived plastics have a poor image among the general public. “The material is 100% recyclable,” emphasizes Emmanuel Perdrix. And we wonder: We are increasingly practicing a circular economy.”

Regarding SNEP extruders, we emphasize that “new PVC production includes 20% recycled material, and in some profiles the proportion reaches 80%, even 100%.” The union, whose products are all dedicated to the construction industry, insists: “Plastic is the best chance for a building to respond to the challenges of sustainable development: it provides acoustic and thermal comfort, and in terms of insulation we do nothing better,” insists Sylvain Godard.

More than 100,000 tonnes of PVC are recycled each year, saving 136,571 tonnes of CO2. “And we strive to use as little oil as possible, replacing it with components of biological origin,” promises Sylvain Godard. So many new challenges for future operators.

It’s up to you: More information about professions related to the production of plastics on the websites www.emploi-plasturgie.org, www.puxi.fr, www.polyvia-formation.fr