INDUSDAY: a day at TotalEnergies to inspire young people

On 19 November 2025, the CSTJF opened its doors to around one hundred of the region’s higher education students for Industry Week. Organised with the Lacq-Pau-Tarbes industrial region, INDUSDAY has established itself as a unifying event designed to transform how people perceive the industry and its diverse professions, innovations and commitments.

Watch the INDUSDAY video (in French):

Regional mobilisation, the key to success

"The success of INDUSDAY lies in the commitment of numerous industrial and educational partners. Their participation reflects a shared desire to bring together industry and educational institutions, transmit expertise, share experiences and actively train future talent”, Jérôme Poncet, Site Director of TotalEnergies, Pau and Head of Skills at the OneTech branch of the multi-energies Company, explains. "We are also incredibly proud of our in-house mobilisation: this new event celebrating Industry Week in France owes its success to the commitments of our employees who have designed a rich and stimulating programme for young people."

For the sector’s industrial partners and institutions (the Lacq-Pau-Tarbes industrial region, the UIMM, Lacq Plus), taking part in this event confirms their role as key players committed to attracting talent and meeting the region’s recruitment challenges. Guided by TotalEnergies, the young participants had the chance to talk directly with industry professionals, understand industry expectations and identify sought-after skills, both now and in the future.

Taking part in INDUSDAY offers schools a real-life insight into the industry and privileged access to a centre of excellence with state-of-the-art technology, as well as a range of useful activities to develop both academically and professionally. This synergy between schools and companies is essential to adapt to changes in the sector and guarantee youth employability.
 

An afternoon of experiences and discoveries

After a round table discussion in the morning bringing together Audrey Le Bars (Director of Lacq-Pau-Tarbes Territoire d’Industrie and Chemparc), Valérie Coulato (Director of the Speichim Unit in Mourenx and President of Lacq Plus), Claudio Strobbia (Founder and President of Realtimeseismic), Sandrine Cointe (Head of Employment/Recruitment and Certification, Diversity spokesperson at UIMM) and Jérôme Poncet, the INDUSDAY programme offered students a practical insight into what really goes on in the industry. Visits, workshops and masterclasses were organised to answer their questions and meet their aspirations.

The students realised that their future career did not depend just on their degree but also on their ability to showcase their skills and adapt to a rapidly shifting working environment. They discovered how their motivation and expertise could become real levers to forge their own path in an ever-changing industry seeking people with diverse backgrounds. They learned how to communicate with AI, formulate relevant prompts and understand and test processes to transform an idea into a real-life project. They also met inspirational spokespersons who discussed their unusual backgrounds, successful career changes, the benefits of international mobility, etc. followed by a big quiz where three winners were announced!

Erika Quintero is one employee who talked about international careers. "I had the chance to speak with students during lunch, and it was really interesting to observe their curiosity and willingness to receive advice on their future career. Their ambition reflected their desire to work in industry and tackle the challenges linked to this fast-paced and constantly evolving market. This was a very enriching experience for me. During the workshop, I felt like I achieved what I set out to do: inspiring these students to follow their dreams and objectives. I reminded them that motivation and discipline are the keys to moving forward, but that any obstacles they encounter will be character-building and make them more mature and well-rounded individuals."

"With INDUSDAY, we wanted them to leave with a renewed vision of a modern, inclusive and meaningful industry, gain greater confidence in their potential, and develop their curiosity and motivation to build their future career. According to the satisfaction survey they completed, we did just that", concluded Isabelle Porterie, Head of External Relations at the Pau site.