In order to preserve its artisanal heritage, last year the French luxury group set up a training center dedicated to leatherworking, its core business, approved by the French national education system, allowing students to obtain a national state diploma in the craft. This training programme started at the Hermès leather goods factory in Fitilieu, Isère.It has since been extended to workshops in Charleville-Mézières in Ardennes, Marthon in Charente, Montereau in Seine-et-Marne and Louviers in Eure. In November, the Auvergne leather goods manufacturing center in Riom, in Puy-de-Dôme will be added to this network.

The school now has more than 450 apprentices in its various workshops. As the company reminds us, its school is open “to all profiles who wish to become craftsmen and aims to enhance their manual talents.”Since 2011, the high demand for leather goods has prompted Hermès to increase its production capacity and welcome candidates from all kinds of backgrounds. These are people often undergoing professional retraining.