FABRIK is launched in Toulouse to promote the green transition among young people

French and Spanish authorities are participating in the launch of a POCTEFA initiative that will involve more than 40 classes of students from both sides of the Pyrenees.

On July 2, the official launch meeting for the FABRIK project, “La FABRIKa de vocaciones: Toward a Career for a Greener World,” took place in Toulouse. This cross-border cooperation initiative is funded by the Interreg VI-A Spain-France-Andorra Program (POCTEFA 2021–2027) as part of the call for small projects.

The meeting brought together French and Spanish institutional representatives, partner organizations, and stakeholders committed to education, sustainability, and the ecological transition to launch a project that aims to inspire green careers among the younger generations and strengthen ties between young people on both sides of the border. Among the representatives were

• José María Santa Bárbara, Managing Director of the Aragon Hydrogen Foundation
• Marie-Claire Combes, President of FACE 31
• Alain Picasso, representative of the FACE Foundation
• David Tran, representative of the FACE Occitanie Foundation
• Raphaël Cazade, Vice President of the Haute-Garonne Departmental Council
• Gloria Paulhe-Perarnau, Regional Councilor for Occitanie
• Sébastien Ruffel, Secretary General of the Haute-Garonne Prefecture
• Carine Dowling and François Bergamini, representatives of the Regional Education Authority – DSDEN 31

Over the coming months, the project will introduce 40 classes of Franco-Spanish students aged 12 to 17 to professional fields related to the ecological and energy transition. Through active methodologies and challenge-based learning, students will work on developing innovative projects related to current environmental challenges, which will be presented and shared at a final cross-border event designed as a space for exchange, cooperation, and awareness-raising.

The initiative falls under Priority 3 of the POCTEFA Program, dedicated to facilitating access to quality education and training in the cross-border region, and specifically contributes to Specific Objective 152, aimed at promoting inclusive, equitable, and accessible education for all.

Beyond raising environmental awareness, The vocations FABRIK seeks to help young people discover new career opportunities linked to emerging sectors of the green economy, fostering a better understanding of the challenges of the ecological transition and the skills that will be needed in the future labor market.

The project is led by a consortium of organizations with complementary expertise in sustainability, energy transition, education, and social inclusion, ensuring balanced and coordinated implementation on both sides of the border.

SFICE’s participation will contribute specialized knowledge in renewable energy, green hydrogen, technical content, training, communication, and project management. For its part, FACE 31 will strengthen the educational aspect through innovative, challenge-based methodologies and inclusive approaches aimed at promoting equal opportunities and diversity in scientific and technical careers. Finally, Aragon Hydrogen Foundation will contribute its extensive experience in training, outreach, and the promotion of hydrogen as a sustainable energy carrier, as well as in creating synergies among the educational, business, and institutional sectors.

Cross-border cooperation is one of the initiative’s fundamental pillars. The project aims to build lasting bridges between students, teachers, and educational institutions in the POCTEFA region, fostering mutual understanding, territorial cohesion, and the creation of permanent collaborative networks between Spanish and French educational communities.

The kick-off meeting in Toulouse made it possible to define the first joint actions, strengthen coordination among the partners, and share a common vision to contribute to an ecological transition that is more inclusive, participatory, and aligned with the aspirations of young people in the cross-border region.