Apprenticeships in heritage trades like carpentry, masonry and roofing have soared in France – driven partly by what experts are calling the "Notre-Dame effect" following the restoration of the iconic cathedral after its devastating 2019 fire.
Between 2018 and 2023, the number of apprentice carpenters in France rose by 44 percent, while apprenticeships in traditional masonry and roofing nearly doubled, according to a report this week from the Institut Supérieur des Métiers (ISM), a resource and training centre for artisanal small businesses.
