engineer in the wood industry

In short

  • Course duration : 3 years
  • Full-time study, Apprenticeship
  • Recruitment criteria : preparatory class or 2-year university diploma in the wood sector

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COURSE PRESENTATION

ENSTIB proposes specialist engineering courses for the wood sector. Our comprehensive general training combined with sector specific coursework enable our engineering graduates to take on positions of responsibility in fields such as production, design office, methods, research and development or quality.

The course duration is 3 years and is characterized by its multidisciplinary aspect which means our engineers can happily enter any field of the wood and eco-materials sector

Over 90% of ENSTIB graduates work in wood related sectors and the average time to find a first job is under one month.

INTERNSHIPS AND PROJECT

The course includes 3 internships :

  • A 2 – 3-month internship abroad in a non-French speaking country at the end of the 1st year, aiming to improve students’ language skills and international awareness
  • A 6 – 11-week ‘assistant engineer’ internship at the end of the 2nd year during which the student carries out engineering tasks while remaining under the supervision of the company.
  • A 4 – 6-month end-of-studies internship closing the 3rd year which confronts the student with hands-on engineering within industrial constraints.

The industrial project during students’ 3rd year gives them a first glimpse of industrially-oriented technological research.

SPECIALIZATIONS

The first 2 years constitute the core content of the engineering course, whereas the first semester of the 3rd year consists in specialization subjects, allowing the student to perfect his knowledge in fields directly related to his or her professional project. Students choose between various professional-oriented paths.

INTERNATIONAL GATEWAYS AND DOUBLE DIPLOMAS

Double diplomas

  • Engineer ENSTIB – Engineer AgroParisTech (1st and 2nd years in ENSTIB, followed by 2nd and 3rd years in AgroParisTech – Nancy
  • Engineer ENSTIB – Architect (ENSArchitecture – Nancy) (1st and 2nd years in ENSTIB, followed by 3rd, 4th and 5th years in the French Higher National School of Architecture, in Nancy.
  • University of Quebec (UQAC) : 3-year university diploma in Project Management, Eco-counselling and Organizational Management

Various double cursus courses are available in the 3rd year – Master’s in : Research ; Agronomic science, environment, territories development, countryside and forestry ; Complex Systems engineering ; Wood Construction Architecture ; Business Administration, Entrepreneurship.

Partner universities also allow students to study abroad for a semester.

APPRENTICESHIP

SCHEDULE

WHAT IS THE APPRENTICE’S STATUS IN THE COMPANY ?

An apprentice is an employee of his or her company and therefore under its responsibility, via the apprenticeship supervisor. (S)he must carry out the tasks given. Throughout the 3 years of training, under the guidance of the supervisor, the apprentice will address specific tasks, build experience and gradually extend his/her responsibility within the company.

The supervisor in-company decides when and how to allocate these responsibilities. The tasks to be given to the apprentice and the relevant skills are listed in detail at the start of each semester. At the end of each semester, the supervisor returns a qualitative assessment of the apprentice’s capacities.

Programme

1st Year

Students

Apprentices

23 ECTS
341h

Science and Technology Subjects for Engineering

  • IT and statistics
  • Thermodynamics
  • Design and design tools
  • Fluid mechanics
  • Thermal transfer
  • Materials solidity

23 ECTS
304h

25 ECTS
342h

Wood Science and Technology

  • The forest-wood context, wood products and materials
  • Wood structure and properties – anatomy
  • Conservation, finishes and adhesives
  • Design and manufacturing

25 ECTS
293h

12 ECTS
128h

Human, Economic and Social Sciences

  • Economy and mangement
  • Communication
  • English

12 ECTS
116h

2 à 3 mois

1st-Year Internship in English-Speaking Country

In a wood sector business

2 mois

2nd Year

Students

Apprentices

28 ECTS
357h

Science and Technology Subjects for Engineering

  • Innovation and industrialization
  • Mechanical, dynamic and acoustic model-building
  • Logistics and industrial manufacturing
  • Quality and environment management

28 ECTS
270h

16 ECTS
250h

Wood Science and Technology Subjects

  • Wood construction
  • Building thermics
  • Chemical and energy valorization
  • Industrialization and production improvement

16 ECTS
210h

16 ECTS
185h

Human, Economic and Social Sciences

  • Business management and strategy
  • Legal and operational management
  • English

16 ECTS
140h

6 à 10 semaines

2nd-Year Assistant Engineer Internship

In a wood sector business or laboratory

3rd Year

Students

Apprentices

24 ECTS
276h

Specialization Subjects

3 modules to choose from among the 12 specialization subjects, according to the student’s professional project or in accordance with the company

Wood bio-refineryCharacterizing and developing materialsAdvice and expertise in wood materials
Building thermicsEnvironmentEnergy production
Developing building materialsDimensioning StructuresGlobal approach to wood projects
Industrialization of wood products and processesCompany logisticsDigital engineering for decision making

16 ECTS
184h

6 ECTS
280h

End of Studies Project

  • End of studies project on an industrial issue
  • Research and development project

14 ECTS
280h

5 ECTS

World of Business and Analysis

  • Module synthesizing knowledge of businesses, the sector and jobs
  • Working with human realities
  • In-depth analysis of a wood sector company

5 ECTS

25 ECTS
4 à 6 mois

End-of-Studies Engineering Internship

Internship carried out in a company or laboratory of the wood sector. Students are in charge of a clearly defined industrial project and supervised by a company executive

25 ECTS

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

Xavier LAURENT

Promotion 2014

I followed up a high school diploma in Mechanical Engineering with a 2-year course in carpentry/construction, then did a 1-year preparatory class to take the ENSTIB entrance exam. I finally graduated from ENSTIB in 2014 with an engineer’s diploma option Construction.

I work as a studies department engineer for STABILAME in Belgium, the company I did most of my internships in. I’m in charge of stability studies for the buildings we construct – mainly single family homes, but also multi-family residences, service residences (nursing homes and care homes for example), creches and schools, the tertiary sector, special projects like traditional wooden structures for churches, pile supported buildings on water, wooden barges and so on).

In the wider sense, I did the ideal course for this job ! And at the same time, this job is an ideal fit for my course and my love of wood as a building material.

In the wider sense, I did the ideal course for this job ! And at the same time, this job is an ideal fit for my course and my love of wood as a building material. My best memory from my time at ENSTIB is being able to interact with all the different people in and around the school. It’s a human sized school, which means you can chat with everyone – from the dean to the maintanance crew, from faculty and the admin team to the students. It’s one big network, like a family !

Tanguy PRAUD

Promotion 2010

I did Engineering with a Production and Logistics option at ENSTIB. I graduated in 2010 and a few months later I got a job in Paris with FCBA, the technological Institute for forestry, cellulose, wood construction and furnishing. Then in 2013 I moved to Canada. I now work for a company calles Spieth America as Operations Manager. The company’s based in Ontario and we make and sell gymnastics equipment all over the world. I work with my life-partner Anne-Sophie Bajorski who’s an engineering graduate from the class of 2012.

It’s true that the Production and Logistics option, together with the accreditation Basics of Supply Chain Management, my excellent level in languages and multiple internships abroad have enabled me not just to access this international job, but also to adapt, to integrate and progress.

The course I took in ENSTIB reflects 100% the job I do now. It’s true that the Production and Logistics option, together with the accreditation Basics of Supply Chain Management, my excellent level in languages and multiple internships abroad have enabled me not just to access this international job, but also to adapt, to integrate and progress.

And I have so many good memories from this school. One in particular comes to mind : we arranged a spur of the moment barbecue before leaving for our internships at the end of the 1st year. We thought there’d only be about a dozen of us, but the whole class turned up ! Our little event turned into a party. Everyone did something, from cooking to cleaning up, totally spontaneously. It was so much fun. That’s when we realized what we wanted from life : Work hard, Play hard.