More virtuous agricultural practices, valorization of good agro-ecological practices, new forms of value creation with low-carbon or HVE labels for example, knowledge of the soil and precision control via sensors and data... the skills of the teams must necessarily adapt. For NatUp, accompanying them in the face of the evolution and transformation of agriculture is a priority. This is why the cooperative is investing heavily in this training: more than 150 hours to obtain a BADGE* agronomist certification, a label issued by the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles which certifies the program and the expectations. "We are offering our 70 technical and economic agents and agents specializing in plant production the opportunity to take a turn towards agro-ecology and new technologies. It's a great opportunity to be able to access this level of training for those who were unable to do so in their initial training. For all of them, this update of knowledge will further strengthen their expertise", says Patrick Aps, General Manager of NatUp. The cooperative has joined forces with UniLaSalle, a leading higher education cluster in the earth, life, environmental, energy and digital sciences. "We are pleased with the trust placed in us by NatUp, which represents a real recognition of the skills of our business experts. We have co-constructed with NatUp a tailor-made training course in agronomy which will enable NatUp employees to increase their skills and validate their achievements through certification", says Stéphanie Pineau, Director of Development and Corporate Relations at UniLaSalle. The training will be composed of three phases: a time spent on the Mont-Saint-Aignan campus, a remote part to limit travel and a final essential third of practice in the field. The first class of 12 advisors should start by the end of the year and will spend 6 months training before passing a defense. The next graduating class will start three months apart to train the entire team by December 2024. "It's a great opportunity," says Thierry Pustoc'h, a candidate in the first class. "Even if my career end is approaching, I am very happy to be able to benefit from such an opportunity, to progress and to go even further in my knowledge. And sharing this in a group with colleagues of all ages and different backgrounds is a richness. I am the tutor of a young person who has just finished his work-study program in a bachelor's degree program, and perhaps we can continue this journey within the same class. And I'm sure that in a few years he will be able to go on to obtain an engineering degree by taking advantage of the VAE program we offer. Indeed, two complementary internal training courses will complete the system. For the most motivated, they will be offered the possibility of going on to obtain an engineering degree through a VAE (Validation of Acquired Experience).