Fresh talent for the outdoor sports industry is on the way

More than 250 companies in this industry are based in Rhone-Alpes. They represent 700+ brands and almost 6,000 jobs.The European headquarters of the largest international outdoor companies are located in the Rhone-Alpes region, companies such as Salomon, Mavic, Patagonia, Petzl, adidas Outdoor, Fusalp, Eider, Millet, Arva, Rossignol, Scott Sports …

Through the impetus of companies in the industry, two outdoor sports specific international advanced degrees were launched in 2012:

+ a Master of Science in Sports & Outdoor Industry Management in partnership with EMLYON Business School. The objective of this graduate program is to train future executives and managers in the outdoor sports industry.

+ a Bachelor’s in Performance Sports Textile & Footwear in partnership with the Université de Savoie’s IUT Technical School. The goal of this program is to train future highly skilled technicians in the areas of apparel, footwear, bags, or textile accessories.

In September 2012, thirty students from 10 different countries entered one of these two programs, both taught entirely in English. These talented individuals have spent the last 5 months taking classes with experienced high-level lecturers from the industry, visiting companies, attending professional trade shows and conferences, conducting in-company research projects, and even heading out into the field to perform equipment tests. Outdoor Sports Valley (OSV), the industry’s trade body and instrumental in the creation of these programs, now plays a key role as intermediary between students and industry. For example, on November 28, 2012, more than 15 outdoor sports companies came together in Annecy for the very first Career Fair, providing the opportunity to meet thstudents from these two programs.

Pascal Aymar, Head of OSV Education Programs

In September 2013, OSV’s third education program will start in Annecy, a Bachelor’s in International Sales Specialists in Sports, in partnership with the Université de Savoie’s IAE Savoie Mont-Blanc Institute of Management and CNPC. The goal of this education program is to train future international sales representatives and managers to master applied sales techniques in the outdoor sports industry, to understand the international environment, and to grasp the key elements involved in product development, manufacturing, distribution, marketing, sourcing…

View the promotional video for the education programs vimeo.com/38488843

What is OSV?

“Outdoor Sports Valley” is an expression that refers to both a region and a cluster of industries dedicated to outdoor sports. This area encompasses tens of thousands of employees from the sports and recreation industries, the headquarters of most outdoor industry companies, and represents one of the planet’s most unique playgrounds. By the numbers, OSV has more than 160 member companies that represent over 150 brands and around 2 900 employees.