Living and working in lyon and auvergne-rhone-alpes
Many people only think of Paris when they think of working in France, but Lyon and the Rhone-Alpes region are also an interesting region, the workshop of France, so to speak. The region, which is less known in Germany, is one of the most attractive and dynamic economic regions in France and has a lot to offer on many levels. This region is also interesting for German employees, because many international companies are located here and are increasingly looking for new employees. In addition to its world-famous gastronomy, the region also has a lot to offer in terms of quality of life!
The Rhone-Alpes region is France’s second largest regional economic region, with a gross domestic product of 9.7%. The very solid economic base consists mainly of technology-oriented industries (biotechnology, electronic elements, system manufacturers of hardware components, computer science industry). The region also benefits from a highly qualified workforce.
A survey has shown that Rhone-Alpes is considered one of the most attractive regions in France: 60% of the young executives and graduates surveyed think that this region best suits their needs. And that is certainly due to the good location of the region in the southeast of France: the mountains, Provence and the Mediterranean Sea are very accessible and offer versatile variety.
In which sectors are there job offers in Lyon and Rhone-Alpes??
With over 3 million jobs in 2018, the Rhone-Alpes is one of the regions in France with the best job opportunities. After Ile- de-France (Greater Paris), this is where the employment rate is highest.
The number of job vacancies continues to increase, mainly due to the creation of new jobs (ca. 21.900 per year) and the large number of retirements. This labor market trend is related to a slow increase in the labor force until 2021, while it tends to decrease at the national level.
The qualification structure of the workforce is a great advantage for Rhone-Alpes. There are many executives and engineers in the region, mainly concentrated in the cities of Lyon and Grenoble. There are also many metropolitains superieurs here. In general, the job market in the Rhone-Alpes region has been growing since 1998, although it has slowed down somewhat since 2002. The construction and service industries also play their part in the region’s development.
Tips and career opportunities for German applicants in Lyon and Rhone-Alpes
French language skills are of course indispensable for a job in France! For the job market in France, and thus also for that of the Rhone-Alpes region, you should have a good knowledge of French and preferably also of another foreign language. Of course, the level of knowledge of French depends on the desired activity.
Take advantage of the German-French network: In contrast to Germany, many jobs in France are also placed through personal contacts. To make first contacts, you can participate in Franco-German meetings. You can build and expand your network at these monthly meetings.
Network meetings in the Lyon area and other cities in the Rhone-Alpes region:
Jobs and work in Lyon and Rhone-Alpes for German applicants
Job opportunities in the Rhone-Alpes region for German speakers exist, for example, in the form of telecommuting jobs (for example, at the ADAC in Lyon), where only German language skills are required, or jobs in the tourism industry with at least English language skills in addition, and jobs in aerospace and aircraft construction with special skills.
But also German-speaking lawyers, salesmen, field and office staff, account managers, doctors, technicians, engineers and buyers, logisticians, controllers and accountants are sought in all sectors of the economy. German companies with their branches in France or French companies with business contacts to Germany are the first to be contacted.
German companies and cultural institutions in the Rhone-Alpes region (Lyon, Grenoble, Saint-Etienne)
- Goethe Institute
- ABB Group (Grenoble / Lyon)
- BASF Agro (ecully, 69)
- Beeline (Grenoble, Chambery)
- Dachser France
- Dekra (Lyon, Grenoble)
- DHL (Lyon, Saint Etienne)
- Fields
- Forch
- Institut Laue-Langevin (Grenoble)
- Jungheinrich (Isere 38)
- Metro Cash& Carry France (Rhone-Alpes / Auvergne)
- Lidl
- Siemens France (Grenoble)
This map shows to which country each French department exported the most in 2020. Germany is well represented in Region Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes. (Source: France_in_maps / Le kiosk Finance)
