IN BRIEF
The Union des entreprises du sport et du cycle (UESC), the French sport and cycle industry association, and the producer responsibility organisations for electrical waste, including Ecologic, are funding training for bike repairers through the Fonds Formation 3E. Businesses holding the BonusRépar Cycle label can receive up to €7 per hour of training for a level 3 qualification, capped at €3,500, and €8 per hour for level 4, up to €4,400. Five RNCP qualifications are eligible, from sports equipment sales technician to cycle mechanic. Funding applications are filed online, at the end of the training, for each employee trained.
Seven euros an hour for level 3 training, eight for level 4: since 2025, a dedicated fund has been financing the upskilling of bike mechanics, in a sector where businesses struggle to find trained candidates. The Union des entreprises du sport et du cycle (UESC), the French sport and cycle industry association, sets out the details of the scheme, run by the producer responsibility organisations of France’s extended producer responsibility system for electrical and electronic waste (WEEE), including Ecologic.
A fund reserved for BonusRépar Cycle-labelled businesses
The Fonds Formation 3E is aimed at BonusRépar Cycle-labelled businesses wishing to train their staff towards recognised qualifications in the sector. For any training completed in 2026, a business can receive €7 per hour for up to 500 hours, i.e. funding of as much as €3,500 for level 3, and €8 per hour for up to 550 hours, i.e. up to €4,400, for level 4. Applications are filed online, on the portal for labelled repairers, at the end of the training and for each employee trained.
Five RNCP qualifications covered
Five qualifications open the door to funding: sports equipment sales technician (RNCP35992), cycle reuse mechanic (RNCP41665), cycle sales technician (RNCP41464), cycle technical adviser (RNCP36721) and cycle mechanic (RNCP37007). Joining the BonusRépar label costs the applying business €140 excluding tax for three years.
| Level | Funding | Cap |
| Level 3 | 7 € / hour | 500 hours, up to €3,500 |
| Level 4 | 8 € / hour | 550 hours, up to €4,400 |
Addressing a shortage of trained mechanics
This training fund comes on top of existing schemes — France’s personal training account (CPF), France Travail, Transitions Pro or apprenticeships — to help bike workshops recruit and train qualified mechanics, a job in short supply as the country’s bike fleet, and electric bikes in particular, keeps growing in France.
