A Historic Market for IT Training in France

On May 12, 2025, Ascent Formation, a Breton training organization based in Pacé near Rennes, reached a decisive milestone by winning the four most strategic lots of the inter-ministerial IT training market led by the Ministry of Armed Forces.

This contract, worth €80 million over 4 years (with a contractual ceiling of €210 million), represents the largest public IT training market in France. It will enable the training of more than 40,000 state agents across 13 ministries and 90 public establishments in cybersecurity, data and artificial intelligence.

Market Scope and Strategic Stakes

The Inter-Ministerial IT Training Market

This market, launched in 2024 by the Ministry of Armed Forces on behalf of the State, aims to strengthen the digital skills of public agents in a context of increasing cyber threats and digital transformation of public services.

Key Figures:

• ▸Budget: €80 million (estimated)
• ▸Contractual ceiling: €210 million
• ▸Duration: 4 years (2025-2029)
• ▸Agents to be trained: 40,000+
• ▸Ministries concerned: 13
• ▸Public establishments: 90

The 6 Lots of the Market

The market is divided into 6 lots covering different IT domains:

1. Networks and Telecommunications (Lot 1)
2. Operating Systems and Virtualization (Lot 2)
3. Cybersecurity (Lot 3)
4. Data and Artificial Intelligence (Lot 4)
5. Cloud Computing (Lot 5)
6. IT Project Management (Lot 6)

Ascent Formation won lots 1, 2, 3 and 4, covering the most strategic and high-demand areas: networks, systems, cybersecurity, and data/AI.

Why This Market is Historic

Unprecedented Scale

This is the largest public IT training market ever awarded in France, both in terms of budget and number of trainees. It demonstrates the State's commitment to strengthening the digital skills of its agents in the face of growing cyber threats.

Strategic Importance

The market covers critical areas for state digital sovereignty:

• ▸Cybersecurity: Protection of state information systems
• ▸Data and AI: Mastery of data processing and artificial intelligence
• ▸Networks and Systems: Infrastructure management and optimization

National Impact

With 40,000+ agents to be trained across 13 ministries, this market will have a significant impact on the digital transformation of the French public service.

Ascent Formation's Competitive Advantages

Proven Expertise

Ascent Formation has been a recognized player in IT training since 2008, with expertise in:

• ▸Cybersecurity (certifications: CISSP, CEH, Security+)
• ▸Data and AI (certifications: AWS, Azure, GCP)
• ▸Networks and systems (certifications: Cisco, Microsoft, Linux)

National Coverage

With training centers in Rennes, Paris, Lyon, and the ability to deliver training throughout France, Ascent Formation can meet the geographic requirements of the market.

Quality Approach

The organization is Qualiopi certified and has a proven track record in public markets, having already trained thousands of agents from various ministries.

Training Programs Offered

Cybersecurity Training

• ▸Security fundamentals
• ▸Network security
• ▸Incident response
• ▸Security audits
• ▸Preparation for CISSP, CEH, Security+ certifications

Data and AI Training

• ▸Data analysis and visualization
• ▸Machine learning and deep learning
• ▸Cloud data platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• ▸AI ethics and governance

Networks and Systems Training

• ▸Network administration (Cisco, Juniper)
• ▸System administration (Windows Server, Linux)
• ▸Virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V)
• ▸Cloud infrastructure

Market Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges

• ▸Scale: Training 40,000+ agents over 4 years requires significant organizational capacity
• ▸Diversity: Adapting training to different skill levels and needs across 13 ministries
• ▸Quality: Maintaining high training standards while managing volume

Opportunities

• ▸Recognition: This market establishes Ascent Formation as a major player in public IT training
• ▸Development: Opportunity to expand expertise and strengthen the team
• ▸Innovation: Opportunity to develop new training methods adapted to public service needs

Impact on the French Training Ecosystem

This market demonstrates the growing importance of IT training in France, particularly in cybersecurity and AI, areas where skills shortages are critical.

It also shows that French training organizations can compete with international players on major public markets, contributing to digital sovereignty.

Conclusion

The award of this historic market to Ascent Formation represents a major recognition of the organization's expertise and capacity to meet the State's training needs.

For the French public service, this market will enable significant strengthening of digital skills, essential for facing current and future challenges in cybersecurity, data and AI.

Ascent Formation, for its part, establishes itself as an essential player in French digital sovereignty, capable of competing with the largest players on the most demanding markets.

For More Information:

• ▸Official website: www.ascent-formation.fr
• ▸Press contact: Nicolas Potin - npotin@ascent-formation.fr - 06 85 18 78 76