LES RELATIONS QUE PEUVENT ENTRETENIR LE SYSTEME TECHNIQUE ET LE SYSTEME DE FORMATION PROFESSIONNELLE SE TROUVENT EXACERBEES PAR LA MULTIPLICATION DES INNOVATIONS. L'ETUDE DE CES RELATIONS SUR UNE LONGUE PERIODE, DIFFERENTES SUIVANT L'EPOQUE, LA CULTURE, LE CONTEXTE ECONOMIQUE ET SOCIAL DANS LESQUELS ELLES SE DEVELOPPENT CONSTITUE LE CHAMP DE CETTE THESE ET PERMET NOTAMMENT DE SITUER NOTRE PAYS PAR RAPPORT A SES PROCHES VOISINS, ALLEMAGNE ET ANGLETERRE.. THE EVER-INCREASING NUMBER OF INNOVATIONS MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH A BALANCED RELATION BETWEEN THE TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING. THIS THESIS AIMS AT EXAMINING THIS CONNECTION OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND SIMULTANEOUSLY HIGHLIGHTS THE CULTURAL, ECONOMICAL AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND AS BEING A DECISIVE ELEMENT. IT ALSO POINTS OUT THE FRENCH SITUATION COMPARED WITH THE ONE OF OUR NEAREST NEIGHBOURS, GERMANY AND ENGLAND.