IUT B was created in 1967.

Its extraordinary history dates back to 1940, the dark year of the Second World War. At that time, many men had been mobilized and the country's factories were short of labor, especially skilled labor.

The Chambre Syndicale de la Métallurgie du Rhône then decided to urgently train young people in mechanical trades (turners, millers, borers, grinders, blacksmiths, welders, etc.) and created an Accelerated Training Center (CFA) in the premises of a former Villeurbanne dyeworks, at 107 rue Dedieu. This CFA will be based on the teaching method of the Swiss Alfred Carrard, a pioneer in work psychology.

The management of this Center was then entrusted to a young 24-year-old officer, Jean GALLET, severely disabled in the war, an engineer of the Arts et Métiers of Cluny, who had lost his right arm after the explosion of the tank he commanded. Under the leadership of this leader of men, a true boss, this CFA quickly acquired a significant reputation in Lyon and the region, training sections of young people month after month who quickly made themselves noticed by their ability to adapt and the quality of their work which had been instilled in them by a handful of technical instructors of an extraordinary caliber.

During all these years of war, every November 11, in commemoration of the victorious armistice of 1918, out of bravado towards the occupier and in support of their comrades engaged in combat, teachers, instructors and students, gathered in a square, met to raise the colors of France in the middle of the courtyard while singing the Marseillaise, while this kind of demonstration was strictly forbidden.  

This tradition has continued and even today, every November 11, the alumni gather at the School for the general assembly of the Association and for the pleasure of meeting up around a friendly meal.  

Over the years, this CFA will increase its range of training: industrial designers, methods agents, raising the level of diplomas from the CAP to the BEI (industrial teaching certificate). The CFA then became the GETM (Technical Teaching Group of Metallurgy). It was no longer a question of accelerated training but of a real intensive schooling.  

In the mid-1950s, highly motivated students and teachers decided to go even higher by attempting a bet considered insane at the time. They prepared for the difficult Mathematics and Technology baccalaureate which could open the door to engineering schools for their holders. However, the establishment was not administratively authorized to prepare for this exam (only the Lycée de La Martinière in Lyon was), the registration of GETM students for the baccalaureate exams was refused in the Rhône Academy. No matter, they all registered as independent candidates in the Marseille Academy. Students and teachers led a real expedition (travel, accommodation, meals) by going together to Marseille to take the exams; the result was triumphant since there were 100% passes. 

The following year, impressed by this result, the Rhône Academy accepted GETM students' registrations for the baccalaureate. We then saw the first alumni of "rue Dedieu" join engineering schools and some graduated top of the class! 

In 1964, the establishment left the premises on rue Dedieu to move into brand new buildings (currently the Mechanical Engineering and Production Engineering department), at 17 rue de France. With all these successes and under the leadership of Jean GALLET, supported by outstanding teachers, GETM was then transformed into a State Technical High School in 1967.

In the mid-1960s, our economy once again felt a very strong need for qualified labor, but this time at the senior technician level. The specifications were simple: train young people to this higher level in the minimum amount of time. This is how the Higher Technician Sections (STS) were born in the Lycées with a short but intensive 2-year training course after the baccalaureate.

In 1966, the IUTs were created within the universities; they delivered a new diploma: the DUT (two years after the baccalaureate), after a training course of 1800 hours to which were added two internships in companies, training just as intensive as in the STS, but with a university base combining theoretical and practical teaching provided by teacher-researchers, secondary school teachers and temporary workers from companies. It was in 1967 that the Lycée technique d'Etat on rue de France (which already trained higher technicians) opened the first Mechanical Engineering department of the academy.