“Work-Study Week: Promoting Apprenticeships and Quality Training for Young People”

Carole GRANDJEAN, Minister Delegate for Vocational Education and Training: It is a question of putting visibility on the alternation. In 2022, we had 837,000 apprentices compared to 240,000 in 2017. We are trying to promote this type of training. We can say that we are becoming a nation of learning. But that requires communicating, letting people know that work-study today, in particular apprenticeship, takes place throughout the territory. There are still emblematic sectors, such as industry, construction or transport, but the model has developed in all sectors. Apprentices are found at all levels of qualification, including 8 out of 10 in VSEs/SMEs. We contacted each of the companies in France, to encourage them to recruit, which resulted in 325,000 offers today on the “1 young person 1 solution” site, including more than 7,000 posted over the last 15 days.

Learning is therefore popular, unlikeprofessionalization contracts. How do you explain it?

The professionalization contract has lost visibility and attractiveness. No doubt because of our communication efforts focused on learning. This is one of the next folders to open.

One out of four apprenticeship contracts is not completed. How to cure it ?

It’s a big project if we want to make apprenticeship a form of training that is recognized and of high quality. It is necessary to improve the contents of training, the reception in the company, to make better known also the trades and training in a chosen and enlightened orientation. Quantity does not go without quality: we are going to work on the quality of learning and better assess these breaks.

There is an aid of 500 € intended for apprenticeship contracts for the financing of the driving licence. Why not extend it to professionalization contracts?

There was this barrier to mobility among high school students between their business and their home. We want to highlight all the aid that exists and there are many of them. Beyond €500, there are flat-rate aids that can be combined for apprentices with aid from communities, municipalities, departments and regions. We have launched a census of information that will better highlight them.

Stressed businesses suck in many young people on apprenticeship contracts even before obtaining their diplomas, as in border areas. How to avoid it?

For example, obtaining your diploma (Ebra/ESJ diploma, editor’s note) opens up opportunities, but above all it broadens the prospects for other levels of qualification. We are going to focus on the quality of training and the involvement of players to enable young people to complete their professional career. Like what Ebra does, I prefer that companies make a commitment to take on more young apprentices and that they respond to their recruitment difficulties by preparing and training them.

The professionalization contract has lost visibility and attractiveness. Probably due to our communication efforts focused on learning and a better funding support system.

One out of four apprenticeship contracts is not completed. How to cure it ?

It’s a big project if we want to make apprenticeship a form of training that is recognized and of high quality. It is necessary to improve the contents of training, the reception in the company, to make better known also the trades and training in a chosen and enlightened orientation. Work-study learning should be possible at any age.

There is an aid of 500 € intended for apprenticeship contracts for the financing of the driving licence. Why not extend it to professionalization contracts?

There was this barrier to mobility among high school students between their business and their home. We want to highlight all the aid that exists and there are many of them. Beyond €500, there are flat-rate aids that can be combined for apprentices with aid from communities, municipalities, departments and regions. We have launched a census of information that will better highlight them. The Youth Commissioner is considering facilitating access to driving licenses for all young people.

Stressed businesses suck in many young people on apprenticeship contracts even before obtaining their diplomas, as in border areas. How to avoid it?

For example, obtaining your diploma (Ebra/ESJ diploma, editor’s note) opens up opportunities, but above all it broadens the prospects for other levels of qualification. We are going to focus on the quality of training and the involvement of players to enable young people to complete their professional career. Like what Ebra does, I prefer that companies make a commitment to take on more young apprentices and that they respond to their recruitment difficulties by preparing and training them.