Vocationaltrainingin FranceAnAnswer to your questions

Centre INFFO groups together specialists in law, documentation,data bases, training market and innovative practices, journalismand professionals of the publishing.

It:• co-ordinates information and documentation on continuingvocational education and training,

• edits and publishes periodicals, information documents,technical files and other information tools,

• contributes to Government information services, awarenessoperations and campaigns,

• provides information on the initiatives and operations ofinternational, national and regional institutions,

• organises study and information days,

• realises inquiries and studies for bodies or for companies.

This brochure summarises the specificcharacteristics of initial and lifelong vocationaltraining, the means of accessing additionalinformation and the main networks ofeducation, technical teaching and vocationaltraining operators in France.

In France, people have access to learning throughouttheir lives as part of the on-going education system. In2003, one worker out of three took advantage of a trai-

ning offer.

On-going education enables individuals to follow a courseeither in the form of initial schooling, or a universitycurriculum for school pupils and students, or as vocationaltraining for any person already in the work force, whatevertheir age. The efforts made in the area of lifelong vocationaltraining and apprenticeships represented 1.46% of theFrench gross domestic product in 20041.

The vocational training sector in France consists of twoareas, each of which is relatively independent of the other:• initial vocational training, which concerns young people infull-time education and apprenticeships;• lifelong vocational training which concerns young peoplewho have left or completed their initial education and adultsalready in the workplace.France is undergoing an extension of schooling at all ages.The vocational training sector is also being given greatercredence and the work-based learning system is becomingincreasingly common, either as part of the school curriculumor within the framework of a contract of employment.Over the last few years, the co-operation between school andbusiness has increased noticeably and closer bridges havebeen established. The training/learning sector is enjoyingmajor development, which is also part of EU policy.Besides, the State attributed to Regions, a whole competenceof initial and continuing vocational training.

1 Source : Budget Plan 2007.

Centre pour le développementde l’information sur la formation

permanente4, avenue du Stade-de-France,

93218 Saint-Denis-La Plaine cedex� 33 1 55 93 91 91

Centre INFFO (non-profit society under the aegis of theMinistry of Economy, Finance and Employment)

is the french national centre for the development ofinformation on continuing vocational training. Its role is to

provide information, documentation and studies in thisfield. Its targets are continuing training professionals who

train, inform, advise and guide the end users.Centre INFFO has a privileged relationship with the State,

with employers and trade union organisations and withmain training professionals.

www.centre-inffo.fr

Main general curricula

Doctorate

Certifications viaapprenticeship

Kindergartenand primaryschools

Elementary school

I n France, education is organised on a national basis. It is freeand, in the main, non religious. Private education accounts for

one pupil in five. In 2005-2006, 87% of young people between theages of 2 and 22 were attending an educational establishment1.

Initial learning

Education is compulsary between the ages of 6 and 16. It providesyoung people with teaching in general and professional subjects.The educational system, which is headed by the Ministry ofEducation, consists of 3 levels divided into “cycles” (cf. table). In2004, the cost of education within France amounted to 116.3billion euros, or 7.1% of the gross domestic product2.

Three educational choices

Threeeducational choices are available to pupils i.e. generaleducation, vocational courses and technological curricula. The lasttwo result in diplomas ranging from the CAP (Certificate ofProfessional Aptitude, Level V) to an engineering degree (Level I)and include the BTS (higher-grade technician’s diploma, 2 years’study after leaving school). They can be obtained by following aschool curriculum, taking an apprenticeship, studying on an work-based learning system or obtaining an recognition of skills.

Diplomas are designed and redefined by the relevant publicauthorities in co-operation with trade unions and employers' asso-ciations through Consultative Professional Commissions (know as"CPC" for "Commissions Professionnelles Consultatives").

Initial training to provide a placein the work force

Highereducation

undergraduate

pre-primary

andprimary

graduate

aged

3to11

aged

11to15

aged

15to

18aged

18andover

Apprentices’TrainingCentre

Pre-elementary school

6th Year7th Year

8th Year

9th Year

Lower grade school certificate

Engineeringcolleges/

Universities

Senior highschool

Juniorhigh school

High schooldiploma

General course

High schooltechnologicaldiploma

Technological course

High schoolvocational diploma

CAP - BEP

Vocational course

11th Yearadaptation course

11th Yeartechnological course

CAP-BEP

Lower gradevocational certificate

Professional certificate

High schoolvocational diploma

BTS-DUT

Engineering diploma

Since 2003, all the professionnal diplomas (level II et IV) are orga-nized in units, you could obtain in a separate way.

Agriculture education

These courses are overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture. Theyprovide varying levels of vocational education ranging from LevelV to Level I.

Professionalism for higher education

In 2005-2006, 37.5% of students registered in courses with atechnical/ vocational bias3. Higher education offers general cour-ses and vocational training courses from technician level (2 yearsafter school) to engineer (5 years after school). Such courses areopen to school leavers holding a school leaving certificate and toholders of the DAEU (university entrance diploma).All the curricula now include diploma accreditation proceduresenabling adults to enter the university system and students tobe granted examination exemptions. The “grandes écoles”, France’sleading engineering colleges which have a reputation for excellen-ce, are controlled by various ministries e.g. Education, Defence,Industry, Transport, Agriculture and Fisheries.

The educationsystem in France

1. Source: Ministry of Education. Répères et Références Statistiques 2006.2. id.3. id.

Vocational course

General course

Technological course

C.A.P. (Certificatd’aptitudeprofessionnel) :Professionalskills certificate

B.E.P. (Brevetd’enseignementprofessionnel) :Professional studiesCertificate

B.T.S (Brevetde techniciensupérieur) : HigherTechnician'scertificate

D.U.T. (Diplômeuniversitairetechnique) : Technicaluniversity degree

BTS-DUT

MasterM 2

M 1

Licence

L 3

L 2

L 1

Accreditation of life experience

n University entrance: the accreditation of life experience(system known as "validation des acquis de l’expérience" or"VAE" in France) allows applicants who do not have the necessary diplo-ma or qualifications but who have a foreign diploma, professional expe-rience or informally acquired knowledge to gain entry to universitycourses.

n Obtaining certification: Anyone who can provide proof of having exer-cised a professional or voluntary activity relevant to the final aim of thedesired diploma or qualification can have the knowledge and compe-tencies acquired in the course of that activity accredited in order toobtain all or part of the desired certification, i.e. to be exempted from allor some of the relevant examinations.

Financial contribution of employers(in % of the firm’s gross annual wage bill)

... and lifelong vocational learning

T This concerns people already in the work force (staff inboth the private and the public sectors, non-salaried wor-

kers) and about to enter the work force (job-seekers).Lifelong vocational training aims to:• make it easier to adapt to changes in working techniques andconditions;• maintain or improve their vocational qualification;• assist in their social or professional promotion.Learning possibilities depend on the status of the beneficiary.

Central and regional governments are responsible for the imple-mentation of lifelong vocational training. Social partners play avital role particularly in the choice of learning policies for staffin the private sector and the management of funding providedby companies.

Vocational training providers may be private, public or part of theChambers of Commerce & Industry, Trades or Agriculture (cf. p4).More than 12.8001 have this as their main sector of activity .

In 2004, France spent 24 billion euros on lifelong vocational trai-ning2. This funding comes mainly from central government(39.6%), companies (39.6%) and regional governments (11.25%).The remaining 9.55% result from the other public actors andfrom households.

An obligation for companies to

participate in the funding of

vocational training for their own staff

This obligation is incumbent upon employers, in both the privateand public sectors. Since 2005, it is equal to 1.6% of the wagesbill for private companies with 20 employees or more, to 1.05%for privates companies with 10 to 19 employees and to 0.55% ofthe wages bill for private companies employing fewer than 10employees3.With the exception of the training plan for companies employinga minimum of 10 employees, these contributions are managedjointly and in equal proportions (employers/workers) by collectingbodies operating at national or regional level per professionalsector, or operating at an inter-professional level.

Employee training

Employees have access to training courses either at therequest of their employers within the framework of a trainingscheme or at their own request within the leave of absencesystem, the longest period of absence being the individualtraining leave.

• Training PlanThis includes all the training activities for which the employer is respon-sible. The scheme is submitted to the works committee for discussion. Theemployer have two possibilities to provide training courses to hisemployees. In one hand the member of staff undergoing training is consi-dered to be undertaking professional work and is paid by the company. Inthe other hand, the employee attends training courses outside workinghours at the employer's request or with an only subsidy.• Individual training LeaveThis enables any salaried member of staff to follow his/her ownchoice of training programme during working hours. Such a program-me is different to any included in the training plan. On average, suchtraining leave lasts for one year. During this period, the employee ispaid (between 80% and 100% of his basic salary). He is also entitledto request that his job be kept open for him in the company. Staffcovered by a fixed-duration contract of employment can also takeindividual training leave.• Individual training Right benefitUnder the Individual Training Right benefit (DIF), every employee acqui-res a training-time credit of 20 hours a year within the limits of 6 years,which allows all employees to pursue a vocational training. Normally, theemployee attends training courses outside working hours except when asector's agreement of the social partners foresees the possibility of beingconsidered to be undertaking on the professional work.• Personal and vocational skills analysisThis enables staff members to analyse their personal and professionalskills in order to define a vocational project or establish a plan for voca-tional training. It can be carried out as part of the training plan or duringleave of absence.Except the individual training Right, similar arrangements exist for publicsector workers.

Training for self -employed workers

Self-employed or non-salaried workers (farmers, craftsmen, shopkeepers,professional people) can also take advantage of training programmes.They are required to participate in the funding of their training throughthe payment of a contribution to a State-registered collecting body.

1. Source: 2007 Budget Plan2. Source: Id.3. Such funding (or participation) consists of various contributions(cf. diagram).

Professionalisation and individual training rightsIndividual training leave

Training plans

0.500.20

0.90

0.15

0.15

0.900.40

companies witha minimumof 20 employees

companieswith less than10 employees

companieswith 10 to19 employees

Centre pour le développement de l’information sur la formation permanente - 4 avenue du Stade-de-France, 93218 Saint-Denis-La Plaine cedex

Pratical Guide

Public services

Training courses: the main networks in France• The Association des chambres françaises de commerce et d’industrie(ACFCI) provides information about all the colleges and schoolsmanaged by the networks of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.http://www.acfci.cci.fr

• The Association nationale pour la formation professionnelle des adul-tes (Afpa) organises vocational diploma courses (400 diplomas).http://www.afpa.fr

• The Assemblée permanente des chambres des métiers (Apcm)provides information on courses in trades and crafts subjects.http://www.apcm.com

• The Conférence des grandes écoles supplies a list of leading colleges byspecialist subject. It also indicates entrance requirements for foreign students.http://www.cge.asso.fr

• The Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (Cnam), a publichigher education establishment, offers more than 500 courses in theindustrial and tertiary sectors, each leading to a diploma or certificate.http://www.cnam.fr

• Educagri, the website dedicated to public sector agriculturalteaching in France, provides information about schools and colleges,diplomas and sectors within the agricultural teaching system. It alsoindicates intake sizes for halls of residence and details internationalco-operation programmes.http://www.educagri.fr

• The Groupement d’établissements de l’Éducation nationale (Greta)prepares students for the 700 technological and vocational diplomasoffered by the Ministry of Education.http://www.eduscol.education.fr

• The network of lifelong learning departments within French universi-ties details the courses on offer in each region, by vocational sector.http://www.dep.u-picardie.fr/fcu

• The Fédération de la formation professionnelle (FFP) groups together300 private training providershttp://www.ffp.org

Preparing a vocational stayin France

Information on training and employment:the main public agencies

Agence nationale pour l’emploi (ANPE) : http://www.anpe.fr

Centre d’information et de documentation pour la jeunesse (CIDJ) : http://www.cidj.fr

Centres régionaux d’animation et de ressources d’information sur la formation (CARIF) : http://www.intercarif.org

Centre européen pour le développement de la formation professionnelle (CEDEFOP) : http://www.cedefop.eu.int

Centre de développement de l’information sur la formation professionnelle (Centre INFFO) : http://www.centre-inffo.fr

Office national d’information sur les enseignements et les professions (ONISEP) : http://www.onisep.fr

Reception and consultancy

• Public service, portal site for French authorities.http://www.service-public.fr• National portal on guidance and initial and continuing traininghttp://www.orientation-formation.fr• EduFrance provides foreign students with a specificcurriculum, in French, to prepare them for higher education.It also provides a wide range of vocational training coursesfor foreign students.http://www.edufrance.fr• Egide, a State-commissioned association, provides assistancefor foreign students, researchers, trainees and VIPs makingarrangements for travel, accommodation, sickness insurance andtraining before and during their stay.http://www.egide.asso.fr• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ site provides a large number ofrecommendations for people wishing to come and study inFrance. It provides information on the formalities that must becompleted prior to a stay in France.http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr• PLOTEUS is a Portal on Learning Opportunities throughout theEuropean Space. It aims to help everyone to find out informationabout studying in Europe.http://europa.eu.int/ploteus

Design

and

layo

ut:C

entre

INFF

O01

5593

9129

February

2008

� Ministère de l’Agriculture et de la Pêche78, rue de Varenne - 75349 Paris SP� 33 1 49 55 49 55http://www.agriculture.gouv.fr

� Ministère de l’Économie, des Finances et de l’Emploi139, rue de Bercy - 75572 Paris cedex 12� 33 1 40 04 04 04http://www.minefi.gouv.fr

� Délégation générale à l’emploi et à la formationprofessionnelle (DGEFP)7, square Max-Hymans - 75741 Paris cedex 15� 33 1 43 19 38 38http://www.travail.gouv.fr

� Ministère de l’Éducation nationaleDirection de l’Enseignement scolaire110, rue de Grenelle - 75007 Paris� 33 1 49 55 10 10http://www.education.gouv.fr

� Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche1, rue Descartes - 75231 Paris cedex 05� 33 1 55 55 90 90http://www.recherche.gouv.fr