Although around 45% of employees participate in continuing vocational training courses provided by enterprises, adult participation in lifelong learning in 2012 in France was only 5.7%. This is well below the European average of 9.0% and a long way from the European target of 15% to be reached by 2020. According to indicators compiled by Cedefop (the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training), adult participation in lifelong learning in France is also below Spain (10.7%) and Italy (6.6%), but slightly above Germany (7.9%).

 

In contrast, France is making some progress in reducing early leaving from education and training towards its target of 9.5% or below by 2020. The percentage of early leavers from education and training in France was 11.6% in 2012 compared to 12.6% in 2010. In 2012, fewer young people were found leaving education and training with low educational attainment in France than in Italy where the figure is 17.6%, the UK (13.5%) and in the EU as a whole (almost 13%). However, France does not do as well as Germany where the percentage of early leavers from education and training in 2012 was 10.5%, or Poland where the figure was only 5.7%.

Notes to editors

• Data come from indicators compiled by Cedefop (the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training). Data used was extracted in summer 2013 and at the time of writing is the latest available from Eurostat. Data relating to employee participation in continuing vocational training relate to 2010.

• Cedefop’s full publication: On the way to 2020 giving data for all EU Member States is available at: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publications/22388.aspx.

• France’s performance on a range of indicators selected to monitor progress in VET and lifelong learning across the European Union is shown in Figure 1: [VET indicators for France for the most recent year available Index numbers (EU=100)]. The indicators are based on the most recent data available (this differs by indicator). Data in the chart are presented as an index where the EU average equals 100. If the index for an indicator is 100, then France’s performance equals the EU average. If the index is 90, its performance is 90% of (or 10% below) the EU average. If the index is 200, France’s performance is twice (or 200%) the EU average. For some indicators, such as early leavers from education and training, a country is performing better if its score is below the EU average.

• Data on which the index scores have been calculated are presented in Table 1, which also shows changes over time: [Score on VET indicators in France and in the EU, 2006, 2010 and 2011/12 (where available)]. A technical definition of each indicator is at: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/5533_en.pdf.