Reference year 2026
Version 2026
Drafted by Pascale Etienne, Project manager, OFFA (Office francophone de formation en alternance), Belgium - Member of Cedefop Community of apprenticeship experts for Belgium - French community
1Scheme history
Vocational training: SMEs training has a long-lasting tradition in apprenticeships and target the skills needs of the SMEs labour market. In 1907 the first apprenticeship secretariat in Wallonia was created. The IFAPME network can be considered as the heir of this first historic institution.
Education is provided by educational authorities through CEFA centers (Centres d'Education et de Formation en Alternance). “Formation en alternance” was introduced in 1985.
Formation en alternance provided by IFAPME has its roots in traditional craftsmanship, i.e. training in SMEs.
Formation en alternance provided by CEFA was originally introduced as part of compulsory schooling in 1985 at the time of extending the compulsory schooling age from 15 to 18, with the implicit purpose of providing education to all young people who were at risk of early leaving.
2Beneficiaries
15 to 25 for young apprenticeships
At least 18 for adult training
The majority of learners are aged 18+. This scheme attracts potential early leavers or learners who accumulated ‘school failure’.
In 2025/26, 9,850 apprentices are enrolled in dual upper secondary education and training (CEFA) and have a contract in a company.(source: Offa database). As a comparison, in 2023/24, there were 8,730 young in CEFAs.
About 4,500 more apprentices are enrolled in the IFAMPME and SFPME schemes.
Approximately 18,000 are enrolled in adult apprenticeship.
Latest data for all available options are from 2022:
Young apprentices: 13, 629, of which,
- at CEFA: 8,859
- at IFAPME: 4,225
- at SFPME: 545
Adult apprentices: 18,497
Apprentices at tertiary level: 325
Source: Mac Kinsey 2022
3Qualifications
CEFA award qualifications at level 4 of CFC “Cadre francophone de Certification”
IFAPME and SFPME award qualifications at level 3 or 4 of CFC
Tertiary training awards qualifications at level 6 or 7
Cedefop’s NQF online tool presents information on the state of play of the NQF: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/nqfs-online-tool
ISCED level 3,4,5,6
When provided by CEFA, the scheme is implemented based on the VET standards (valid generally for all VET schemes).
Qualifications and certificates only in the CEFA sub-system (called “article 49”) are equivalent to those of full-time education: Certificate of sixth year of studies of vocational secondary education (CE6P, Certificat d'études de sixième année de l'enseignement secondaire professionnel), Certificate of upper-secondary education (CESS, Certificat d'enseignement secondaire supérieur) , Qualification certificate for the sixth/seventh year of study (Certificat de qualification de sixième/septième année)
When provided by IFAPME or SFPME, the scheme is implemented via specific apprenticeship programmes. Such programmes and related Vocational qualifications are developed with the support of the sectoral social partner representatives.
Article 49 qualifications in the CEFA sub-system are formal VET qualifications that do not
indicate the pathway.
Article 45 qualifications, in the vocational training sub-system, are formal VET qualification, which indicate the pathway.
IFAPME and SFPME issue both formal apprenticeship qualifications and formal VET qualifications which indicate the pathway.
Not always, only those awarded a Certificate of upper-secondary education (CESS, Certificat d'enseignement secondaire supérieur) may directly access higher education.
In upper secondary education, training programmes last from one to six years, depending on the job profile and the structure of the training plan.
The duration of the training programme may also be adjusted during its implementation.
4Governance
OFFA (Office francophone de la Formation en Alternance) is the institution whose mission is the coordination of “formation en alternance” in French-speaking Belgium.
Composition of the board (18 people):
• 5 members appointed by the French Community Government of which
o 4 members appointed by the compulsory Education
o 1 member appointed by “l’Enseignement de Promotion sociale”
• 7 members appointed by Walloon Region of which
o 3 representatives of IFAPME
o 2 representatives of trades unions
o 2 representatives of employers
• 6 members appointed by the college of the COCOF (French community commission of Brussel) of which
o 2 representatives of SFPME
o 2 representatives of trades unions
o 2 representatives of employers
Coordination of Formation en Alternance
Social partners are part of the board of OFFA as well as part of the Accreditation and mediation committee and are part of most of the working groups set up by OFFA.
OFFA signs collaboration agreements with the sector representatives (social partners)
involved in alternance training and education.
Designing qualifications and profiles
Vocational qualifications in the French-speaking part of Belgium are developed by the “Service francophone des métiers et des qualifications” (SFMQ) (French-speaking service for trades and qualifications). The SFMQ brings together the main VET stakeholders: the public employment services (PES), the social partners, all VET providers, the operators for socio-professional integration, the Skills Validation Consortium (Consortium de validation des compétences, CVDC) for Belgium-FR. The SFMQ is in charge to create occupational profiles (basis for all vocational education and vocational training provision) that reflect the reality of occupations. Both types of VET providers en Alternance (SFPME/IFAPME and CEFA) implement some of the occupation profiles developed by the SFMQ.
• IFAPME uses some of the occupation profiles developed by the SFMQ for the curricula it offers. The remaining profiles of qualifications and curricula are developed via specific apprenticeship programmes with the support of the sectors.
• SFPME: information not available.
• CEFAs: implement uses some of the occupation profiles developed by the SFMQ for the curricula they offer. The remaining profiles of qualifications and curricula are developed within Education authorities.
Moreover, social partners are part of the board of IFAMPE and its local IFAPME training centers, and are part of the board of the local training center of SFPME (EFP).
All three providers (CEFA, IFAPME, SFPME) sign collaboration agreements with social partners at sectoral level involved in alternance training.
Social partners sitting in OFFA board are involved in the accreditation process of enterprises that wish to hire apprentices.
Professionals or representatives of sectorial branches are part of the qualification jury in schools and training centers (IFAPME/SFPME/CEFA).
A considerable part of the apprenticeship training is offered by SME training centers set up by the SFPME (Espace Formation PME- training service for small and medium-sized enterprises) in Brussels and the IFAPME (Institut wallon de formation en alternance et des indépendants et PME - Walloon Institute for dual training and self-employment in small and medium-sized enterprises) in Wallonia.
In the case of IFAPME/SFPME, training is delivered by active professionals.
Ministries:
- the ministries coordinate the education and training bodies which depend on their supervision
- provide guidance on public education and training policies
- participate in the alternance training steering body (OFFA)
PES:
- Act as a support or expert in various groups of analyses and guidance of vocational
training (planning, creation of training profiles, analysis of labour market data, etc.)
Providers:
- provide training for learners
- Create or participate in the drafting of training profiles
- participate in the alternance training steering body (OFFA)
- approve alternance training companies
OFFA :
- management of alternance training (upper secondary education) (see Q13)
The State finances the operation of training centers.
CEFAs are part of the formal educational system and are therefore publicly financed by the State. IFAPME/SFPME centers are financed by public educational authorities up to 75%
VET institutions:
Apprenticeships and alternating programmes are organised in BE-FR by:
For Young apprenticeships:
• centres for part-time education (CEFA Centres d’éducation et de formation en Alternance) :43 centres
• regional training centres for apprenticeships:
o IFAPME (Walloon Institute for dual training and self-employment in small and medium-sized enterprises in Wallonia): 17 centres
o SFPME/EFP (Le Service de la formation des petites et moyennes entreprise / training service for small and medium-sized enterprises in Brussels : 1 centre EFP
For adults :
o IFAPME (Walloon Institute for dual training and self-employment in small and medium-sized enterprises in Wallonia): 17 centres
o SFPME/EFP (Le Service de la formation des petites et moyennes entreprise / training service for small and medium-sized enterprises in Brussels : 1 centre EFP
o FOREM : “Wallonia Public Employment and Vocational Training Service “ : VET provider for unemployed people
o “Training for adults”
Higher education: High schools and Universities provide VET
VET teachers:
o Trainers (teaching general courses)
o Practical training instructors (accompanying learners during professional and technical courses in the training centres); For IFAPME and SFPME, these instructors need to have experience in their job. For CEFA, they need to have an educational degree.
o in-company trainers (tutors, supervisors/advisors) who are in charge of the learner in the company. A short tutoring training can be proposed to tutors. It gives them concrete tips and tools to apply in their daily support to learners in companies.
o “Guide teacher”: in charge of administrative tasks and support learners for job placement
Teachers of general courses in CEFAs must update their pedagogical knowledge every year.
Trainers in IFAPME or SFPMEcan or must (depending on the number of years of service) have training in pedagogical matters with an external center (Formaform).
FormaForm is a partnership scheme set up by vocational training actors Le Forem, Bruxelles Formation and IFAP. FormaForm has deployed a wide range of training courses and other methods to support trainers in updating their digital skills. Since 2023, the offer was structured around three main areas:
1. the professionalisation of trainers,
2. the professionalisation of guidance stakeholders, and
3. the quality assurance agency for vocational training (ensuring the quality of assessments and certifications carried out by training and skills validation providers)
For more detailed information, you can also see Cedefop’s activities on VET teachers and trainers: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/themes/vet-youth-teachers-trainers
Since 2022, the CEFAs, IFAPME, and SFPME have been collaborating with the National Quality Assurance Reference Point to harmonize their quality standards. They complete common questionnaires and participate in European peer reviews and intervision sessions. This work focuses primarily on aligning their work-study training programmes with the actual needs of the labour market. Quality assurance indicators have been developed.
For all VET providers: The training plan is evaluated every 6 months to check if companies and VET providers agree with its progress and further rollout.
CEFAs: School inspections and continuing education
IFAPME:
In each center, within their alternance service, a reference person is appointed. This person helps company participation, and acts as a liaison between the company and the school. E.g. helps with drafting the individual training plan, with administrative procedures, also with visiting companies and ensuring quality of training. At IFAPME, important to have similar learning outcomes/ comparability of the workplace training to common standards.
The reference person also collects input for the pedagogical advisors at IFAPME (one per sector), so that curricula/programmes are improved, or new are introduced.
IFAMPE collects data on enrolments, graduations etc, and has its own company satisfaction surveys on a yearly basis once a cohort ends. Graduate tracking for IFAPME graduates exists, monitoring their career situation years after they complete the apprenticeship programme (dedicated Unit within IFAPME).
5Training at the workplace
The contract (“contrat d’alternance”) must attach a training plan, which mentions the apprentice learning path and skills to be acquired, both through in-company training and in the training institution.
Typically, 1-2 days per week in school, 3-4 days in the enterprise. Specific adaptations of this arrangement depend on criteria such as the age of the apprentice.
The scheme is implemented based on the VET standards (valid generally for all VET schemes) when CEFA is the provider.
The scheme is implemented via a specific apprenticeship programme in the case of IFAPME and SFPME. Such programmes and related Vocational qualifications are developed with the support of the sectoral social partner representatives.
The Certification per unit (CPU) system organises the certification of knowledge, skills and professional competencies in Units of Learning Outcomes.
All learning outcomes are registered in the “training plan”. All the skills who must be acquired, along with the corresponding schedule, must be specified in the training plan.
This “training plan” is compulsory in the CEFA, IFAPME and SFPME.
Digital education for students has become significantly more structured in recent years. Digital literacy is a required subject n the Common core curriculum at CEFA. For Ifapme & SFPME, the focus is on digital inclusion and the digitization of professions to combat occupational inequalities
A training plan must be attached to the “contrat d’alternance”. It is part of the contract.
It is established by the training institution, in consultation with the company and the apprentice.
It mentions the apprentice’s learning path and skills to be acquired, both through in-company training and through training organized with the training institution, specifying what needs to be taught at which venue.
The training plan is divided in 3 levels of competences (A, B, C).
Prior to the conclusion of a contract, the company must have obtained approval (accreditation) from the training institution to deliver “formation en alternance” (on proposal of sectorial coaches when they exist). The company introduces an application for approval to a training institution. Within three months of the application, the training institution (or the sectorial coaches when they exist) visits the company to see if the company meets the requirements for accreditation.
The company authorizes a ‘training contact person from the training institution to visit the workplace in order to check the company meets the obligations to which it subscribed. ‘Training contact persons’ ensure that the training plan is implemented and verify the equipment available to the apprentice.
The company has to provide a tutor (“tutor appointed by the company”), responding to the conditions specified in the contract
In order to become a company tutor, the following conditions need to be fulfilled, to:
• have at least 5 years' professional experience in the profession (only 2 years if the tutor has an entrepreneur diploma), or
• hold an educational qualification or a tutoring training certificate, or
• hold a qualification validating their skills as a tutor and
• provide an extract from the Belgian criminal record (model 596-2).
Accreditation may be suspended or withdrawn by the training providers.
OFFA operates an accreditation and mediation committee which deals with the appeals filed by companies or by providers.
6Contract and compensation
A new definition of “apprentice” was introduced in July 2015 to harmonize the status of young people in “formation en alternance” with regards to social security. They are now treated mostly as ordinary employees.
However, minors (until December 31 of the year in which they reach the age of 18), are only partially subject to social security to cover: ”annual vacation, work accident,
occupational diseases”.
Contrat d’alternance.
Before 1 September 2015, IFAPME, SFPME and CEFA had their own types of contract.
Following the implementation of the cooperation agreement (introduced in 2008, implemented in 2015) aiming to simplify, harmonize and promote the mobility of learners, the “contrat d’alternance” was established in 1 September 2015.
It introduces a common contract for all operators of “formation en alternance”, i.e. the so-called contract d’alternance.
This new contract replaces the formerly existing socio-professional integration agreement (convention d’insertion socioprofessionnelle), the IFAPME apprenticeship contract, and the SFPME apprenticeship contract.
Apprenticeships are a specific type of contract.
Educational authorities through CEFA centers: contracts are registered at the schools (CEFA centers) IFAPME and SFPME: contracts are registered at the local administrations of IFAPME et SFPME.
For both tracks: as of 4 November 2019, contracts are registered on-line on OPLA* (the unique and interactive platform of Alternance) under the control of OFFA.
A minimum remuneration must be paid to the apprentice by the company. It varies for each skill level (included in the training plan).
Apprentice wage is based on the “guaranteed average minimum monthly income determined by decree based on the “guaranteed average minimum monthly income” (€ 2.189.81), for the duration of the contract:
• Level A: minimum 17% (€ 372.2677)
• Level B: minimum 24% (€525.5544)
• Level C: minimum 32% (€700.7392)
These amounts are the minimum amount for the wage.
Each company can pay more than the minimum.
7Financing and incentives
A minimum remuneration must be paid to the apprentice by the company.
The State finances the operation of training center.
CEFAs are part of the formal educational system and are therefore publicly financed by the State. IFAPME/SFPME center are financed by public educational authorities up to 75%.
Some sector-specific funds assist operators by organizing training sessions and sector-specific exams, and by paying for sector-specific coaches who help operators during the accreditation process.
Walloon and Brussels Regions are competent to organize their own incentives programmes.
In Wallonia, there are two specific incentives for companies:
• Incentive to companies that hire their first apprentice: 750€ (paid once)
• Incentive to companies that train apprentices: 750€ for each apprentice who stays in the company at least 9 months and reaches the B level competence while in the company.
In Brussels, the employer receives a bonus for each tutor who accompanies 1 to 4 learners simultaneously (‘tutor premium’): 1750€ for each tutor (once a year). The apprentice must remain at least 6 months in the company.
Online platform: STAGE+ is a platform elaborated by Offa to match learners and company
Support by chambers: the sectors assist the operators and the companies by visiting them concerning the agreement procedure and providing them eventually helpful assistance.
In each IFAPME center, within their alternance service, a reference person is appointed. This person helps companies participation, and acts as a liaison between the company and the school. E.g. helps with drafting the individual training plan, with administrative procedures, also with visiting companies and ensuring quality of training.
Guidelines for day-to-day collaboration with schools: OFFA has drafted and posted on his website a “VADEMECUM”. This document clearly explains how the apprenticeships work and answers many questions that companies may have.
Support for training in-company trainers: Trainers training are provided and strongly encouraged. The duration of these training sessions is at least 8 hours. These one are proposed by agreed operators and employers’ associations