- 2015Implementation
- 2016Implementation
- 2017Implementation
- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Background
Trades and qualifications campuses were created in 2013, aiming to coordinate, at a local level, the work of secondary and higher VET institutions and businesses in given economic sectors. The first trades and qualifications campus (campus des métiers et des qualifications) was inaugurated in 2014. The campuses bring together secondary and higher VET institutions, companies, apprenticeship centres, and research centres working in a given economic sector, along with regional economy and authorities (as part of the 2013 Law to reform school, 8 July 2013).
Objectives
Fostering cooperation between higher education and economic sectors to match supply and demand for qualifications more effectively, and expanding the trades and qualifications campuses initiative were among the national policy priorities in VET for 2016-20. The second generation of campuses aims at establishing VET as an excellence pathway, strengthening the linking between the world of education and the world of business. It is part of the actions taken under the continuing reform of May 2018. Their aim is to contribute to the development of future professions and sectors of excellence and become places for learning, living, innovating and promoting international openness.
Description
In the reporting period, the initiative was further extended through labelling 95 campuses covering 12 growth and job-creating sectors: food and food-processing; chemistry and biotechnologies; creation, design, audiovisual; infrastructures, construction, eco-construction; materials, innovative materials; mobility, aeronautics, terrestrial and maritime transport; digital, telecommunications; business services, logistics; innovative services, mechatronics; tourism, gastronomy; energy transition, eco-industry; and personal care services, well-being. Information campaigns were undertaken, and support material developed in a joint publication by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Employment, Vocational Education and Social Dialogue and the Ministry of Economy (2017). In February 2017, a new call for applications was launched to ensure the creation of campuses in all regions and economic sectors, taking care to include the European and international dimension of programmes to allow for the involvement of Erasmus+ projects. On 28 May 2018, the Minister for National Education and Youth announced a new generation of campuses. The national terms of reference for awarding or renewing the label 'trades and qualifications campus' (campus des métiers et des qualifications) were published on 13 December 2018. The new 'excellence' label distinguishes campuses that meet a strategic socio-economic challenge and more demanding...
In the reporting period, the initiative was further extended through labelling 95 campuses covering 12 growth and job-creating sectors: food and food-processing; chemistry and biotechnologies; creation, design, audiovisual; infrastructures, construction, eco-construction; materials, innovative materials; mobility, aeronautics, terrestrial and maritime transport; digital, telecommunications; business services, logistics; innovative services, mechatronics; tourism, gastronomy; energy transition, eco-industry; and personal care services, well-being. Information campaigns were undertaken, and support material developed in a joint publication by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Employment, Vocational Education and Social Dialogue and the Ministry of Economy (2017). In February 2017, a new call for applications was launched to ensure the creation of campuses in all regions and economic sectors, taking care to include the European and international dimension of programmes to allow for the involvement of Erasmus+ projects. On 28 May 2018, the Minister for National Education and Youth announced a new generation of campuses. The national terms of reference for awarding or renewing the label 'trades and qualifications campus' (campus des métiers et des qualifications) were published on 13 December 2018. The new 'excellence' label distinguishes campuses that meet a strategic socio-economic challenge and more demanding criteria (the presence of higher education and research, links with regional development policies and local companies, placements and international partnerships; infrastructure for sports, culture and student accommodation).
Decree 2019-962 of 16 September 2019 amending the provisions of the Education code relating to the trades and qualifications campus label introduced a mention of 'excellence' that can be attributed to campuses meeting the additional requirements of the specifications.
23 trades and qualifications campuses were awarded the campus d'excellence label in 12 economic sectors of the future.
As part of the Pedagogical innovation territories action of the Investments for the future programme (Programme investissement d'avenir, PIA 3), the trade and qualifications campus call for proposals, endowed with EUR 80 million in grants and ten-year endowments, initially financed 12 projects. This was supplemented by a further EUR 80 million from the various players in the territory. The aim is to give the most innovative campuses, particularly those in the excellence category, the means to strengthen their role as an accelerator of actions intended to fill skills gaps in the territories. The Banque des Territoires, one of the PIA's major operators, contributes its financial and technical expertise to the development of campuses. In addition to the start-up funds provided by the PIA, it supports education players in building solid and sustainable financing models and activities.
The call for proposals remains open until 31 July 2020, with two final rounds of selection on 16 March and 1 June 2020. The specifications were completed in early 2020 to encourage the emergence of campuses dedicated to the tertiary sector.
Accommodation on vocational campuses
Student accommodation is a major element of the attractiveness of the vocational path. It allows for optimal outcomes and orientation and allows students to choose where they will study without being restricted to the area surrounding their home. The trades and qualifications campuses, and particularly the excellence category campuses launched in 2018, consider student accommodation to be at the heart of any such project. Open to young people preparing for a CAP, professional baccalaureate or BTS, student accommodation allows them to study in their chosen sector and also, through the quality of their living environment and the services available to them, to flourish and develop on a personal level.
By 2022, the aim is to create, renovate or develop 40 accommodation premises on vocational campuses at the heart of the future trades and qualifications campuses.
35 trades and qualifications campuses were awarded the campus d'excellence label in 12 economic sectors of the future. As part of the Recovery plan, the State will support the investment by local authorities in projects to create or refurbish high-quality boarding schools (internat du XXIeme siecle), providing EUR 50 million for 1 500 places, with 200 places created or renovated at the start of the 2021/22; 1 300 additional places at the start of the 2022/23 academic year.
A '21st century boarding school' labelling procedure was created in December 2020 to support the revitalising of boarding schools. The specifications define the assessment criteria and set the conditions for selecting applications for the Recovery plan for top boarding schools. One of the label options is aimed at professional boarding schools.
More than 20 partnerships between French trades and qualifications campuses and German VET schools have been agreed, focused on climate issues, the energy transition and new digital professions (January 2021).
The Quirinal Treaty between France and Italy, signed in 2021, aims to facilitate the mobility of young people, in particular with regard to lifelong vocational education and training, with the objective of creating Franco-Italian and European centres of professional excellence and promoting the recognition of such career paths.
21 new trades and qualifications campuses were certified in May 2021. Most of them (11) received the campus of excellence label, increasing the total number of campuses of excellence to 43. Newly established campuses of excellence cover new sectors, such as personal care services in the Autonomy and Inclusion Campus of the Grand-Est region, or business services, logistics in the Security Professions Campus in Ile-de-France. The campuses of excellence are funded through calls for proposals from the Investments for the Future programme (PIA 3) in partnership with the General Secretariat for Investment (SGPI).
From 2022 this policy development is part of the national implementation plan (NIP): measure 'Anticipating and facilitating ecological and digital transitions', action: 'Adaptation of the training offer in the regions: Trades and Qualifications Campuses of and the development of training adapted to local needs'.
In February 2022 'the French experience of the trades and qualifications campuses' was organised by the Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sport and with the funding and active involvement of the Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support of the European Commission, the European Colloquium on changes to the vocational pathway. The main learnings from the French experience of developing Trades and qualifications campuses (113 campuses, including 43 of excellence, covering 12 economic sectors) were shared at this occasion. The European mission enabled the French campuses to discover and draw inspiration from European best practices for example from Spain (Tknika), and to formalize a Campus 'service offer' for the first time.
The French 2030 relaunch plan supports the key role of vocational and qualification campuses. EUR 2.5 billion have been allocated to the development of new vocational training schemes in order to align with 22 acceleration strategies in the context of a call for expressions of interest entitled Future Skills and Trades (AMI CMA). Vocation and qualification campuses of excellence have been entrusted with the task of designing and deploying these new training schemes, and to showcase France's vocational pathways on the international stage. Out of the 58 winners of the first round of the AMI CMA, 20 vocation and qualification campuses are included, receiving a funding of EUR 107 million.
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty and the last Franco-German Council of Ministers on 22 January 2023, the Ministry of National Education and Youth (MENJ) published a press release which included the following information: 'Project 3 - Intensification of pilot partnerships between Campus des métiers et des qualifications and German chambers of commerce, vocational secondary schools and Berufsschulen, to promote mobility and curricula aimed at enhancing the employability of young people'.
On the occasion of the 27th Franco-Spanish Summit, on 19 January 2023, one of the flagship measures of the Barcelona Treaty was the creation of a Franco-Spanish careers campus focused on the sectors of the future.
There are currently 120 campuses across France, representing 12 emerging economic sectors. Since 2019, these campuses have been working to develop skills aligned with France 2030 by supporting projects financed through the CMA call for expressions of interest on future skills for future professions (Compétences et Métiers d'Avenir, CMA). This initiative focusses on areas such as unclear energy, green hydrogen, electric vehicle production, and sustainable agriculture.
The TIP initiative for pedagogical innovation in local economies (territoires d'innovation pédagogique, TIP), launched in 2018 and funded by the third PIA programme on investments for the future (programme d'investissements d'avenir, PIA 3), has equipped approximately thirty Campuses of trades and qualifications with substantial resources to accelerate the modernisation of vocational training across various territories. An evaluation conducted by Céreq, the centre for studies and research on qualifications, highlights the progress and future opportunities opened through a variety of measures, in particular those aimed at increasing attractiveness and evolving trainer skills, modernisation of equipment and provision of guidance and support schemes in IVET and the development of a training map aligned to the local economy needs. The campuses have demonstrated the capacity to systematically organise exchanges among all VET stakeholders in initial and education and training, research and innovation, continuing training and the businesses world.
Three French Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) were supported by Erasmus+ in 2024. For example, LCAMP (Learner Centric Advanced Manufacturing Platform) with the 'Campus des Métiers et des Qualifications Industrie du Future' in Decazeville, and the Stars project, Shaping Talents and Achieving Vocational Excellence in Sports, led by the 135bpm campus in Lille.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research
- Ministry of Labour, Full Employment and Inclusion
- Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation
- Ministry of Economy, Finance and Recovery
- Ministry of National Education and Youth (until 2024)
- Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports (from 2020 till 2022)
- Ministry of Labour, Employment and Professional Integration (until 2022)
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
Entities providing VET
- Companies
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers both to formal mechanisms of stakeholder engagement in VET governance and to informal cooperation among stakeholders, which motivate shared responsibility for quality VET. Formal engagement is usually based on legally established institutional procedures that clearly define the role and responsibilities for relevant stakeholders in designing, implementing and improving VET. It also refers to establishing and increasing the degree of autonomy of VET providers for agile and flexible VET provision.
In terms of informal cooperation, the sub-category covers targeted actions by different stakeholders to promote or implement VET. This cooperation often leads to creating sustainable partnerships and making commitments for targeted actions, in line with the national context and regulation, e.g. national alliances for apprenticeships, pacts for youth or partnerships between schools and employers. It can also include initiatives and projects run by the social partners or sectoral organisations or networks of voluntary experts and executives, retired or on sabbatical, to support their peers in the fields of VET and apprenticeships, as part of the EAfA.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
VET standards and curricula define the content and outcomes of learning, most often at national or sectoral levels. VET programmes are based on standards and curricula and refer to specific vocations/occupations. They all need to be regularly reviewed, updated and aligned with the needs of the labour market and society. They need to include a balanced mix of vocational and technical skills corresponding to economic cycles, evolving jobs and working methods, and key competences, providing for resilience, lifelong learning, employability, social inclusion, active citizenship, sustainable awareness and personal development (Council of the European Union, 2020). The thematic sub-category also refers to establishing new VET programmes, reducing their number or discontinuing some. It also includes design of CVET programmes and training courses to adapt to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and re-skilling needs.
This thematic sub-category refers to acquisition of key competences and basic skills for all, from an early age and throughout their life, including those acquired as part of qualifications and curricula. Key competences include knowledge, skills and attitudes needed by all for personal fulfilment and development, employability and lifelong learning, social inclusion, active citizenship and sustainable awareness. Key competences include literacy; multilingual; science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM); digital; personal, social and learning to learn; active citizenship, entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression (Council of the European Union, 2018).
Green transition and environmental sustainability have a significant place in the EU agenda (Green Deal), including the agenda for VET. This thematic sub-category refers to identifying in cooperation with industry, incorporating into VET curricula and programmes and teaching the skills related and needed for the green transition, including sector- and occupation-specific skills and those across sectors. It covers measures aimed at ‘greening’ VET programmes, including awareness and knowledge about climate change, green technologies and innovation, energy efficiency, circular economy and environmental sustainability. It also includes the use of appropriate learning methods that develop such awareness.
This thematic sub-category refers to updating VET curricula and programmes to incorporate skills related and needed for the digital transition, including sector- and occupation-specific ones identified in cooperation with stakeholders.
This thematic sub-category covers all developments related to work-based learning (WBL) elements in VET programmes and apprenticeships which continue to be important in the policy agenda. It includes measures to stabilise the offer of apprenticeships, the implementation of the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships, and using the EU on-demand support services and policy learning initiatives among the Member States. It also covers further expansion of apprenticeships and WBL to continuing VET (CVET), for transition to work and inclusion of vulnerable groups, and for improving citizens’ qualification levels.
This thematic sub-category refers to the establishment and development of Centres of vocational excellence (CoVEs). These centres support the development of VET, including at higher qualification levels (EQF 5-8), cooperation of VET, higher education and research. They build on strong local business investment and support recovery, green and digital transitions, European and regional innovation and smart specialisation strategies. They provide innovative services, such as clusters and business incubators for start-ups, technology innovation for SMEs and innovative reskilling solutions for workers at risk of redundancy. The thematic sub-category is not limited to the centres supported by Erasmus+ funding.
European and international dimensions of VET
This thematic category covers both European and international cooperation in initial and continuing VET, aimed at promoting EU VET systems as a European education and training area and making it a reference for learners in neighbouring countries and across the globe.
Expanding opportunities and increasing participation of VET learners, young and adult, and staff in international mobility for learning and work, including apprenticeship and virtual and blended mobility, account for most initiatives in this thematic category.
Apart from established and financially supported EU cooperation, VET opens up to cooperation and promotion of European values and national practices beyond the EU, which is becoming a trend. This thematic category also encompasses internationalisation strategies, transnational cooperation projects and initiatives – including those where joint VET programmes, examinations and qualifications are developed – and participation in international skills competitions that promote the image of VET. Using international qualifications – awarded by legally established international bodies or by a national body acting on behalf of an international body – in the national VET systems and recognising them towards national qualifications is also in focus.
This thematic sub-category refers to developing internationalisation strategies supporting a strategic approach to international cooperation in VET and lifelong learning, including going beyond the EU.
This thematic sub-category refers to transnational cooperation initiatives on VET and lifelong learning, including coordinated and jointly developed programmes among the EU Member States or beyond the EU, bilateral or multi-country: same curricula, one qualification, joint examinations.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
- VET as a driver for innovation and growth preparing for digital and green transitions and occupations in high demand
- VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills
Osnabrück Declaration
- Resilience and excellence through quality, inclusive and flexible VET
- Sustainability - a green link in VET
- European Education and Training Area and international VET
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Trades and qualifications campuses label: France. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28218