- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has been and continues to be a major health challenge for France. France Relance (France recovery plan) is turning the crisis into an opportunity, by investing in the most promising areas: those that will build the economy and create the jobs of tomorrow.
Among the three priorities of the plan (environment, competitiveness and cohesion), vocational training is part of the cohesion strand, as by 2030 France will have to be able to rely on a well-trained workforce. France Relance aims to maintain skills to prevent losing expertise in companies experiencing temporary difficulties, to provide new training opportunities for young people in the sectors of the future, as well as workplace integration programmes through commercial as well as non-profit sectors.
Objectives
The focus is on facing the challenge of avoiding an increase in inequalities. This recovery will, therefore, be a solidarity recovery, which makes it possible to:
- support and assist young and vulnerable people, including people with disabilities, in securing employment;
- safeguard jobs by strengthening vocational training.
Description
France Relance has a budget of EUR 100 billion in total over two years, out of which 15 billion is for vocational training. The main measures in terms of education and vocational training offered in both IVET and CVET (excluding exceptional employment subsidies) are:
Training young people in strategic and promising sectors
- 100 000 qualifying training courses via the Regional skills investment pacts; with a revaluation of the remuneration for trainees undertaking professional training;
- 16 000 health and care training courses for nurses and caregivers;
- 15 000 skill assessments and training actions leading to certification on digital knowledge via a matching contribution to personal training account funds;
- 35 000 places for young people aged 16 to 18 via the National Agency for Adult Vocational Training (Agence nationale pour la formation professionnelle des adultes, AFPA);
- 30 000 additional places for training in higher education;
- 27 000 additional places for recent secondary school graduates (néo-bacheliers) to support reorientation and for VET learners studying for an EQF level 3 CAP certificate to move towards a degree and joining the workforce.
Exceptional assistance for more apprenticeships
- apprenticeship support for the first year (EUR 5 000 for minors and EUR 8 000 for adults) for any contract signed between 1 July 2020 and 28 February 2021. The support is allocated to companies regardless of their size...
France Relance has a budget of EUR 100 billion in total over two years, out of which 15 billion is for vocational training. The main measures in terms of education and vocational training offered in both IVET and CVET (excluding exceptional employment subsidies) are:
Training young people in strategic and promising sectors
- 100 000 qualifying training courses via the Regional skills investment pacts; with a revaluation of the remuneration for trainees undertaking professional training;
- 16 000 health and care training courses for nurses and caregivers;
- 15 000 skill assessments and training actions leading to certification on digital knowledge via a matching contribution to personal training account funds;
- 35 000 places for young people aged 16 to 18 via the National Agency for Adult Vocational Training (Agence nationale pour la formation professionnelle des adultes, AFPA);
- 30 000 additional places for training in higher education;
- 27 000 additional places for recent secondary school graduates (néo-bacheliers) to support reorientation and for VET learners studying for an EQF level 3 CAP certificate to move towards a degree and joining the workforce.
Exceptional assistance for more apprenticeships
- apprenticeship support for the first year (EUR 5 000 for minors and EUR 8 000 for adults) for any contract signed between 1 July 2020 and 28 February 2021. The support is allocated to companies regardless of their size (unconditionally for those under 250 employees) and sector for apprentices studying for a diploma or certificate up to the Master level;
- support for apprenticeship schemes under a professionalisation contract (another type of alternating scheme in France) for the first year (EUR 5 000 for minors and EUR 8 000 for adults under the age of 30) for any contract signed between 1 July 2020 and 28 February 2021. The support is granted to companies regardless of their size (unconditionally for those under 250 employees) and their sector for apprentices studying for a diploma or a certificate up to master level or a professional qualification certificate (certification issued by a professional branch).
Strengthening the skills of the workforce
Increase (in the order of 400 000) in the training of active workers: support for companies and employees through the Pro A and CPF (personal training account) transition schemes;
- Pro A enables retraining or promotion through alternating training for the least qualified employees, at the initiative of the employee or the employer. Training during working hours is funded by the employer. The list of eligible professional qualifications must be defined in an extended branch collective agreement (examples: paper/cardboard, jewellery, public works). Tuition fees and related expenses (transport/accommodation) are paid by the skill operator (OPCO) affiliated to a given branch (there are 11 OPCPs managing the financing of apprenticeship and other continuing training schemes). They may also pay the employee's remuneration, up to the hourly minimum wage;
- CPF de transition (or projet de transition professionnelle, PTP), replacing the individual training leave, CIF) is a career transition training project that allows employees to take time off in order to complete a training course to qualify, progress or switch careers. It is open subject to conditions and is granted to the employer on request. The employee is remunerated throughout the training course.
Transforming the continuing training system: the digitisation of training (including new, innovative ways of teaching and learning) with the aim to adjust the training offer to the changing working conditions in different professions and new skill requirements. These investments meet an urgent need for social justice (equal access to training for workers), educational innovation, spatial planning (use of third places to bring training closer to the people) and economic performance (optimisation of technical platforms and increase in the number of beneficiaries without raising costs).
Preserving companies’ human capital
- companies from all sectors benefit from enhanced training assistance (FNE-formation) for employees in part-time or long-term part-time work. This last measure, which involves collective bargaining, is effective from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2022 (for the submission of the request, covering through 2025 in theory), following the emergency law of 17 June 2020;
- the main innovation, Collective transitions, was jointly constructed with the social partners to allow employers to anticipate economic changes and support employees to retrain without relocating. At the end of their training, the employee moves towards a job that is in line with the local market needs, while avoiding a period of unemployment. The State finances all or part of the retraining, depending on the size of the company. 100% of the remuneration and training of employees is paid for micro-enterprises and SMEs, 75% for companies with 300 to 100 employees and 40% for companies with more than 1 000 employees.
Assessing the recovery plan
A dashboard of projects in the territories and monitoring indicators will be published regularly. In the interests of transparency, the Prime Minister has undertaken to report to Parliament on the implementation of the recovery plan every two months. The implementation of the recovery plan requires a unique budgetary mission (2021-22), led by the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Recovery.
The plan was launched on 3 September 2020. It was created in consultation with all stakeholders in the regions, parliamentarians, social partners, representatives of industrial sectors, the associative sector and non-governmental organisations, French, European and international economists, and European partners.
To set a monitoring structure, at national level, the following have been put in place:
- a follow-up committee chaired by the Prime Minister, which brings together parliamentarians, social partners, representatives of local authorities, NGOs and civil society, economists and government services;
- a follow-up steering committee chaired by the Minister of the Economy, Finance and the Recovery (weekly);
- an inter-ministerial committee, chaired by the Prime Minister (half-yearly);
- regional monitoring committees at the local level;
- an employment-training committee (Ministry of Labour and Regions of France).
The Ministry of Labour launched the first call for expressions of interest for the Collective transitions training actions. The call resulted in around 100 initiatives from various players (including local authorities and professional organisations).
The measures are being rolled out.
From 2022 this policy development is part of the national implementation plan (NIP), measure ‘Anticipating and facilitating ecological and digital transitions’, actions: ‘Top-up of the personal training account for training in strategic sectors’ and ‘Aid for retraining’.
France Relance's second assessment committee report, published at the end of December 2022, provides a progress report on the impact of the French recovery plan, indicating an 89% take-up rate by August 2022.
This report highlights the complexities associated with evaluating a EUR 100 billion plan, which includes more than a hundred measures, especially in a context where not all the measures have been fully implemented
In 2021, more than 2.6 million individuals benefited from the main schemes of the ,1 young person, 1 solution, plan (compared with 1.5 million in 2019), of which 727 000 were engaged in apprenticeships and 306 000 were beneficiaries of the youth recruitment assistance scheme. (cf. Measure ‘1 young person, 1 solution - youth plan’).
Over the period from 1 January 2021 to 30 June 2022, when the national employment fund for training Fonds national pour l’emploi FNE-formation received funding from the ‘Recovery Plan’ budget supplemented by funds aimed at "reducing recruitment difficulties", it provided assistance to 695 000 employees engaged in a training course or a career development programme. With regard to the types of employees who benefited, the report notes that managers and engineers were over-represented, although employees, technicians and supervisors made up 34% and 20% of trainees respectively. The majority of beneficiaries were also men (62%). These figures need to be analysed in the light of the fact that most of the aid was directed at the industrial sector.
A February 2022 ministerial instruction has simplified access to the Collective Transitions scheme for companies with less than 300 employees and opened this scheme to companies that provide mobility leave.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Economy, Finance and Recovery
- Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation
- Ministry of Labour, Employment and Professional Integration (until 2022)
- Ministry of Labour, Full Employment and Inclusion
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Unemployed and jobseekers
Entities providing VET
- Companies
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
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 to the integration of VET into economic, industrial, innovation, social and employment strategies, including those linked to recovery, green and digital transitions, and where VET is seen as a driver for innovation and growth. It includes national, regional, sectoral strategic documents or initiatives that make VET an integral part of broader policies, or applying a mix of policies to address an issue VET is part of, e.g. in addressing youth unemployment measures through VET, social and active labour market policies that are implemented in combination. National skill strategies aiming at quality and inclusive lifelong learning also fall into this sub-category.
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 is about the way learners learn, how the learning is delivered to them, and by what means. Programmes become more accessible through a combination of adaptable and flexible formats (e.g. face-to-face, digital and/or blended learning), through digital learning platforms that allow better outreach, especially for vulnerable groups and for learners in geographically remote or rural areas.
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.
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of incentives that encourage learners to take part in VET and lifelong learning; VET providers to improve, broaden and update their offer; companies to provide places for apprenticeship and work-based learning, and to stimulate and support learning of their employees. It also includes measures addressing specific challenges of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) willing to create work-based learning opportunities in different sectors. Incentives can be financial (e.g. grants, allowances, tax incentives, levy/grant mechanisms, vouchers, training credits, individual learning accounts) and non-financial (e.g. information/advice on funding opportunities, technical support, mentoring).
This thematic sub-category refers to providing the possibility for individuals who are already in the labour market/in employment to reskill and/or acquire higher levels of skills, and to ensuring targeted information resources on the benefits of CVET and lifelong learning. It also covers the availability of CVET programmes adaptable to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and reskilling needs. The sub-category includes working with respective stakeholders to develop digital learning solutions supporting access to CVET opportunities and awarding CVET credentials and certificates.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
- Flexibility and progression opportunities at the core of VET
- 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
- VET promoting equality of opportunities
Osnabrück Declaration
- Resilience and excellence through quality, inclusive and flexible VET
- Establishing a new lifelong learning culture - relevance of continuing VET and digitalisation