We are fascinated by the Baccalaureate, the presumed key to the most rewarding careers. In an educational system resistant to any form of selection and guidance, many young Baccalaureate holders choose to pursue their studies at universities. Unfortunately, some of them fail during the first few years, and among those who do obtain their degree, it sometimes happens that it does not meet employers’ expectations. These setbacks, painfully experienced by those concerned, represent a deplorable human and budgetary waste.
Aging, Europe and France are experiencing declining birth rates. Consequently, the risk of human resource depletion is becoming more apparent. More than ever, it is vital to dispel illusions and highlight the potential of vocational training. The law of September 5, 2018, ‘Freedom to Choose One’s Professional Future,’ gave a major impetus to apprenticeships. Endowed with significant public financial support, it has tripled the number of apprenticeship contracts, primarily at post-Baccalaureate levels.
Investment in the Future
Budgetary constraints and economic uncertainties are hindering the scaling up of a system considered by employers as pre-recruitment.
This is clearly a fundamental investment in the future. While statistical progress is promising, we must not lose sight of the qualitative criteria that should enhance the growth of vocational training. It is now that these sectors, boosted by the September 2018 law ‘Freedom to Choose One’s Professional Future,’ must be consolidated, both in Apprenticeship Training Centers (CFAs) and in vocational high schools, universities, and Grandes Écoles.
Beyond technological education, mastery of digital tools, and artificial intelligence, it is also important to emphasize transversal skills, or ‘soft skills’: self-confidence and self-esteem, agility, creativity, understanding the challenges of our evolving society, and linguistic proficiency. These are easily acquired through immersion experiences in foreign countries. These benefits enable young people to confidently envision their future. Upon returning from such an experience, apprentices and their employers become the best advocates for the cause.
Today, young people are eager to encounter other practices and cultures. The European Erasmus program has enabled cohorts of students to experience mobility. There are still some obstacles to overcome so that vocational learners can also fully benefit from it. This highlights the urgency of making these benefits accessible to apprentices and vocational trainees.
Attracting Future Talent
Already, Apprenticeship Training Centers (CFAs) and high schools have internationalized their training programs. For their part, employers have understood that by offering young people an apprenticeship contract that includes several months of mobility in another country, they attract the future talent they need to develop their businesses. The same impetus should also be seen in public institutions and services.
The commitment of employers and training providers is crucial for the upcoming establishment of a genuine European Area for Vocational Education and Training and Apprenticeships, complementing the European Higher Education Area.
Following the example of countries neighboring France, successful apprenticeships must provide access to higher education for all young people who aspire to advance. This is in the well-understood interest of employers and the growth of national economies.
