Erasmus Days: Launch of the “Club des Employeurs” and an Award’s Ceremony

Saint-Laurent-de-Chamousset, 15 October 2025

As part of Erasmus Days 2025, a yearly series of events celebrating the Erasmus programme across Europe, the association Euro App Mobility gathered around fifty economic, institutional and educational stakeholders from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region at the Maison Familiale Rurale (MFR), a community-based vocational training school, in Saint-Laurent-de-Chamousset, on Wednesday. The event combined the meeting of the “Club des Employeurs”, a network of employers committed and the “Étoiles de la Mobilité” Awards Ceremony.

Founded in 2020 upon the initiative of Jean Arthuis, Euro App Mobility works to remove barriers to long-term mobility for apprentices and to support training institutions in developing what is sometimes referred to as the “Erasmus for apprenticeships”. Launched in 2024, the “Club des Employeurs” aims to encourage companies to embrace international mobility for the benefit of both their businesses and their apprentices. It does so by connecting companies, at a regional level, that are ready to offer mobility to their apprentices.

Organised in partnership with the Regional Federation of MFRs, AFDAS, and the MFR of Saint-Laurent-de-Chamousset, the meeting was chaired by Jean Arthuis, former Minister of the Economy and President of Euro App Mobility, as well as Jean-Christophe Sciberras, Coordinator of the Global Deal France platform.

Discussions highlighted the growing interest among local employers in international mobility as a driver for skills development and talent attraction. Participants shared concrete examples of successful collaborations between companies, apprenticeship training centres and European partners, emphasising the added value of an experience abroad for both apprentices and the organisations that host them.

In his opening remarks, Jean Arthuis outlined the multiple benefits of international mobility, saying:

“International mobility is a win for learners because they gain transversal skills, such as self-confidence. It’s a win for companies, who benefit from better-trained apprentices. It’s also a win for France, and for Europe as a whole, because it enhances our competitiveness. It’s a win for everyone.”

Jean-Christophe Sciberras stressed that mobility should be accessible to all:

“Mobility must not be a privilege reserved for university students. Every apprentice should have the opportunity to live such an experience, one that fosters openness, diversity and employability.”

Renaud Raffier, Vice President of the U2P Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, believes that:

“To enter working life, you must experience autonomy and discovery, stepping outside the comfort zone where you grew up and studied. International mobility offers young people that opportunity and changes them profoundly.”

This opinion is shared by Denis Bouchut, representative of the Rhône Chamber of Agriculture and a farmer trained at the MFR of Saint-Laurent. Drawing on his own international mobility experience in Canada, he explained:

“What a young person brings back from such an experience is invaluable, confidence and practical skills that are essential when setting up a business.”

Similarly, Stéphane Duc, CEO of Huttopia, sees international mobility as a way to strengthen his teams:

“Mobility enhances apprenticeship and helps attract young talent. We work closely with training centres to identify destinations and design meaningful educational projects.”

Jack Aubert, Deputy Managing Director of AFDAS, the national skills and training fund for the culture and tourism sectors, underlined the importance of institutional and financial support:

“Our role is to support apprenticeship training centres and complement Erasmus+ grants, helping young people cover their living expenses abroad.”

AFDAS, a key national partner for the tourism and cultural industries, attended the event to reaffirm its support for apprenticeship mobility and highlight its benefits for companies.

Romane Favier, an apprentice from the MFR of Saint-Laurent-de-Chamousset, shared her experience in Portugal:

“You gain confidence and learn to communicate with people in a completely different environment. Working in customer service also helped me improve my English.”

To conclude, Jean Arthuis shared his vision for the future of apprenticeship mobility:

“In an ideal scenario, mobility should already be integrated into the apprenticeship path when the contract is signed.”

Presented by the president of the jury, Anne Vitrey, the “Étoiles de la Mobilité” award’s ceremony concluded the Club des Employeurs meeting. The competition distinguished three winners: mentors, apprentices and mobility coordinators, for short videos they created to promote Erasmus and share their experiences with apprenticeships and European mobility.

Organised for the third consecutive year by Euro App Mobility, in partnership with the Erasmus+ France Education Agency, the initiative celebrates inspiring mobility journeys and the professionals who support them. This year, the MFR of Saint-Laurent-de-Chamousset hosted the event after having won the previous edition through its mobility coordinator Alexandra Déja and apprentice Evan Pallu, in a tourism track.

Winner of the “Dedication Award”, Stéphanie Miggiano from Polytech Orléans shared her perspective:

“Administrative procedures can sometimes be discouraging, but when apprentices return more confident, autonomous and open to the world, you truly see the value of these experiences.”

The 2025 laureates reflect the diversity of sectors and professions involved, confirming the importance of mobility as a key experience for learning, personal growth and professional development.

Through this event, Euro App Mobility and its partners reaffirm their commitment to building a genuine European Area of Apprenticeship, where young people trained through mobility become skilled, open-minded professionals ready to shape the future.