In terms of integration the results are conclusive

The case is heard: the alternation was popular, with students and recruiters. Long confined to the crafts and the type CAP and BEP, these hybrid formations, channels to midway between the school and the company, developed in the undergraduate curriculum. About 18 apprentices and about two-thirds of the students in contract of professionalisation training today of higher level.

Several factors explain this progression. While labour is market access, or closed for number of graduates, these courses which are important in professional experience are seen by many as real springboards to employment. "Graduates trained in alternation are operational as quickly as their colleagues from other sectors." "In their two or three years of studies, they have different responsibilities and have acquired greater professional maturity, which facilitates their integration into the world of work," noted Jean-Paul Soubeyrand, facilitator of the Working Group on learning in the Conference of the grandes écoles, which are more than 12,000 apprentice engineers and managers. In addition, at the time when the social opening is an objective key for these schools, learning, which allows to easily finance expensive studies, appears as a preferred.

More and more companies also have an interest in the formula. "The HRD which embarked in learning renew most often experience, even if there are still reluctance, particularly in large enterprises." "They understand quickly that it is more comfortable to recruit young people trained and monitored over the long term," notes on the other hand Bernard Legendre, Deputy Director-General of the Assembly of French Chambers of commerce and industry (Acfci).

In terms of integration, the results are conclusive. According to a recent study of the Acfci, 79 of entered apprentices on the labour market in 2004 got their first job within three months and 90 in six months. In half of cases, these apprentices have even directly won a Commission. And, contrary to widespread belief, learning does not exclude mobility, on the contrary: "four years after being hired, the vast majority of the apprentices who have not seen their wages or their responsibilities increase succeeded to get a new job elsewhere," observes Bernard Legendre.

New brakes to lift

Despite these strengths, alternating penalty to develop. While the social cohesion of Jean-Louis Borloo plan built on 500,000 apprentices end of 2009, their number levelled off today a little more than 400,000. For their part, the number of contracts of professionalization barely exceed 200,000.

To boost the sector and to allow the new goal of a young five alternating from here 2015, the Government has set up three working groups. Their conclusions, expected soon, will establish a plan of action to accelerate the development of such training in all sectors - in particular the public service and tertiary.

Specialists of the alternation, it is also urgent to reconsider the funding for these sectors. Currently, only half of the apprenticeship tax (EUR 1.8 billion in 2008) is repaid to the apprenticeship training centres. "The remaining half is given to other vocational training." "Yet this fragmented limited de facto opportunities open new classes of apprentices", said Didier Guinaudie, national Secretary of the National Federation of regional associations of Directors of training of apprentices (Fnadir). Another difficulty: the amount of subsidies granted by the regional councils may vary considerably. Of sites which will need to address to - finally - to make learning a real channel excellence, recognized by all.