Paid internships, revised course map, strengthened link with the company… The vocational high school, to which Emmanuel Macron devotes a trip to Orange in Vaucluse on Friday, is undergoing a reform which is beginning to be applied. L’Express takes stock of the main measures that come into force from this start of the school year.
Remuneration of high school students during their internships
As part of the reform presented in May, vocational high school students will receive a little money from the start of the school year during their period in business. So far there was no compensation. It will be up to 50 euros per week in second class, 75 euros in first and 100 euros in terminal. This indemnity will be borne by the State.
Stronger link with the business world
By presenting the reform in May, Emmanuel Macron announced the establishment of “a business office in each vocational high school” to guarantee better support for students. According to the Elysée, this office is “created as soon as this start of the school year in all vocational high schools”, with a dedicated person to “organize internship times”, “help young people to find internships” and “develop relations with companies. “.
New devices against unhooking and for insertion
Among the new measures that come into force, the “All rights open” system should help high school dropouts who wish to join a local structure (local mission, second chance school, apprentice training center, etc.) .
After high school, the “Ambition emploi” course should help young graduates with no solution for integration or further studies. They will be received in their establishments by a local mission adviser. For those who failed the exam, re-registration in their high school will be offered.
Another system, Avenir Pro (experimented in 2022-23), will allow half of the students in their final year of CAP and vocational terminal to benefit from specific support (workshops organized by advisers from France Travail to better understand the market work, preparing for interviews, etc.).
Classes in small groups and options, depending on the pact
The reform also provides for the possibility of courses in reduced numbers for basic knowledge (French, maths), and optional workshops for students. For options, students can choose up to two, which will not be evaluated in the exams (initiation to entrepreneurship, coding, foreign language, artistic workshops, etc.).
But these two devices will be put in place as part of the pact, by which volunteer teachers undertake new missions in exchange for remuneration. It will therefore depend on the number of signatory teachers, which is not yet known globally at this stage and may vary between establishments.
Redesign of the training offer
The reform provides for the closure of certain sectors of vocational high schools whose outlets are considered weak on the labor market, and the creation of new sectors in promising sectors, such as digital or ecology.
From this start of the school year, 2,600 places must be closed and 3,000 places open. In addition, there are places open within the framework of France 2030, i.e. “80 new training courses offered for just over 1,000 places, in sectors of the future, cybersecurity, renewable energies or nuclear”, according to the ‘Elysium.