We all have a good reason to train, whatever our situation and at any time in our lives. In a world that is constantly changing and evolving, vocational training is a lever for accessing, maintaining and returning to employment. Vocational training is a right that concerns all employees and job seekers in France.
The law of 5 September 2018 requires companies to contribute to the financing of vocational training and apprenticeship through a single financial contribution calculated on their payroll. This contribution is paid to specialised organisations: the skills operators organised by branch of activity.
The first mechanism for financing vocational training is therefore the skills operators, known as OPCOs. These are State-approved funding bodies whose role is to support companies in their vocational training needs. They also finance apprenticeships. There are 11 OPCOs in total, organised by sector of activity. Each OPCO has set up a set of criteria to be met in order to join (sectors, trades, etc.). In total, 329 existing professional branches are grouped in these OPCOs. Thus, companies or learners wishing to access vocational training can benefit from up to 100% funding of training.
The second scheme concerns all working people, and is the Personal Training Account, known as the CPF. It allows any active person, from the moment he or she enters the labour market until the date on which he or she claims all his or her retirement rights, to acquire training rights that can be used throughout his or her professional life. The aim of the Personal Training Account (PTA) is thus to contribute, at the initiative of the individual, to maintaining employability and securing a career path. It is therefore a means of public funding for professional training. It can be used by any employee to follow training leading to qualifications or certification. Funding amounts to €500 per year (with a ceiling of €5000) for qualified workers and €800 per year (with a ceiling of €8000) for less qualified workers.
The third scheme concerns non-salaried workers and the liberal professions. In return for the professional training contribution (CFP), to which the self-employed are subject, they can, under certain conditions, benefit from the financing of their training activities. They depend on a training insurance fund, called FAF, which is determined according to the nature of their activity. The self-employed person's personal contributions remain due during the training. Their account is credited with €500 per year.
The fourth scheme is the professional transition leave (CTP), which replaces the individual training leave (CIF) and enables employees undergoing retraining to finance a training course leading to a qualification in order to develop their career or change profession. To benefit from this scheme, you must be an employee with an open-ended contract and prove that you have worked for 24 months in the same company, or you must be an employee on a fixed-term contract and prove that you have worked for 24 months during the last 5 years (including 4 months during the last 12 months). For employees who have been made redundant, no seniority is required. The training courses eligible for the CPF are also eligible for the CTP. Once the future trainee has taken the necessary steps with his or her employer, he or she can then apply to the regional interprofessional joint commission (CPIR) to have the costs covered. The CPIR can cover the cost of the course, transport, meals and accommodation and, finally, remuneration if some or all of the training is carried out during working hours.
So there are many ways to finance your professional training, whatever your situation, so don't wait any longer.
