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It seems that many of you have enjoyed the first stages of our European vocational training tour. I’d like to thank you for your heart-warming feedback, which makes me want to continue my journey to other destinations. Even though it’s back-to-school time, many of us are still dreaming of getting away from it all!
Discoveries enrich us. Looking at how access to training is regulated in other countries can be a source of inspiration. Discovering different systems can also put our own conditions into perspective. Let’s not forget that France is a country of “grumblers”, as was declared at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
At a time when French policies are tending towards budget cuts in public funding for vocational training and apprenticeships, what is the state’s involvement in other European countries? How can we train and acquire new skills within the company?
That’s what we’re going to find out when we set down our suitcases in 2 new European countries. Are you ready to continue the adventure? We’re not going far, but the change of scenery is guaranteed!
I warned you about the change of scenery this time. Germany may be France’s neighbor, but when it comes to vocational training, our systems are very different. While French companies indirectly finance vocational training by paying a contribution to the employee skills development plan, Germany doesn’t beat about the bush. At the risk of sausage and strudel indigestion, German companies finance 100% of vocational training. That’s right, 100%.
As a result, it would appear that Germany is one of the countries in Europe where employees train the least within the company. When it comes to vocational training, we’re a long way from the Franco-German diplomatic friendship that led to the creation of the European Union.
However, as my visits progressed, I realized that this official ranking should be taken with a grain of salt. In fact, since professional training is often carried out on an informal basis, it is not included in the statistics.
What’s certain is that the training on offer is very closely aligned with companies’ needs. A priori, according to my research, there is no scheme equivalent to the Compte Personnel de Formation (CPF), which enables people to acquire new skills with a view to professional development or retraining.
Germany, on the other hand, places great emphasis on dual training, starting with initial training courses. Apprenticeship in the form of “dual” training is very present in the German education system.
Let’s continue our journey by crossing the English Channel. To get off to a good start on this new stage, let’s start by stopping off at a pub to enjoy an English breakfast, why not right in the heart of the City or Canary Wharf in London, since here too, it’s the company that has full control over vocational training, funding it in its entirety.
When I talk about 100% financing by the company, in Germany as in the UK, I’m talking after a pint of beer, so I may be exaggerating just a little. Public support may exist, but it’s very limited. The prevailing adage here is “learning by doing”. So, logically, UK companies spend the most on training in Europe.
With a highly deregulated training market, the UK is also one of the countries in Europe where employees train the least in-house, and neither fish and chips nor a cup of tea bearing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II will change this ranking.
However, just because the state plays little part in financing professional training doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a say. Although there are undoubtedly differences between the British, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish governments, the UK imposes a certain number of mandatory training requirements on companies. And in this respect, the “rosbifs” and the “froggies” are very similar. In fact, France and the UK are the European champions in mandatory training, with around 25% of training time devoted to training in Exceptional Health Situations (EHS) in the case of our British friends. And these figures date back to before Covid. We can therefore imagine that this trend has continued since then.
If you’d like to join us on our European tour of vocational training, we look forward to seeing you in Scandinavia in October.
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And if you have any questions about your certification projects within our borders, please contact us!
