It seems that many of you have enjoyed the first stages of our European tour of vocational training. Thank you for this feedback that warms my heart and makes me want to continue my journey to other destinations. Even though it's back to school time, many of us are dreaming of going back and getting away!
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 help us put our own conditions into perspective. Let's not forget that France is a country of "complainers", as was stated at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
At a time when French political orientations tend towards a budgetary reduction of public funds allocated to professional training and apprenticeship, what about the involvement of the State in other European countries? How can we train, acquire new skills within the company?
This is what we are going to see by dropping off our suitcases in 2 new European countries. Are you ready to continue the adventure? We are not going very far but the change of scenery is guaranteed!
First stop: Destination Germany
I warned you, change of scenery this time. Germany may be a neighboring country of France, in terms of professional training, our operations are very different. While French companies indirectly finance professional training by paying a contribution to the employee skills development plan, Germany does not mince its words. At the risk of having indigestion from sausages and strudels, German companies finance 100% of vocational training. And yes, you read that right, 100%.
As a result, it seems that Germany is one of the countries in Europe where employees receive the least training within the companyIn terms of professional training, we are therefore a long way from the Franco-German diplomatic friendship that led to the creation of the European Union.
However, as I visited, I realized that this official ranking should be taken with a pinch of salt. Indeed, given that Professional training is often carried out informally, it is not included in the statistics.
What is certain is that the training offer closely matches the needs of businesses. A priori, according to my research, there is no system equivalent to the Personal Training Account (CPF) which allows you to certify yourself in new skills with a view to professional development or retraining.
Germany, on the other hand, is putting emphasis on work-study training, and this from the initial training courses. Apprenticeship in the form of “dual” training is very present in the German education system.
Second stop: Destination United Kingdom
Let's continue our journey by crossing the Channel. To start this new stage off right, let's first stop at a pub to enjoy an English breakfast, why not in the heart of the City or Canary Wharf in London, since here too, It is the company that holds full powers of professional training in financing the entirety.
When I talk about 100% being funded by the company, both in Germany and in the UK, it is after drinking a pint of beer, so I may be exaggerating a little bit. Public aid may exist but it remains very limited.The prevailing adage here is “learning by doing”. Logically, therefore, in Europe, it is the companies in the United Kingdom that spend the most on educational costs.
With a highly deregulated training market, the United Kingdom is therefore also one of the countries in Europe where employees receive the least training within the company, and neither fish and chips nor a cup of tea bearing the image of Queen Elizabeth II will change anything in this ranking.
However, just because the state plays a very small role in funding vocational training does not mean that it has no say. While there are undoubtedly differences between the British, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish governments, The UK imposes a certain number of mandatory training courses on companies. And in this area, the “rosbifs” and the “froggies” are alike. France and the United Kingdom are in fact the European champions of compulsory training, with in particular around 25% of training time devoted to training in Exceptional Health Situations (SSE) among our English friends. And again, the figures I found go back to before Covid. So we can imagine that this trend has continued since then.
If you would like to continue our European tour of professional training with us, we will meet you in October to fly to Scandinavia.
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