Posted Dec 1 2022 at 06:21 PMUpdated 1 Dec. 2022 at 07:18 PM
Implemented in the summer of 2020, when the Covid epidemic raised fears of a tsunami for youth employment, the exceptional hiring bonus for work-study apprentices or professionalization contracts is living its last days. From 1is January 2023, it will be replaced by common law assistance reduced to 6,000 euros, regardless of the company’s workforce, the age of the young person or the diploma pursued, compared to 5,000 euros for a minor or 8,000 euros for an adult currently .
“It remains extremely massive”, underlined this Thursday the Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt during a visit to the Maleville establishments, carpentry and cabinetmaking of art born in 1880 in the 7e arrondissement of Paris (70 employees including 5 apprentices). “A strong support measure”, added the Minister Delegate in charge of Vocational Education and Training, Carole Grandjean.
The 800,000 mark
Why 6,000 euros? Beyond its simplicity, the amount is supposed to rebalance learning in favor of the first levels of qualification. Since the 2018 reform which completely liberalized the system, the number of new apprenticeship contracts has exploded. It went from 300,0000 to 730,000 in 2021 and the 800,000 mark will be crossed this year, confirmed Olivier Dussopt.
But this surge was more driven by higher education diplomas, even if the baccalaureate and infra levels, which fell back when learning was in the hands of the regions, started to move forward.
A triple objective
By raising the premium to 6,000 euros, the government is pursuing a triple objective. First, it gives an additional boost, of 1,000 euros in this case, for the hiring of minor apprentices and therefore at the first levels of qualification. By lowering those of majors by 2,000 euros, on the contrary, it slows down the craze for BTS diplomas or beyond. All of this, thirdly, by reducing the bill for public finances. “The current amount of the bonus was not sustainable”, acknowledged Olivier Dussopt, for whom the new amount remains “very incentive for adult apprentices and becomes more so for minor apprentices”.
Very important point, the premium of 6,000 euros becomes a unique common law aid. Clearly, it will be paid for the first year of performance of the contract. There will therefore be nothing left for the second and third years, as with the single pre-Covid aid (2,000 and 1,200 euros respectively). The fate of the special contribution to learning due by companies with more than 250 employees who employ less than 5% of work-study students has not yet been decided.
U2P applauds
The official press release refers to all contracts signed until December 31, 2023, but at this stage, the Ministry of Labor assures that the measure will be permanent. Especially since Elisabeth Borne has set a target of 1 million contracts signed per year by then.
A major employer of apprentices, the U2P applauded the announcement. “The decision removes the risk of a sudden halt in the development of work-study programs by supporting more particularly the first levels of training who need it the most”, declared the president of this employers’ organization representing craftsmen, traders and liberal professions. , Dominique Metayer.
Windfall effects
The general manager of the Maleville carpentry, Laurent Legoupil, will not refuse the bonus. However, he assures us that he could do without it. Pointing to the many windfall effects – these employers who affect it without playing the game of training apprentices – he assures us that his number one problem remains, by far, to find young people ready to embark on the trade. .
Helping businesses is important, helping apprentices too, responded the National Association of Apprentices, Anaf. “The situation of many of them is complicated […] The government must seek out young people in difficulty for whom apprenticeship is a real integration solution, in order to reach the goal of 1 million”, pleaded its president, Aurélien Cadiou.
Continuing education: consultation to come
The Ministry of Labor will soon open a consultation with the social partners on the basis of the result of their framework agreement concluded a year ago and followed by various thematic working groups. The whole was the subject of a conclusion meeting between unions and employers on Wednesday evening. It contains 17 proposals to adapt the 2018 reform. The most important relate to the regulation of the personal training account (CPF). As such, the social partners refuse any implementation of a dependent remainder, contrary to what the government envisages, preferring a strict selection in the eligible formations.