The cost of education or vocational training is often a barrier when considering a qualification to easily find work. Many people do not have the means to finance vocational training and many are still those who do not know how to finance vocational training. There are, however, many advantageous schemes to finance part or all of his professional training. State entities or not, have been established to accompany you in your efforts. Here are some information and tips to guide you to easily get a financial assistance for vocational training.

Why follow a professional training?

Many reasons justify the choice to take vocational training, the first being to find a qualified job more easily. In a company or public institution, a lack of professional qualifications in a specific field can be a brake to upgrade.

Not having a training that meets the needs of the company will be a drag, no matter your ability to adapt and innovate. Take vocational training allows you to boost your resume and revisit your career goals. Complementary vocational training can be followed in the evening course for a short time internally or externally (in the company) and allows to acquire new skills.

You can also follow a professional training to get back to the day, refresh your memory. The evolution of the world and technology may require updating, especially if one has followed his studies decades ago. Our current knowledge may be out of date and training will improve its performance. A refresher training is recommended every 5 years to keep the employee to the best of his abilities.

Lastly, professional training can be used to reorient or revert to a different field. Training in the targeted field will allow for a change of career orientation. This retraining process can be complex and time-consuming, but it is also satisfying once the training is successful.

What value should be given to vocational training?

Concretely, attending a training brings an added value for the employee or the researcher of employment, the company also benefits an advantage to train its employees. Concerning the employee, professional training optimizes his CV, allows its personal and professional development. It allows to acquire a qualification and a development of its competences for a continuous development. Follow a professional training is a valorization in the optics of a better employability that one is salaried, jobseeker, agents of the public service, intermittent, doctor, professional liberal, etc.

Financing your vocational training: the mechanisms for job seekers.

For a assistance with the financing of adult education, a jobseeker may undergo professional training either to update his knowledge or to convert to another field. The advisors of Pôle Emploi are a great help to find a funding for adult education and guide the job seeker.

The latter can also undertake to find financial assistance by his own means. For finance vocational training, the possible aid for job seekers are numerous.

Thus, if you have accumulated hours of training on your Personal Training Account (CPF) during your period of employment, you can benefit from several hours of free training. This free time may partially reduce the cost of your professional training.

Return to Employment Training (AREF) can also finance part of your vocational training, validated by Pôle Emploi. Thus, the jobseeker will benefit during his training AREF the amount of which is equal to that of the AER (Return to Work Assistance) and paid monthly.

Several other schemes allow job seekers to have access to financing for their vocational training. These include, among others, the Training Action Prior to Recruitment (AFPR), Operational Preparation for Individual Employment (POEI), Contracted Training Actions (AFC), Individual Training Assistance.

The Regional Council offers individual financial assistance to jobseekers so that they can follow professional training sanctioned by a diploma registered at the RNCP (National Directory of Certifications). The courses are entirely supported by the Regional Council within the limits of ceilings according to the training. To benefit from this assistance, you must be registered with Pôle Emploi and live in the region concerned.

Handicapped workers benefit from Agefiph and various financial aids are granted by the town halls, the CAF, the departmental councils, on a case by case basis.

“Professional training” funding for employees

The situation is different depending on whether one is a permanent employee, a fixed-term employee or a temporary employee. The "vocational training" funding for permanent employee is possible if one has worked for at least 24 months or 36 months for craft companies with less than 10 employees. The financing of your training can be total if a training plan is planned within your company. The employee will therefore not have to worry about financing. An employee on a fixed-term contract can benefit from professional training under certain conditions.

He must first have worked for at least 24 months in the last 5 years, he must also have been employed during 4 months in the current year and the year following the end of his fixed-term contract. For temporary workers, the Temporary Work Training Insurance Fund allows companies to financially help their temporary employees to take vocational training.

In all cases, the employee will receive financial assistance for his training in the framework of a Personal Training Account (CPF), a Company Training Plan (PFE), an Individual Training Leave (CIF) ), training leave. If the employee or the intermediary has a number of hours credited to his CPF account, he can benefit from a "vocational training" funding paid by his employer and by the OPCA at 50% maximum.

The training can take place on the working time and in this case, it is necessary to obtain the agreement of his employer 60 days in advance for a formation of less than 6 months and 120 days if the training lasts more than 6 months. The employer has 30 days to answer you and in case of silence of the latter, the request is accepted by default. If the training takes place outside working hours, the employer's agreement will not be necessary.

As part of an EFP, the company has the duty to ensure the continuous training of employees in their position and it must ensure their development within the company. Thus the employer is required to offer training to this effect to employees. However, the Training Plan is not mandatory and is at the request of the company, the employer, the community or the administration. The employee under PFE retains his salary all the time of the training and the additional costs of the training (accommodation, travel, meals, etc.) are the responsibility of the employer.

The CIF for its part is a leave allowing the employee to be absent from his job for a specific period in order to follow a professional training and develop his skills or retrain. The CIF unlike the PFE is at the initiative of the employee and is granted with the consent of the employer. The employee nevertheless retains his salary throughout the training period even if it concerns a field of activity different from that of his company. Training under CIF may be part-time or full-time, continuous or discontinuous.

Financing of his professional training as a civil servant 

Like the private employee, the employee may be offered training by his employer or by the state. The employee may also benefit from a Vocational Training Leave (CFP) provided they have worked 3 years in the public administration. His CFP can not also exceed three years over a career, it can be taken at one time or spread over several professional training.

The presence of the official in the training will be monitored every month in order to validate the payment of his allowances. These allowances amount to 85% of the gross salary plus, in some cases, the residence expenses. The official may also benefit from a financing of professional training as part of a change of position in the same category (A, B or C). In this case, he benefits from a training leave whose duration can not exceed 6 months.

Civil servants also benefit from the annual credit for professional training hours or the Personal Training Account (CPF). This assistance with the financing of adult education is obtained at the request of the official for the purpose of following certain courses allowing the development of necessary skills, to acquire a diploma, title or certificate of professional qualification.

Financing of vocational training among the self-employed

The self-employed person is the one who is on his own account or is a business manager. They can also follow vocational training and benefit from financial assistance thanks to AGEFICE, the Association for the Management of Funding for the Training of Business Leaders. To benefit from this financial assistance, you must first work in the field of commerce, industry or services, you must also be registered with URSSAF under an NAF code. Self-employed workers eligible for funding will benefit from a training fee ceiling of 2 euros per year.

For the liberal doctors, the FAF-PM or Training Insurance Fund of the Medical Profession requires a contribution of the doctors at 0,15% of the annual ceiling of the social security. Thanks to this fee, doctors can take free group training with Continuing Medical Education (CME) associations. The FAF-PM also helps the doctor wishing to attend individual training, up to 420 euros per year and per doctor. The latter can then follow a scientific workshop or prepare a DU, an ability.

For other liberal professions, they depend on the Interprofessional Fund for Liberal Professionals (FIF-PL). You must be registered with URSAFF and have an NAF code to benefit from this financial assistance. According to reform of vocational training, a commission is responsible for allocating or not granting the vocational training aids within the FIF-PL. the professional must submit an application on the Fund's website, along with a quote for the desired training. Funding for training is on a case-by-case basis.

Financing of the vocational training of the intermittent

The intermittent artist or show technician is eligible for the Individual Training Leave (CIF) and can benefit from a help to finance his training. Funding for training will be partial or total depending on the time worked. The Performance Training Insurance (AFDAS) will help the intermittent obtain financing or cover all training costs if the salary of the intermittent is less than or equal to 150% of the minimum wage. If the intermittent is trained with the CIF, he will have the status of continuing vocational training trainee and will be paid by AFDAS.