What is the initiative and where is it implemented (city or country)?
Le compte personnel de formation – CPF (French for the Personal Training Account) is an initiative in France that helps individuals build up training entitlements over time.
The CPF introduces a scheme to finance training for workers from their entry into the labour market until their retirement. The initiative focuses on optimizing workers’ skills for today’s job market. Based on recognition of ‘individual rights’ to training, the scheme aims to make training more accessible and mobile
How was the initiative established? How was it implemented?
Introduced in 2015 as a part of the system for funding continuing training, CPF was upgraded in 2018 to strengthen individuals’ role in the system and to boost competition and the market
The goal is to apply the right to lifelong learning concretely by enhancing access to training, independent of the employment record or circumstances. This instrument enables the accumulation of credits for the right to training for every individual from their entry into the labour market. The account is entirely transferable from one occupation to another and is preserved when changing or losing one’s job
The CPF for employees and jobseekers is financed through a mutualized tax, which is paid by companies. Every person can obtain 24 annual training hours and the total number of hours is capped at 150. To finance longer training sessions, other stakeholders can be involved
Which stakeholders are involved in the design and/or implementation of the initiative? Which sectors do they represent?
The central and regional government, through the Ministry of Labour, is responsible for the implementation of the initiative in France, along with various social partners and guidance counsellors
Training sessions paid through the Personal Training Account are funded by a compulsory tax from businesses with more than 10 employees and self-employed individuals.
What are the impacts of the initiative in terms of facilitating lifelong learning? Who does it benefit and how?
The CPF was designed explicitly to address the skills mismatch in France by upskilling employed adults and tackling skill shortages. The establishment of the CPF allowed increased transferability of certifications between employers and even industries.
Trainings financed by the CPF lead to either national diplomas or certifications chosen by sectoral social partners. These social partners make a range of certifications available that correspond with skill requirements in companies
The reform of 2018 strengthened individualized access to CPF training by allowing training to be purchased directly from the CPF without an intermediary. Nevertheless, the OECD report of 2020 highlights the need to increase the volume of training by either providing more frequent training opportunities or funding lengthier training programmes to allow successful acquisition of modules leading to certification or diploma. Removing intermediaries could lead to more difficulties obtaining funding for lengthier training programmes
The reform also increased the number of training hours for less-qualified workers and added new categories of active workers, including civil servants and self-employed workers. New training programs also became eligible for funding
The CNEFOP report of 2017 indicated a significant growth in the total number of applications through the CPF, as well as an increase in jobseekers and employed individuals in 2016 (as cited in Cedefop, 2018).
References:
Cedefop. 2016. Spotlight on VET: France. [PDF] Available at: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/8097_en.pdf [Accessed 14 October 2020].
Cedefop. 2018. France: two years of personal training accounts – a review. [online] Available at: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/news-and-press/news/france-two-years-personal-training-accounts-review [Accessed 14 October 2020].
Cedefop. n.d. Personal Training Account. [online] Available at: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/matching-skills/all-instruments/personal-training-account [Accessed 14 October 2020].
OECD. 2020. Individualising Training Access Schemes: France – the Compte Personnel de Formation (Personal Training Account – CPF). [online] Available at: https://www.oecd.org/employment/individualising-training-access-schemes-france-the-compte-personnel-de-formation-personal-training-account-cpf-301041f1-en.htm [Accessed 14 October 2020].