Helping you get back to studies

Martine CARETTE

Continuing training department

Lille 1 University

As part of their service to the public, higher education institutions offer various continuing training positions to differents publics.

Students come from various backgrounds.

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Universities for instance run courses for people currently working and:

on a training programme, on personal re-training leave, using the national entitlement for personal re-training, still acquiring a professional qualification, on a professional skills contract, on a state-aided contract

The unemployed:

Through Jobcentre Plus , Entitled to re-training leave, Entitled to State or Regional government benefits for an

approved internship, Entitled to region-specific allocations, Entitled to study grants from CROUS (Regional centre in charge

of helping students : housing, food, sports, medical care…)

And others: Those wanting to train outside office hours Stay-at-home mums Those on parental leave Those on unpaid leave Pensioners Freelance workers Those on income support (training can be part of

helping them back to work)

All these people have different requirements but are equal in the eyes of labour law.

This means that universities have certain responsibilities.

What training institutions must do

Training institutions must agree to a number of measures regarding trainees in the field of:

Receipt of information or information requests Setting out house rules Socials rights of the trainees

Other measures involve: What happens at the end of a vocational training

contract Taking on trainees who have obtained training

authorisation from Regional government or the State

In order to provide the best service, training institutions often set up specific information desks and career advice with carefully trained personnel.

This task is often carried out by the vocational training department

Dealing with those wishing to re-train:

There are various tools available to help those wishing to re-train:

Various measures relating to employmentExisting guidance on vocational trainingLifelong learning

A common approach to these measures:

Services taylored to personal needs

Help in managing your career

Flexible training periods that suit changing economic requirements

What tools are available to trainees?

Validating Acquired Experience Personal skills review Professional interviews

Traditional training requests made to universities have changed a lot: Today, people are no longer just asking to be trained but need help in managing their careers.

That's why :Suggestions are taylored to people's individual needs,

This means: we need to study the person's needs carefully taking

everything into account,

We need to help that person make sense of their career so far which can sometimes seem very random,

We need to move away from offering just training to offering a range of services which includes training amongst other things

We need to use all available resources: Validating professional and personal experience Validating acquired experience Training other career advice tools, reviews, work analysis, …

VAE in universities: how does it work? Universities can "award" qualifications on behalf of

the State. They therefore have to set up VAE juries for all

relevant qualifications.

VAE in French UniversitiesUniversities offer all the relevant services to implement this system:

An information desk Making sure a request is valid Providing counselling(optional) Organising jury hearings Following up partial validations

Towards lifelong learning…

The European Universities' Charter on lifelong learning (EUA) states the importance in article 4 of:

« Providing appropriate guidance and counselling services »

It is clear then that this must be at the core of lifelong learning

This service must therefore be provided.

There are various ways to do this:

through pooled vocational training services

through other services

by burden sharing between different university departments

• The registrar's office,• The university department for professional career advice

and information,• other services.

Formation des responsables de service de formation continue – 30 et 31 octobre 2008

Lille 1 University's continuing training centre

It was set up thanks to a strong policy

Its aims are clearly identified within the university

It is the point of entry to any vocational training enquiry

It works within the university network as a whole and with:

The Registrar's officeThe University department for professional career

advice and informationThe Exams departmentTraining and research centres, other educational

institutes…

What does it do? Acts as a helpdesk and information point for

enquiries Maps out training paths with training supervisors Implements the Validating professional and personal

experience bill of 1985 (VAPP 85) Assists and advises those undertaking training Provides assessment

It's a one-stop-shop for vocational training candidates: For applications For registration And for all relevant administrative requirements

Since 2002:

It has become the University's Validation of Acquired Experience centre

The centre provides the following services for VAE:

Information for candidates Information packs Pre-application approval with relevant training

supervisors Expert specialist advice

Convening a jury

Follow up and compliance with requirements

Replies to various VAE surveys

It also does the following:

Is authorised by several official training funds for technicians and managers to carry out personal skills reviews.

It is recognised by regional bodies specialised in dealing with applications that are level IV and above

It is the main public service in this field

Funding comes through compulsory contributions from vocational training

But also through specific services offered: Through regional government offices for career

information and advice Through contracts with Jobcentre Plus…

The specific services offered: Personal Skills Reviews Advanced Personal Skills Reviews funded by the

unemployment office The unemployment office's Group Project Objectives Outsourced services for AFPA (help in finding the

right training project) 10 modules funded by regional government

Module 1 « Advanced interview to analyse needs and draw up a contract »

Module 2 « Aims/Supporting an application/Values »

Module 3 « Skills »

Module 4 « Project methodology »

Module 5 « Project management »

Module 6 « accessing resources »

Module 7 « defining the training project »

Module 8 « Getting to know the university and how to study »

Module 9 « Getting to know the professional world »

Module 10 « Final interview »

This permanent service is available at all universities throughout the area

The Staff

It's all about teamwork: Training supervisors Occupational psychologists Teachers

Formation des responsables de service de formation continue – 30 et 31 octobre 2008

Thank you for your attention