In 2017, 6 800 french apprentices went on a mobility trip in Europe thanks to the Erasmus+ programme.
Whether you are an apprentice, student or teacher, do not limit yourself on your mobility trip project. You can benefit from various financial and organizational advantages thanks to the Erasmus+ programme.
Since 1995, you can make your apprentices go on an Erasmus trip. European deputee Jean Arthuis has highlighted the development of Erasmus mobilities for apprentices. Indeed, he wants to double the number of apprentice mobilities by 2022. His propositions concerning this project will be presented mid february 2019. If you want to know more about the advantages of an Erasmus trip mobility, please refer to the other articles on our blog.
The principal obstacle for the apprentice mobility trips
The french apprentice is typically an employee with an official employment contract. Once the student goes on a mobility trip abroad his employment contract is not suspended. The french company who has the contract with the apprentice must pay his monthly salary even if he/she is abroad. This represents a big obstacle to the apprentices’ mobility trips because french companies lose a lot by letting their interns go abroad.
However, by going abroad, the apprentices could develop professional skills that will be very beneficial for their future career in France. In a couple months a number of propositions around this issue will aim to reduce the french employers’ responsibilities to encourage international mobility trips for apprentices.
What are the conditions of Erasmus trips for your apprentices
First of all, make sure that your institution (whether it is a professional high-school, a training centre or an apprentice center) is affiliated to the Erasmus+ programme. Ask your institution directly if they organise mobility trip projects for vocational training school careers.
Then, your apprentices’ employers have to accept their mobility trip abroad. The students will have to obtain from their employer a specific contract signed by him and the host company. All the documents will have to be given by your institution.
This is how your apprentice’s status will change to an intern status during his/her mobility trip abroad, but will continue to receive the apprentice salary from the french company. To confirm this status, it is important to sign the internship contracts which are affiliated to the Erasmus mobility trip. Your institution must give you all the useful information for all the administrative procedures to be made.
The provided scholarship for the apprentices during their mobility trip
An apprentice’s internship duration can be 2 to 39 weeks. During this period, the apprentice who chooses to go on an Erasmus+ mobility trip can combine his monthly salary and the Erasmus+ scholarship.
