France - Learnabil-IT country mapping

Mutual Learning on Skills for the ICT Labour Market for People with Disabilities

Country Mapping - France Mapping cooperation mechanisms in France between employers and vocational education and training providers in the ICT sector

Centre de RĂŠadaptation de Mulhouse Didier Roche

Mulhouse, France, 2014

This publication is supported by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS (2007-2013). The information contained in this publication does not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Commission.

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Table of contents I. Mapping cooperation practices at national level .....................................................3 1. Contextual information..............................................................................................3 2. Training supply in ICT sector in the Rehabilitation Centre of Mulhouse ....................7 3. The national ICT labour market .............................................................................10 4. Description of existing cooperation mechanisms and structures ............................13 5. Results ...................................................................................................................17 6. Gaps and Progress track: .......................................................................................18 7. Conclusion & lessons learned ................................................................................20 List of interviewees .........................................................................................................21 II. Selection of good practices .....................................................................................22 1. Case study 1: CDI ISI Curriculum……………………………………………………...22 2. Case study 2: Establishment and maintenance of a network .................................26 3. Case study 3: Express interview with employers ....................................................29 4. Case study 4: TREMPLIN ......................................................................................32

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I. Mapping cooperation practices at national level The object of the Learnabil-IT European project is to integrate persons with disabilities (PWD) in the ICT sector. This includes a wide range of different activities. We chose in this country mapping to focus on the most qualified jobs in the ICT (or IT; these terms are used interchangeably in the report) development sector. These jobs are often accessible for many categories of disabilities but require a high level qualifications. For many people with disabilities, this is an issue because they often face difficulties progressing in their education.

We will describe in this report some mechanisms and tools that aim to provide answers to that situation. This is not a complete presentation of what exists in the country, but rather a selection of interesting practices.

1. Contextual information Labour market in the ICT sector in France: The next 2 years will see an increasing need for ICT engineers and high level ICT degrees in France. Most of the recruitments focus on young graduates with a level 7 to 8 (EQF), sometimes from only a few engineering schools. The implication of this is that if employers don’t diversify their recruitments profiles, difficulties for sourcing could appear.

Employment evolution in IT sector in France from 1985 to 2015

40% of the people working in the ICT sector are employed by ICT services & software engineering companies, and this trend is still growing. In these companies, people are living from placement to placement. Usually young graduates work for a few years for an ICT services & software engineering company before being recruited by one of their 3

clients. However the fast development of outsourcing could limit this possibility.

Outsourcing consists of subcontracting annex activities in order to focus on core business, especially as clients are becoming more and more “small and medium size businesses”. It is cheaper for a small company to subcontract ICT services than to recruit their own ICT staff.

To prevent a shortage of young graduates, companies will have to change their recruitments behaviour, as well as dedicate resources towards career development.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers in the ICT sector: In France the biggest part of ICT training is proposed in the initial training for young people leaving high school. It is divided, with one offer at university and another in private schools.

Adults in retraining or with a new professional project can benefit from in-service training with different terms and funding.

The mapping below presents the different VET possibilities and schools1.

In 1

Source: www.strategie.gouv.fr Rapport – Les métiers en 2015

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France only two rehabilitations centres provide high-level ICT training for people with disabilities (they could be included in the green circle with the AFPA2 and the CNAM): the CRM in Mulhouse and 2iSA in Millau. 

CRP (Centre de Réadaptation Professionnelle: Vocational Rehabilitation Centre) 2ISA in Millau3

The CRP in Millau provides the following training from EQF level 3 to 7, in two main sectors, the “network and support sector” and the “ICT development sector”.

IT network and support: - (TAI) computer technician - (TSRIT) senior technician of ICT Support - (TSGERI) senior technician, ICT Administrator and Network.

EQF level 4 EQF level 5 EQF level 5

IT development: - (DL) Computer software developer - (CDI) Designer IT Developer - (ISI) Engineer in information systems

EQF level 5 EQF level 6 EQF level 7

2iSA is also a member of the FAGERH4 and provides the same certifications from the Ministry of Work as the CRM. Both rehabilitation centres have frequent contact and are complementary, while having their own specifications and pedagogical organisation. 

The CRM has an agreement with the CNAM5 for the training: (ISI) Engineer in information systems. A description will follow in this report.

National Policy for PWD (Persons with Disabilities) In France, the integration of people with disabilities is enshrined in legislation with a policy of quotas.

Article L.323-1 of the law of 10 July 1987 promoting employment of PWD requires every employer with more than 20 employees to employ PWD full-time or partial time, to the level of 6 % of the total staff. This obligation is strengthened by the law of 11 February on 2005 and specified by the decree 2009-641 of 9 June 2009 pertaining to any company in the trade or non-trade sector.

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AFPA: Association for Adult vocational training http://www.2isa.com 4 FAGERH the French federation of rehabilitation centres http://www.fagerh.fr 5 CNAM: National Center for Art and Craft 3

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Five methods exist to fulfil this obligation: 1. Hiring a person with disabilities 2. Providing traineeship periods to PWD 3. Subcontracting with the sector of the protected work: a company can achieve up to 50% of their obligation by subcontracting with disability- friendly companies.

4. Signing a branch-level agreement or a company-level agreement 5. Paying the annual contribution to the AGEFIPH6

Unemployment level of PWD in France In 2011, the unemployment rate of PWD was 21%, compared to a level rate of 9% for the global population between 15 and 64 years old. The more severe the disability, the higher the unemployment rate; only 44% of the most disabled people are active compared with 71% for the average population. PWD in employment are usually employed in the lower qualified sectors; 74% are workers and only 6% are executives (50% and 18% for the average population).

There are two difficulties for PWD in the labour market: - they tend to have a problematic educational background - companies make relatively little effort to hire PWD, even though the existing challenges facing enterprises should be recognised.

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AGEFIPH: Association managing the funds for vocational integration of persons with disabilities

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2. Training supply in ICT sector in the Rehabilitation Centre of Mulhouse Descriptors defining levels in the European Qualifications Framework (EQF): Each of the following 8 levels is defined by a set of descriptors indicating the learning outcomes relevant to qualifications at that level in any system of qualifications.

Relevant learning outcomes

Knowledge (In the context of EQF, knowledge is described as theoretical and/or factual)

Level 1

basic general knowledge

Level 2

basic factual knowledge of a field of work or study

Level 3

knowledge of facts, principles, processes and general concepts, in a field of work or study

Level 4

factual and theoretical knowledge in broad contexts within a field of work or study

Level 5

comprehensive, specialised, factual and theoretical knowledge within a field of work or study and an awareness of its boundaries knowledge

Level 6

advanced knowledge of a field of work or study, involving a critical understanding of theories and principles

Level 7

highly specialised knowledge, some of which is at the forefront of knowledge in a field of work or study, as the basis for original thinking and/or research critical awareness of knowledge issues in a field and at the interface between different fields

Level 8

knowledge at the most advanced frontier of a field of work or study and at the interface between fields 7

Descriptors defining levels in the French Qualifications Framework (NFQ) and correspondence with EQF: NFQ French Framework

EQF European Framework

I Doctorate Grades

8

I Master Grade

7

II French “Licence” (BA or BSC) Grade

6

III

5

IV French “Baccalauréat”

4

V

3

Without object

2

Without object

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Training progresses from EQF level 3 to 7, in two main sectors, the “network and support sector” and “ICT development sector”.

IT network and support: - (AMEB) Maintenance agent - (TAI) Computer technician - (TSSI) Senior technician of ICT Support - (TSGERI) Senior technician, ICT Administrator and Network.

EQF level 3 EQF level 4 EQF level 5 EQF level 5

IT development: - (DL) Computer software developer - (CDI) Designer ICT Developer - (ISI) Engineer in information systems

EQF level 5 EQF level 6 EQF level 7

We will focus on the IT development activities for this study, since it is the sector where the gap between company needs and PWD skills is the highest. As a reminder, 80% of PWD have an EQF level inferior or equal to 3, while the jobs offered are at a level superior to 6 or 7.

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Who are the clients of the CRM? Vocational training (all sectors) If health reasons mean that a PWD is no longer able to continue his former job, he can benefit from a retraining programme. The Vocational training provides actions leading to a qualification for PWD in an adapted medical and social environment, aiming at their professional reintegration.

The Vocational training welcomes adults in retraining sessions, 82 % of whom were active for at least 6 months before entering our professional re-education programmes.

Number of clients in 2012: Training days in 2012:

384 76 847

EQF level 3 or less School level at entry (all sectors) 72 %

EQF level 4

EQF level 5

21 %

7%

Men 75.5 % Women 24.5 % Average age: 38 years and 9 months Percentage of persons over 45 years old: 32 %

Student mapping in the ICT development sector in the CRM: Men 86 % Women 14 % Average age: < 30 years old Percentage of persons over 45 years old: 14% Globally, entry to the CRM by persons in the ICT development sector is considerably higher than in any other sector.

The CRM employs 3 job-coaches to help our users to find jobs or gain work experience. One of these job-coaches is fully occupied in the ICT sector (ICT development sector and support and network sector), and supports our clients to be as efficient as possible in their job search. This includes: -

Collecting offers

-

Help with CVs

-

Advice on interviews 9

-

Help with application letters

-

Help with dress code

The clients also benefit from the support of the two project managers who maintain relationships with the major ICT companies.

3. The national ICT labour market ICT technical skills There are 6 big trends in the ICT for the future:  Cloud computing: companies don’t need to have their own servers and network.  Mobile Internet: between 2009 and 2012, smartphone sales grew by a factor of 4.  The Web of Things (or WoT) is a concept which plans to fully incorporate everyday physical objects into the World Wide Web by giving them an API (Application programming interface), thus greatly facilitating the creation of their virtual profiles as well as their integration and reuse for various applications.

The Web of Things is primarily an evolution of the Internet of Things where the primary concern has been how to connect objects together at the network layer.  Contactless payment.  Big Data: the term for a collection of data sets that are so large and complex that it becomes difficult to process them by using existing database management tools or traditional data processing applications.  Cyber security.

Personal skills required in the ICT sector 

multidisciplinary profiles with good technical basis



flexibility



resistance to stress



ability to communicate



project management



good understanding of customers' businesses



good level of English



Internet technologies (Java/J2EE and Dotnet, PHP, Drupal…)



data security skills 10

Type of jobs in ICT for PWD -

Applications developer

-

Database administrator

-

Web designer

-

Tester

-

Mobile applications developer

-

Application designer

-

Engineer7

Gaps and barriers We regularly realise that employers are reluctant to hire PWD because of negative stereotypes. The resulting biases can be: -

Employing PWD could be considered as overly restrictive.

-

For instance a person could be considered as less productive than a healthy person.

-

A PWD is perceived to have a higher level of absenteeism, and require longer training.

-

All these reasons could hypothetically reduce the productivity of a team.

-

Beyond that, the image of disability can be frightening within the company.

It is true that some disabilities may entail additional costs, but most PWD don’t need special equipment or adaptations. Too often, people imagine PWD to be in a wheelchair or have a very high degree of disability. It is rarely considered that many disabilities are not visible; events like the Telethon in France (a TV-show which collects donations for research on rare diseases) heightens such a view. The range of disabilities and of their effects is often ignored.

In a study by Claire Fanjeau for the DARES in 2007, ¾ of surveyed companies reported that lower productivity was the primary fear of employers when thinking of hiring PWD. Yet, in the same study nobody declared to be opposed to the employment of PWD, although some employers are just not interested in the subject and do not want to be bothered with it.

In comparison, many companies do have a policy for hiring PWD. Supported by a ‘Disability mission‘(disability cell or department within the company) and the commitment 7

Source : FAFIEC, Etude prospective du secteur professionnel du numérique

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of the trade unions and personnel representatives via a disability agreement, some big companies have a policy to increase the part of PWD in their group. It is one of the 5 methods provided by the 2005 law.

The two Project Managers of the CRM regularly collaborate with these disability missions to create contacts and find employment opportunities for our clients, or to find funds for our new developments.

Although these big companies often receive applications from PWD, they cannot always follow through with the recruitment. This is mainly due to the mismatch between the job opportunities and the skills of the PWD, or between the job and the disability of the person. In the ICT sector, recruitment requires a high level of qualification; hiring PWD is difficult because their average educational level is insufficient.

One reason is that the companies recruit at a level 6 or 7 while only a few PWD have this level. Another reason is that big ICT companies are used to hiring young students, while PWD are in a retraining programme, and so already have professional experience in another sector, and are often not as young as the employers expect. In other words, PWD do not correspond to the companies' recruitment habits.

Some other companies lack an appropriate communication policy about their vacancies, and as a result are hardly ever contacted by PWD for a job.

All companies met in the present study, as well as all the companies we work with, consider integrating people with psychological disabilities as most problematic. There is a lack of understanding of this type of pathology, which can lead to suspicion or often fear. Our partners also often speak about their fear about the personal skills concerning people with psychological disabilities. Communication skills and tolerance to stress are often the main worries, and can really be a problem for this type of pathology.

In the CRM, and in the ICT sector specifically, 29% of our clients have psychological troubles, and are often successful in their training and have good technical skills.

Despite this, we can see that their employment level is very low compared to other clients. Even our regular partner enterprises are reluctant to hire them. These suspicions of lower communications skills or tolerance to stress are the main reasons.

A way of improving this situation could be to set up specific guidance for the company and the persons with psychological disabilities, thereby preventing the problems and helping teams work with the person. Such guidance could include preparation with the stakeholders in the workplace, a psychological follow-up and a method to prevent stress.

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4. Description of existing cooperation mechanisms and structures The final purpose of any vocational training is to provide the person with the skills to find a job by themselves, in accordance with their wishes, which are also adapted to their disability situation and to the labour market. That is the reason why the CRM has a team working on this objective, focusing on students and employers alike.

Work with students: The team is composed of 3 job coaches hierarchically connected to a Training Manager in their sector of activity. Each creates and maintains an efficient professional network, at local and national levels, and helps our clients search for work or traineeship periods.

Personal coaching is provided by the job coaches with the possibility to sign a contract for personalised assistance with their job search. This contract is signed by the student and by the job coach with the following objectives: 

Gaining the necessary skills for job seeking



Creating relationships with employers



Achieving job opportunities



Building their own integration strategy



Developing autonomy

Work with enterprises: The CRM has 2 projects managers who work as the organisational contact of the CRM, one in charge of the relationships with the companies, the other in charge of the pedagogical engineering and insertion. They both contribute to giving enterprises a global vision on situations that are generally complex for these enterprises, on the following questions: 

Informing them about their employment obligation for PWD



Job retention



Professional evolution



Retraining



Vocational training



Recruitment

The project managers organise partnerships to ease the integration of PWD in the companies. Tools are offered by the CRM which give concrete direction towards these goals.

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Traineeship periods with a follow-up within the companies by the teachers: For each training programme in the CRM there is at least one traineeship period that can be undertaken once or more than once if needed.

As an example, students in the Designer and IT-Developer curricula spend the last 4 months of the training in a company. The student is placed in a real work situation and has to produce a report about the project he has worked on. This report is submitted to a professional jury as part of gaining certification. For each student, the teacher has a first phone call with the company so that he can check with the tutor that the integration is happening smoothly. The tutor in each company is known before the beginning of the period, and identified in the traineeship convention signed by all the partners (CRM, enterprise, and student). This is followed later by a review of the traineeship, which the teacher organises with the tutor in the company.

The process is formalised in a document called “Individual sheet for follow up in company”. The tutor can call the teacher at any moment during the traineeship if necessary and get information on the project's objectives and also on the attitude or the health situation of the student. Equally, the student can call his teacher if needed. All these communications are very important. From experience we know that a successful traineeship can lead to a job or to other traineeships for our clients.

Professional juries: All the training periods are validated by an exam from the Ministry of Work; in legal texts the organisation requires the presence of juries coming from companies. These juries are validated by the General Directorate for Employment and Vocational Training “DGEFP” and have to work in the corresponding sector. The CRM is in charge of validating these juries for the various exams.

This is a good opportunity for the CRM to create relationships with these professionals and to inform them about: 

The basics of the CRM and the content of our training



Increasing awareness of disability



Job opportunities for our students

Other tools These periodical contacts with companies are inherent to our activity but are not sufficient to allow insertion for all our clients. That is why we have reinforced our action with complementary tools:

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Support to training: 

Interview simulations



Partner companies share their jobs opportunities with the CRM



JOB IN LIVE Terminal, a tool through which student can send their electronic CV to a selection of companies



Funding of curricula



Company visits



Job discovery days

Support to companies: 

Visit to the CRM



Meeting with the multi-disciplinary team



Meeting with the studentsCRM participation at events organised by the companies in connection to disability



Events can be organised for companies in our auditorium



Partnership agreements can be signed with companies wanting to help us in our action for PWD

Other existing cooperation mechanism and structures In France the quota system supports the development of associations aiming to help companies achieve their obligations. These associations are joint initiatives of several large companies to improve the employment of PWD. 

EXECO www.execo-france.fr

A consultancy firm which has helped private or public organisations in their PWD employment policy since 1997 in France.

EXECO provides services for companies such as: - Diagnostics about their obligation and consulting (how to improve) - Development of a company level agreement (one of the 5 possibilities to achieve the legal obligations) - Steering and managing - Help with recruiting PWD - Integration and retention of PWD - Training for managers hiring PWD 15



HANPLOI www.hanploi.com

Created in 2004 by a professional network, HANPLOI helps applicants with disabilities and recruiters with questions about integration of PWD into work.

EXECO and HANPLOI are both private associations created and funded by big ICT companies. They work at different levels to help PWD find a job or help recruiters to hire PWD. They are specialised in high level studies and in the ICT sector.

The same companies that fund HANPLOI and EXECO are also partners of the CRM in the ICT sector. This collaboration was the result of positive contact. Since it is difficult for the CRM to find PWD that are interested in and able to integrate in ICT training, EXECO and HANPLOI help in the recruitment of good profiles for engineer curricula, for rehabilitation centres like the CRM but also for universities. At the same time, they can be a relay point for students or for training centres to reach companies. 

TREMPLIN http://www.tremplin-handicap.fr A gateway between the world of study and the world of work. Its role is to connect guide students with companies and vice-versa, aiming to unite these two worlds to the advantage of both. The association TREMPLIN will be the object of a case study in our selection of good practices (Part II).



The association @talentEgal. http://www.atalentegal.fr A gateway between high school and university, this association aims to support students with disabilities to reach a high level of qualification in the partnering school or university. The students can benefit from: - Private coaching - Professional mentoring - Access to a learning management system to complete their knowledge - Workstation adaptation - Priority access to job or traineeship periods.

The association is funded by two large companies: Alcatel Lucent (IP network and clouding products and services, with nearly 8 000 employees in France) and Safran (aerospace, defence and security equipment, with almost 40 000 employees in France).

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5. Results Placement rate at 6 months and exams results in ICT compared to the general rate in the CRM: Usually placements are significantly better in the ICT development sector than the CRM global rate. An exception was the year 2012, which was the result of many factors such as: the age of the participants, higher levels of psychological disabilities compared to the previous years, and the economic crisis finally hitting the ICT sector.

Examination results in this sector are the best in the CRM. It is clear that people are highly motivated and enthusiastic about the technologies involved.

Technical skills are not a problem. Any difficulties which may appear are more in relation to the student's personal skills. We recognise that this aspect of the training still needs improvement.

Results in ICT network and support levels V to III: Except for 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with its contextual reasons noted above â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the higher the education level, the better the employment chances. The ICT development sector remains more attractive than the ICT support sector; a fact we can confirm based on the requests of the enterprises: most requests are for people with higher expertise level and development skills.

Development of new training curricula Due to their difficulties in recruiting people with disabilities, several large companies have asked the CRM to develop new training courses for PWD to meet their needs.

Cap Gemini SOGETI was the first to take the initiative to fund the CRM to organise, for a group of 6 to 10 persons, a Designer ICT Developer training (CDI). The third group will finish soon and some trainees will continue on to the engineer training.

CGI (ex LOGICA) also funds the two first groups: (ISI) Engineer in information systems.

This training started two years ago.

Today the third group is funded by a team of 4 enterprises in the ICT or industrial sector: THALES, SOGETI, BNP PARIBAS, and EDF. Help from private companies is required to create such curricula, since public funding and usual resources cannot cover the cost of these expensive programmes. The ICT companies take part because they have a real need to recruit good profiles and to reach their obligation of 6% of PWD in their group. They also prefer to be involved in training organisations in terms of communication than to pay a fine to the AGEFIPH. 17

The CRM's visibility All these actions have been published in press articles or business communications, and this has significantly increased the visibility of the CRM for the great benefit of our students.

All our vocational training courses have been publicised, and all sectors (tertiary, services, network and telecom, industrial and building design) have benefited from the partnerships, with new job opportunities being created for all.

6. Gaps and Progress track Gaps Mental disorders: Even with our best partners, organising successful integration for people with psychological disabilities remains problematic. Tolerance to stress and communication difficulties create a gap which is difficult to bridge.

Relationships between the competitors: Relationships between competitors in the same sector of activity can generate difficulties. All the partners are potentially interested in the same profiles. A company funding training for a group is unlikely to accept a member of the group being hired by a rival company.

That is why our partnership for the engineer curricula does not include companies only present in the ICT sector: Thales is in the aeronautic and armament sector, EDF is an energy provider, BNP PARIBAS is a bank and only CAPGEMINI SOGETI comes from soley the ICT sector.

Gap between what the enterprises plan to do and what they will actually do: Often companies at the beginning of the curricula do plan to hire a number of PWD. But over time, their needs can decrease or the profile might not turn out to be suitable for their needs. As a result, the entire group pre-selected by the partners wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a job or work experience. While students know before entering the curricula that they cannot be sure of a job at the end, this situation can generate frustration or misunderstanding: students have to find new work experience place, and companies pay for people they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hire.

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In this situation the CRM will negotiate with the employer to find a solution or, if this is not possible, help the student to find another enterprise where they can finish their training.

Progress track Support for people with psychological troubles We have seen that even if enterprises are volunteering to hire disabled people, they are still uncomfortable about psychological troubles and inappropriate personal skills. There is a gap between the technical skills of this public and the management and communication skills required by the jobs on the ICT labour market.

Focus job coaches' assistance on those most in need of help: -

Help to build up personal skills to prevent people with good technical abilities from failing in their job searches.

-

Help with interview preparation

Reinforce the guidance in enterprise by a multi-disciplinary team for people with psychological disabilities.

Provide support to the employer and work colleagues.

Develop the protected work sector (ITC specialisation): In France the sector of protected work is split into two different categories, each with a different status. A sheltered workshop would be a last resort, but disability-friendly companies are considered as ordinary working environment.

Disability-friendly companies

Sheltered workshops

Status of establishment

Company

Medico social institute

Legislation

Legislation of work

Family code

Status of PWD

Employee

Partially employee

Remuneration of PWD

100% of minimum salary

70% of minimum salary

Degree of disability

< 70%

Remuneration of the staff

Paid by the enterprise

Paid by the government

Funding of the establishment

Turnover

Publicly-funded

>70%

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The sector of protected work is a good solution for persons with psychological disabilities (and with a high level of qualification); clients companies can avoid potential difficulties, they can deduct a part of their activity and the approach is a possible solution to their legal obligation.

However up to today, the protected work is the most concentrated on low level qualification, and for this reason our ICT students are not interested in the jobs offered.

Only 2 disability-friendly companies specialised in ICT exist today in France: Talaron services Arche SI

(www.talaron-services.com)

in Montpellier (www.archesi-ea.com) in Toulouse

We have good contacts with both but they are located far from Mulhouse and cannot accept all our clients in difficulties.

One solution could be for the CRM to be at the source of a new project of protected work enterprise specialised in ICT and based in the East of France. In this, our partnership with the big ICT enterprises could be beneficial.

7. Conclusion & lessons learned Conclusions will be completed after the Focus Group, since this is the reporting stage.

This period is difficult in France because of Easter holidays and other holidays in May, during which many persons are not present.

We have a good contact with our partner HANPLOi. (www.hanploi.com).

CED HANPLOI created a social network about diversity in a European and international dimension: www.udiversal.com.

They want to use this tool for their partners who wish to work together. For example, for good practices exchanges, it provides a good opportunity for our dissemination plan.

The Focus group has been planned in Paris on the premises of HANPLOI, on the 26th of June.

The following will be present: 

A manager of the Handicap Project for Cap Gemini Sogeti



A member of the Syntec Numerique (the trade association representing the ICT)



An accredited occupational doctor



A staff member of HANPLOI



One of the CRM project managers 20



A member of the trade union in the ICT sector



A member of TREMPLIN

List of interviewees: 

Former student now working in the ICT sector : Mr Loris Schuller



Former student now working in the ICT sector : Mr Cyrille Treillard



Job coach at the CRM : Mrs Cecile Magu



Employer at CGI : Mrs Sophie Lefevre



Employer: CAP GEMINI SOGETI Mrs Béatrice Guy



TREMPLIN: Mrs Julia Denis

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II. Selection of good practices 1. Case study 1: CDI ISI Curriculum Rationale CRM provides ICT development training, but most of the big companies in the sector required an engineer level for their recruitment.

Companies have to recruit people with disabilities to respond their legal obligation but failed to find good profiles which matched their demands.

The problem: only a small section of our public is able to follow an engineer training without preparation, since level II is required at the entrance and most do not have this.

To increase the number of potential students it has been decided â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in partnership with 4 companies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to organise special curricula which would allow people to reach the level required to enter the engineer training.

We call it: CDI ISI curriculum.

This programme fits the needs identified by the companies of the ICT sector and allows an entry in the engineer training courses in cooperation with the CNAM. It is possible to combine the two courses, CDI8 in one year and ISI9 for the two next years.

During the first period, the person's status is that of a vocational trainee. During the next two years (s)he must sign an Apprenticeship contract with a company and thereby gain private-law contract employees status.

A four month work experience placement during the first part can be used as a trial period for the partner companies and as an integration period for the students.

Objectives

8 9

-

Validating a level II grade to integrate into the engineer curricula

-

Giving the ICT company a chance to hire people with disabilities at a level corresponding to their needs

-

Giving our clients a good job opportunity

CDI: Designer ICT Developer, level 5 ISI: Engineer in Information System, level 7

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Actors involved and roles: From the CRM Project managers and Training manager: -

Planning and funding the curriculum, planning, management of the pedagogic team

-

Sourcing students, and managing relationships with the companies

-

Connecting students and employers

-

Steering the group of partner enterprises (meeting, reporting, cooperation)

Job-coaches Helping students gain access to a company, as well as guidance with CV and interviews Teachers Provide technical ICT training and pedagogic support Multi-disciplinary team (social, medical) Support, as needed Administrative support Contract, invoices and payments Partner enterprises: EDF BNP Paribas Cap Gemini Sogeti Thales These fund the curriculum, manage work experience, and hire students in an Apprenticeship contract.

Institutional: - OPCA: “Accredited collecting fund for training”: funds a part of training for enterprises - ASP: “Agency for Services and Payment”: pays the salary of students for the first year

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Feature: 1. On-site training in the CRM by CRM teachers 2. Validated by a French ministry of Labour degree «Concepteur Développeur Informatique» in English Designer ICT Developer (EQF level 6) 3. Accommodation and meals on site 4. Medico, psycho, social support in the CRM 5. Target public : PWD with a level IV 6. Minimum size for the group: 8 persons How it works: -

It is necessary to have a solid ICT team with a good experience of ICT training in the level III and II.

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A project manager is present to help the training manager organise the curriculum and create new contacts with ICT partners.

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A data base for finding future students is created.

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Work experience provides a good way of creating contacts between companies and students.

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Collaboration with employers is the key.

What do employers think about it?

The project is a good opportunity for companies to communicate about their diversity policy and promote internal integration of disabled persons.

Companies view the project positively, but often don’t want to change their recruitment habits, since our clients are in competition with universities students who are younger and more attractive to managers.

What do students think about it?

All the students in this operational part of the project are happy about the opportunity provided, even if they are not always certain about the idea of signing an Apprenticeship contract to finalise their project. For some, searching for work experience and signing contracts can generate stress. Help is provided for people in most difficulty.

Challenges and ways to improve: We note that it is relatively easy to obtain funding, a little harder to obtain work experience but often difficult to finalise recruitment.

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The support of all the stakeholders is required to achieve the final objective: employment.

Contacts: Didier Roche, training manager didier.roche@arfp.asso.fr

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2. Case study 2: Establishment and maintenance of a network Rationale It is a real policy for the CRM to develop partnerships with private sectors but also with other associations in charge of PWD. Our establishment's project notes this, along with the fact that we have a budget for this action that allows the CRM to have 2 project managers to promote the employment of our clients.

One is in charge of the relationship with the companies, while the other manages the pedagogic engineering and insertion.

Both contribute to giving the enterprises a global vision on situations which are generally complex around disability issues.

Objectives Work with enterprises:      

Information about their employment obligation for PWD Job retention Professional development Retraining Vocational training Recruitment

The projects managers organise partnerships to ease the integration of PWD into the world of work.

Actors and roles 2 projects managers: Carole Schmitt and Gilbert Wirtz Dedicated interlocutors for the partners, since it is necessary for the company to have a familiar person who they can direct their questions about disability to.

All the training managers These work very closely with the project manager and have the responsibility for carrying out the projects elaborated with the partners and the project managers. They are involved throughout the project, from start to finish.

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Teachers involved in collaboration project Teachers are often the best specialist from their sector in the association. They know the main companies of their sector of activity and have accurate knowledge about the development of the market. They also monitor technological developments in their specific field and regularly inform project and training managers of these developments.

How it works: Companies can contact the CRM to obtain information about the legislation or about workspace adjustment for PWD. The CRM can also clarify how best to keep a person in work after suffering a disability, through a professional evolution or retraining. These information services are free of charge for the companies, but are also a good opportunity for the CRM to create links and to find new partners.

For example, caregivers from a partner hospital have benefitted from secretarial training after becoming unable to perform their job. They have been employed instead at the reception area until completion of the training.

After first contact, and if needed, we offer companies the possibility to send us their recruitments offers, which are then disseminated to the corresponding training sections by our job coaches. Students will then have the possibility to apply (while being covered by the CRM) for these vacancies, and have a good chance of getting an interview.

Our Engineer curriculum is a direct result of this policy of partnership with companies, since after a long relationship period we have been chosen by CAP GEMINI SOGETI for their engineer curricula project.

Above all, the most important success is that this policy significantly increases the jobs opportunities for our clients.

What do employers think about it?

CRM has good expertise on disability - they can receive help and advice whenever needed. The work involves thorough networking, but as time passes, confidence builds, and CRM is becoming a privileged representative to intercede on behalf of PWD. What do students think about it?

Students benefit from this long term activity, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always understand what the background preparation is about. Nevertheless, most know that they will benefit during or after their training from good contacts or job opportunities.

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Challenges and ways to improve: Time is needed in these projects since it can take a while for results to emerge.

Meanwhile, staff and contact persons in the companies can change, but the work itself is continuous. It is important to have one person in charge of these activities, but it cannot work without the help of all the professionals, especially the teachers.

It must become a habit to share contacts and to create opportunities to ensure that the network continues to grow.

Contacts: Gilbert Wirtz, project manager in relation with companies: gilbert.wirtz@arfp.asso.fr

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3. Case study 3: Express interview with employers Rationale This entails site “speed dating” with a group of partner companies and the students of the ICT training, during which each person can have a quick interview with one or more of the recruiters.

Each company recruiter will meet a number of potential candidates (an average of ten) in a ten minute interview. Some of them have real contracts opportunities or job placement propositions, while others come to take the opportunity to practice interviews with our clients.

In these interviews, participants will practice their communication skills with actual recruiters and build confidence in this type of situation. Many students have the opportunity to find a work experience placement during these interviews days, and the luckiest can even gain a contract.

Objectives For the candidates: - To practice their ability in interviews - To confirm the efficiency of their CV - It is a good opportunity to align their personal skills to the needs of the recruiters such as:       -

Dress code Ability to speak about their project Courtesy requirements Knowledge of the enterprise Client relationship Etc...

To find work experience To be hired for a job

For the companies: - To recruit profiles corresponding to their requirements - To become more familiar with recruiting PWD Actors involved and roles Job coaches: Organise the day, register the students, plan interviews for the enterprise, time management, overviews CVs, interview training 29

Projects managers: Contact with the companies, invitations cards Teachers: Confirmation of work experience objectives, help with professionals skills on CV, relationship with enterprises Training manager in charge of the sector in question: Relationship with companies, supervision Professional recruiters from ICT companies: -

Proceed to interviews and give feedback to the students and to the CRM

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Help student to progress with personal skills if needed, or advise on the best way to apply in the sector.

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To the CRM: help us to improve our training offer or prepare our students for job searching.

How it works: -

Maintain relationships with ICT sector professionals

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Create a database with ICT professional recruiters

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Requires significant number of students in the same sector

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Involves teamwork with all stakeholders

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Requires planning and organisation well in advance, good interview planning, and excellent time management.

Example of planning: 8:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8:30 9:00 10:45 11:00 13:00 14:30 15:30 15:45 17:00 18:00

Welcome coffee Beginning of the interviews Break Interviews Lunch with all the professionals Interviews Break Interviews Daily debriefing at the end of the day's interviews with the teacher, the job coach, the recruiter and a training manager End of the day

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What do employers think about it?

Employers usually appreciate these days. It is an opportunity to find good profiles and to meet other recruiters who share the same concerns. It is not only a recruitment opportunity, but also an occasion to share experiences about disability with other persons involved.

What do students think about it?

Students have good appreciation of these interview days, since they have the opportunity to meet professionals in the ICT sector, and they find the process lively and animated. Many find work experience or a job contact, and all learn about the professional and personal skills required by companies.

We can observe an evolution in the behaviour, dress and language of students.

They become more professional.

Challenges and ways to improve: It is sometimes difficult to get many employers on the same day, and so it is necessary to plan a long time in advance.

These events require a significant organisation and planning effort.

We could find ways to prepare participants more effectively for these days: communication skills, dress code, and personal skills are our progress tracks.

Some people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need much help while others need real coaching. We need to focus on individuals who encounter the most difficulties.

Contacts: Cecile Magu, job coach: cecile.magu@arfp.asso.fr

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4. Case study 4: TREMPLIN Rationale The association was created in 1992 on the initiative of four big industrial groups (Total, RhĂ´ne Poulenc, IBM, and ELF) as an answer to the French legislation to promote the employment of PWD. (See page 6). It is a direct, concrete and positive answer to the obligation of insertion.

TREMPLIN is neither a training provider nor an employment office to find work. Instead it is a gateway between the world of study and the world of work for students with disabilities in their first cycle of studies. Its role is to guide students to companies and vice-versa, aiming to unite these two worlds to the advantage of both. TREMPLIN is positioned upstream of employment and guides students throughout the national territory.

The association specialises on the higher qualification level. In France, if 80% of PWD have an EQF level 3, 99% of the students followed by TREMPLIN are at least preparing a level 4 and 60% will reach a level 7 or 8.

Objective The association works in two complementary ways: It helps disabled students to progress from student status to employee status. It helps companies transform their integration projects for PWD into reality.

The action of TREMPLIN for big â&#x20AC;&#x201C; medium and small companies is an effective boost to the movement from intent to action to employ disabled students.

Today the association is financed by more than 200 companies with a board of directors elected through the partners.

Actors involved and roles The school, training centre or university The training body accepts the help of the association and facilitates the action. Many schools are partners of the association.

A coach of the association (S)He follows the students individually from the school to their first job.

The companies These contact TREMPLIN to help welcome disabled employees, train or recruit young graduates with disability, or they are contacted by TREMPLIN for a student project.

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The student (S)He can contact TREMPLIN to make his training process and his professional integration easier: The aim is to improve his/her qualification level. The student will be put in contact with different companies and must follow the advice given by his/her coach, as well as by the companies.

How it works: The team consists of 7 persons, 3 who help each student individually (as all situations are different), and forges contacts between training organisations or universities and the partnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s companies.

After registration the student is invited for an interview with a coach. Together they go through the details of his project, assess the situation and plan the activities. The student will be followed over a long-term period: from his training to his first job. He is given help to build his project as well as to reach his final aims, in accordance with his aspirations and the limits of his disability.

Each young person has his personal coach and may be put in contact with the actors of companies: recruiters, disability manager, managers, technicians etc.

Different activities, including work placements, apprenticeships, mentoring, or professional interviews can all be offered.

Throughout each work placement or apprenticeship, the coach ensures that the activity is monitored, and this leads to a final review in the presence of a company representative. The objective is to improve the abilities and knowledge of the students, as well as the capacity for the company to accommodate colleagues with disabilities.

What do the companies think about it?

Companies appreciate the action of the association; it is a good way to lead young PWD from schools to the world of work and to actively contribute to their future professional integration.

It is more constructive to help people with disabilities to develop their skills and to achieve higher training than to complain about the weakened level of these persons.

In order to give these young people the opportunity to find work, it is also necessary that employers change their recruitment behavior; this activity is a good starting opportunity.

It is more interesting to follow a person over a long period - the companies get to know the student and the student learns professional rules, behavior and skills. This mutual knowledge clearly improves the chances for good integration in their future job.

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What do students think about it?

Most students describe it as a real opportunity to meet big companies, to discuss with recruiters in a real human discussion and to defend a project. They can demonstrate that they are as motivated as any person without disabilities.

Leonardo World of work TREMPLIN makes its expertise available through the European project “Leonardo World of work”. This aims to elaborate pedagogical support for students with disabilities to improve their work and study opportunities.

Partners of this project have developed a structured support methodology and pedagogical tools using the innovative experience of the Danish university of Aarhus.

TREMPLIN’s action in this project consists of building a network to create links between enterprises, students and universities10.

Contact: Julia DENIS Project manager in charge of school relationships julia.denis@tremplin-handicap.fr

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http://www.tremplin-handicap.fr http://universemploi.inshea.fr

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Are you interested in the project?

More information on www.epr.eu/projects/Learnabil-IT Follow us on LinkedIn

This project is supported by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity - PROGRESS (2007-2013).

This programme is implemented by the European Commission. It was established to financially support the implementation of the objectives of the European Union in the employment, social affairs and equal opportunities area, and thereby contribute to the achievement of the Europe 2020 Strategy goals in these fields. The seven-year Programme targets all stakeholders who can help shape the development of appropriate and effective employment and social legislation and policies, across the EU-27, EFTAEEA and EU candidate and pre-candidate countries.

For more information see: http://ec.europa.eu/progress The information contained in this publication does not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Commission.

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