Managing an apprenticeship contract

Last update: 07-10-2007

Date of entering the apprenticeship

The apprenticeship contract, which is for a maximum of 36 months, can start one month before the first year’s courses begin; it ends when the degree is awarded, i.e. October 15th of the final year (3 years later).

Students cannot be admitted to courses without a signed contract. Because classes at Montpellier ESC are organised into 15-day modules, students must obtain a contract before the start of the academic year; otherwise they may not be able to sit the first exams, which will thus make it impossible to obtain the final degree.

The date for the start of the first year’s classes at Montpellier ESC is fixed at Monday October 2, 2006 for all apprentices. Do not confuse this date with the date the contract is signed (which is when the entitlement to a salary begins) or with the date of the first presence in the company (according to the alternance arrangement negotiated with the company).

The status of the apprentice student

Apprenticeship is a special form of training, which has two facets:

• the transfer of professional knowledge and know-how from a “master” to the apprentice
• the putting in practice of the knowledge that will be covered by the teaching to prepare for an executive-level position.

It is a system with three aspects involving different players:

• The company, represented by the apprentice master who has been delegated to train and supervise the apprentice.
• The apprentice who, becoming an employee, receives a monthly remuneration in exchange for a contribution and an obligation to receive training.
• The School, who is authorised by the Apprentice Training Centre (“Centre de Formation d’Apprentis”: CFA) to provide the teaching allowing the apprentice to sit the examinations to obtain the Master’s Degree of the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Montpellier (“Diplôme de l’Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Montpellier”: DESCM).

Any signing of an apprenticeship contract involves these three partners. Any change to the contract also involves these three partners.

The apprenticeship contract is an employment contract: The student becomes an employee and depends (among others for social insurance, work accidents, holiday dates, etc) on the company that pays for his/her education.

The student is therefore remunerated for attending courses punctually. The employer is systematically notified by letter of absences for which no reason is given. Being late or absent from a class may give rise to salary deductions, even the suppression of compensatory aid given to companies in consideration for training apprentices.

Contract length

Students under an apprenticeship contract have the status of employee linking them to the company for 36 months.

Students, under an apprenticeship contract, are full-time employees in their company; the company authorises them to be absent from the company in order to follow the tuition and related activities (contingent upon the hours of presence “pretty much” comparable to half-time work, which includes the time for individual preparation, group work and preparing for exams).

Contract termination

During the first 2 months of the apprenticeship (the trial period), the contract can be terminated by the company or the apprentice. Nevertheless, before any termination due to the student, he/she must notify the person in charge of apprenticeships of his/her reasons.

By signing an apprenticeship contract, the company and the apprentice make a commitment for the length of time shown in the contract. An apprentice cannot unilaterally decide to end his/her obligations with regard to the company and the school. Any student who wishes to change company must discuss this beforehand with the person in charge of apprenticeship for the ESCM programme. If not, the student risks expulsion from the school.

A student who has joined the apprenticeship programme is committed to remaining in this programme until he/she obtains their degree.

Tuition fees

The company takes responsibility for the apprentice’s tuition fees for 3 years by signing, in addition to the apprenticeship contract, a partnership contract with Montpellier ESC.

The apprentice’s salary

In the framework of an apprenticeship contract, the salary is defined by law.

The apprentice is therefore forbidden to negotiate his/her salary before the contract is signed. On the other hand, the company remains free to award variable bonuses to motivate and reward performance in carrying out the job.

The apprentice student does not bear (in practice and to simplify) any social contribution and the contributions due from the employer represent about 15% of the apprentice student’s salary.

Social security scheme

Apprentices benefit from the social legislation covering social insurance, work accidents and access to occupational health-care (the employer must arrange the apprentice’s medical visit to the occupational health-care service before recruitment).

Leave

Apprentices are entitled to 2½ days paid leave for each contract month realised, between June 1st of the previous year and May 31st of the current year.

The apprentice student is not free to organise his/her time. This organisation of time is imposed or negotiated with the company. The apprentice must follow the procedures implemented in the company.

The apprentice record book

At the start of the academic year, each apprentice will receive an apprentice record book. The apprentice record book is a true log-book, the reference document in which the apprentice student notes, on the one hand, the list of courses followed and, on the other, all his/her activities in the company, as well as his/her educational achievement.

At the end of the company period, the apprentice drafts a report of his/her activities over the fifteen-day period and gets his/her record book signed by the apprentice master. This book includes the schedule of the courses and the apprentice’s academic record. Its upkeep will be checked on a regular basis and will be part of the apprentice’s evaluation.

The apprenticeship contract form:

The apprenticeship contract comprises three copies, intended for the administration, employer and apprentice respectively.

The self-copying forms and the list of the items to be provided can be obtained from Chantal Rémond, Professor in Charge of Apprenticeship and APL for Montpellier ESC’s programme.

he company returns these documents completely filled out as quickly as possible to the person in charge of apprenticeship to be recorded and sent to the CCI concerned for registration.