Work-study in Belgium: IFAPME, EFP and duaal leren, how it works

Work-study, internship, student job: what's the difference?

An internship is part of a school or academic curriculum: it lasts a few weeks or months and is governed by an agreement between the school, student and company. A student job is paid work alongside studies, under a student employment contract.

Work-study, on the other hand, is a complete training programme lasting one to three years, where the learner spends most of their time in the company. Company time isn't a supplement: it's the heart of the training, governed by a contract or agreement and supervised by a mentor.

In Wallonia: IFAPME

The Walloon Institute for Work-Study Training and Small and Medium Enterprises (IFAPME) offers around 200 training programmes for both young people and adults. Programmes last from one to three years.

• Apprenticeship for young people aged 15 to 25: most of the week in a company and 1 to 2 days of classes per week at an IFAPME centre.
• Adult training from age 18 onwards (qualified professional, business owner, coordination and management): on average 8 hours of classes per week, often in the evening or on Saturday.
• A contract or agreement, established with an IFAPME referent, sets out the relationship between the learner and the company; a mentor is appointed in the company.
• The learner receives a monthly training allowance that increases over the years; amounts are published by IFAPME.

According to IFAPME, working time is a maximum of 38 hours per week and the learner is entitled to 20 to 24 days of leave.

In Brussels: EFP

In Brussels, French-language work-study training for middle classes is provided by EFP, Brussels's work-study training centre. Apprenticeship is for young people aged 15 to 23 and combines classes at the centre with on-the-job training; from age 18, adults can follow work-study training, including business owner courses.

As in Wallonia, the company hosts the learner under a contract managed by the centre, which also supports the search for a company. Secondary education also organizes its own work-study programmes in CEFAs (centres for education and work-study training).

In Flanders: duaal leren

In Flanders, it's called duaal leren: secondary school students (or adults in training) learn at school and in the workplace. Several contracts exist, depending on the number of hours spent in the company.

• Overeenkomst van Alternerende Opleiding (OAO): at least 20 hours per week in a company, on average over the year, with an apprenticeship allowance (leervergoeding).
• Stageovereenkomst Alternerende Opleiding (SAO): less than 20 hours per week in a company; this agreement is unpaid.
• Deeltijdse arbeidsovereenkomst (DA): a part-time employment contract between the learner, the company and the training institution.

Before hosting a learner, the company must be recognized as a training location (erkende leerwerkplek), by type of training and by site. Applications are made online via app.werkplekduaal.be.

And in higher education?

Work-study also exists after secondary school: some higher education institutions and universities offer bachelor's or master's degrees in work-study format, where students divide their time between the institution and a partner company. The offering varies from year to year: contact the institution directly for details.

For most higher education students, the most common format remains the mandatory end-of-cycle internship, sometimes combined with a thesis completed at a company.

Finding a host company

This is often the most difficult step: in most programs, it's up to the learner to find their company, with help from the training centre. A few tips:

• Target companies close to home: you'll spend most of your week there.
• Present yourself as a future colleague: what you can already do, what you want to learn, your motivation for the profession.
• Mention your training centre and the planned duration: the company will know what it's committing to.
• Follow up after a week and ask for a meeting rather than just a written reply.

On COLLABme, companies post their internship and work-study listings with the period and location. You can also post your own search: companies in your region will offer you a position directly.

Companies: why host a learner

Hosting a learner means training someone in your methods, in your trade, for one to three years. Many companies use it as a recruitment pathway: according to IFAPME, 85% of graduates find a job within six months.

In return, the company commits to: designating an available mentor, following the training program, paying the allowance or compensation provided, and in Flanders, obtaining recognition as a training location. Training centres support these steps; regional grants sometimes exist, subject to conditions.