A longer period than the one in collège
In France, pupils in the general and technological seconde year, the first year of lycée when they are around 15 or 16, complete an observation period in a workplace lasting two consecutive weeks. According to the circular of March 2024 that governs it, it takes place during the second half of June, at the time of the final baccalaureate exams, and it must be held during school time. The lycée sets out the exact dates and arrangements each year.
This length is double that of the troisième internship. It lets the pupil go beyond a simple visit: the same situations come round again, the rhythm of the week becomes clear, several departments can be seen and projects can be watched moving forward from one day to the next. The two weeks can also be split between two host places, provided they cover the whole national period.
The central idea is guidance education: raising awareness of technological, economic and professional environments, widening choices and fighting stereotypes, gender stereotypes in particular, in how jobs are perceived. The text provides for no mark; any assessment is set out in the agreement.
Who is affected and what exemptions exist
The period is compulsory for pupils in general and technological seconde. The text does, however, provide for exemptions: involvement in the national universal service, a European or international exchange, or a two-week school trip. For the hotel and catering technology stream, which already includes a four-week placement, it is optional.
Pupils in vocational seconde come under a different scheme, the periods of training in the workplace, whose rules are separate. A pupil who is torn between the general, technological and vocational routes can use the general seconde period to compare, but should talk to the lycée before changing course.
If a pupil finds no host place, they are looked after at their lycée, which then organises guidance activities. It is better, however, to search actively, because meeting professionals remains the main benefit of the period.
Agreement, insurance and minors
Before the period starts, an agreement must be signed between the lycée, the host organisation and the pupil, or their legal guardians if the pupil is a minor. It states the objectives, the calendar, the supervision, the planned activities, the follow-up and, where relevant, the assessment. A model is annexed to the circular.
For a pupil who is a minor, their legal guardians sign the document and provide a certificate of third-party liability insurance. If the pupil has an individualised reception plan or a personalised schooling plan, the organisation must be told so that it can adapt its welcome.
Pupils of this age remain subject to the rules protecting young workers: regulated hours, a ban on certain dangerous work and respect for safety instructions. The tutor must explain the risks of the place on the first day. If in doubt about a task they are asked to do, the pupil tells the lycée's contact person.
Looking for a host that lets you see several jobs
Offers are gathered on a national public website for young people, where organisations post their proposals. Families can find placements by sector and by area there, and can add direct approaches of their own.
Choose less for the name of the organisation than for the variety of what you will be able to see there. An organisation with technical, sales, administrative and management functions will let you compare. A local authority, a hospital, an association, an engineering consultancy, a local media outlet or an industrial group each offer varied profiles.
A few points to consider before deciding:
- the host place must be reachable by public transport or on foot over two full weeks;
- a request set out in a few lines, with a precise question ("I would like to understand how an idea becomes a product"), attracts more replies;
- starting in February or March is reasonable, because the most sought-after places fill quickly;
- splitting the period between two places is an option if your interests are very different.
A personal goal before the first day
Without a goal, two weeks can slip by. Beforehand, write down three questions the period should answer. For example: does this job call for maths every day? Which studies lead to it after the baccalaureate? Does the working environment suit me?
As soon as you arrive, ask your tutor for a plan of the first week, even a rough one, and offer to follow several people. Here are questions that work well in seconde:
- Which school or higher education subjects are really useful to you?
- Which digital tools do you use?
- How do your technical, sales and administrative colleagues work together?
- What changes do you see in this job over the next ten years?
- If you had to choose your studies again, what would you change?
Keep a daily log of three lines: what I saw, what I learned, what surprised me. This log will later serve for the discussion in class in première and, further on, for guidance procedures.
A fictional example: Hugo shares his two weeks
Here is an illustration with round, invented figures. Hugo is torn between a general première with science specialisms and a technological route. He decides to spend five days in an engineering consultancy, then five days in a hospital medical biology department, ten days in all and about seventy hours of attendance depending on each organisation's timetable.
- Engineering consultancy: he follows a technician who draws plans, attends a project meeting and discovers the modelling software.
- Laboratory: he watches samples being received, meets a technician and a biologist, and learns the hygiene and traceability rules.
In his review, Hugo notes that he likes the rigour of procedures and contact with varied teams, but that data entry tasks bore him. This leads him to discuss with his form tutor which specialist subjects best match his tastes. No final choice is made: the period informs a decision, it does not replace it.
During the two weeks: attitude and vigilance
A two-week period builds a relationship of trust with the team. A few principles help you make a good impression and benefit from the time spent.
- Be punctual and give notice of any lateness or absence, to both the organisation and the lycée.
- Dress suitably for the place: plainer in an office, practical in a workshop.
- Ask your questions at appropriate moments, not in the middle of an emergency.
- Respect confidentiality: data about customers, patients or members of the public, and unpublished projects.
- Avoid sharing photos or information on social media without written permission.
If you are given few tasks, offer to restate what you have observed or to write a summary of an activity. If you are asked to do work unrelated to the discovery, speak to your tutor, then to the lycée if needed. A polite remark is often enough to restore the framework.
After the period: back to première
The educational follow-up of the period takes place in première. Pupils discuss their experience together and what it has changed in their plans. This is the right moment to compare placements: a classmate who observed a town hall saw something different from one who spent two weeks in a factory.
To build on the experience, several simple actions work: thank the tutor in writing, keep a contact to ask for advice, look up the courses mentioned, attend an open day, or look for a summer placement or a longer job in a sector you liked. The log then becomes a starting point for a guidance project ahead of Parcoursup, the national higher education application platform, without rushing.
It is perfectly normal for a job seen during the period not to convince you. Ruling out a route at sixteen is a useful result, just as discovering one you had never thought of is.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the observation period last in seconde?
It lasts two consecutive weeks, in the second half of June during the final baccalaureate exams, and takes place in school time. It can be split between two host places, provided the two weeks are covered. The lycée announces the calendar and the arrangements that apply each year.
Is the period compulsory for every pupil?
It is compulsory in general and technological seconde, with exemptions, for example for a European or international exchange, involvement in the national universal service or a two-week school trip. It is optional in the hotel and catering stream, which already includes a longer placement.
Is it paid or marked?
No, it is an observation period, with no pay from the host organisation. The circular provides for no mark; any assessment appears in the agreement and is up to the school. The follow-up takes place in première, collectively, around the experience lived.
What should I do if I cannot find any host place?
Tell your form tutor or the lycée's careers adviser quickly. The school can suggest leads and, as a last resort, a pupil without a place is looked after at their lycée, which organises guidance activities. Search early and through several routes to keep your choice of sector.
Can I choose two different places?
Yes, the period can be split between two organisations, as long as the total length covers the two weeks of the national calendar. This lets you compare two sectors, for example a laboratory and an administration. Each place must have its own agreement signed before the placement begins.
How does it relate to première choices and Parcoursup?
The period decides nothing, but it provides concrete observations for discussing specialist subjects with the education team and for building a plan. Later, this experience can feed the presentation sections of an application file. The rules of the national procedure change and should be checked on the official sites.