PFMP: making the most of your internships at a French vocational school

What a PFMP is, and what it is not

In France, the period of training in the workplace (PFMP, or période de formation en milieu professionnel) is part of a pupil's schooling spent in a company, public body or charity. Unlike a summer job, it is compulsory and set out in the rules of the qualification being prepared. Unlike an apprenticeship contract, the pupil keeps school status, stays attached to their school and does not sign an employment contract.

Its purpose is to build skills that cannot be fully taught in a workshop or classroom: working with real customers, meeting deadlines, using professional equipment and fitting into a team. The activities given to the pupil must match the qualification's competence framework, not tasks unrelated to the speciality.

That precision protects the pupil: a vocational baccalaureate internship in maintenance should not mean filing archives, and one in sales should not mean cleaning a warehouse all week.

Which qualifications are involved, and how the periods are spread

PFMP internships concern pupils on CAP courses and on the vocational baccalaureate, in state and state-funded private vocational schools, as well as in agricultural education. Their total length and how they are spread across the years depend on the order governing each qualification and on the reform of vocational education in France: they are expressed in weeks over the whole course.

The school builds a calendar that alternates classes and periods in a company. It may plan a short first period at the start of the course, then longer ones in the final year, when the pupil has more skills to put into practice.

• Dates: set by the school, with some flexibility depending on the companies.
• Number of periods: varies with the speciality.
• Places: companies of different sizes, to give a varied experience.

The exact rules are in the booklet handed out at the start of the year or on the school's online portal.

The agreement: the document that sets the rules

No pupil starts an internship without a signed agreement. It is drawn up from a national template, completed for each situation, and sets out the rights and duties of everyone involved: the school, the company, the pupil and, if the pupil is a minor, their legal guardians.

It contains the dates, hours and location, the name of the tutor in the company and of the teacher in charge of following the pupil, the planned activities and how the internship will be assessed. The annexes give the educational objectives and, where relevant, any exemptions for regulated work involving minors.

Before signing, check that the activities described match your speciality, that the hours respect the limits that apply to minors, and that each contact's details are legible. If something changes (a new tutor, adjusted hours), ask for an amendment rather than relying on a verbal agreement.

Finding a host company

In most schools, pupils look for themselves, with support from teachers and sometimes a school business office. Start at least two months before the planned date. The search is already a professional skill: introducing yourself, explaining your plans and understanding what a company expects.

Several routes work: approaching local companies directly, family contacts, former pupils, trade federations that want to draw young people to their sectors, and chambers of commerce or trades. Prepare a one-page CV, a short letter and suitable clothes to introduce yourself in person.

If you are aiming for further study or a job, take particular care over your final-year internship: it is often where contract offers or recommendations begin. Stay in touch with your tutor after the period ends.

The role of the tutor and the supervising teacher

Two people look after the pupil: a tutor in the company, who guides them day to day, and a supervising teacher, who keeps the link with the school. The tutor introduces the team, explains safety instructions, hands over tasks gradually and flags any difficulties. The teacher visits or makes contact remotely and checks that the objectives are being met.

The tutor does not need to be a professional teacher, but must be available and able to explain what they do. Do not hesitate to ask what they expect from you on the very first day, and to hold a review at the halfway point.

If a problem arises (tasks unrelated to the training, inappropriate behaviour, a safety risk), tell the supervising teacher or the school's management straight away. Do not struggle on alone.

Logbook, assessment and the link with the qualification

The pupil keeps a follow-up document, sometimes digital, in which they record the activities carried out, the skills practised and their own reflections. The tutor adds comments. The teacher reads this document, and it can be used in the exam.

Depending on the qualification, the internship contributes to assessment directly or indirectly: an oral exam based on a file, assessment during the course, or validation of skills certified by the company. The details are in the exam rules for the speciality being studied.

• Each week, note the situations you experienced and the skills you used.
• Keep evidence: photos where permitted, technical sheets, non-confidential documents.
• Ask your tutor to read through your file before you hand it in.

A clear, accurate and honest file often counts for more than an impressive but vague account.

Hours, safety and the allocation

Minors have special protections: limits on daily and weekly working time, compulsory rest, a ban or tight control on certain dangerous work, and no night work except under exemptions set out in the regulations. The tutor must supply the protective equipment you need.

Since the start of the 2023 school year, vocational school pupils in France have received an allocation for their PFMP internships. It is calculated on the time spent in the company, under rules and an amount set by regulations that change over time: ask the school office about the procedure, the documents to supply and the payment schedule.

The company may also offer extras of its own, such as a meal or help with travel costs, but it is not obliged to. Put it in the agreement if it has been arranged.

An example of a well-run PFMP

Fictional illustration. Yanis, a pupil in the first year of a two-year vocational baccalaureate in sales, does a three-week internship in a DIY store. With his teacher, he sets three objectives: welcoming and advising a customer, managing shelf stocking, and understanding stock tracking. His tutor first lets him observe at the till, then welcome customers under supervision.

Each evening, Yanis notes one situation: a customer unhappy about a late delivery, a labelling mistake, a request for advice on a product. At the end he writes a review of the skills he has reached and those still to work on. The tutor suggests he come back for his final-year internship. Yanis then prepares a more detailed file, which will be used for the oral exam.

Mistakes to avoid and special situations

• Waiting too long to look for a company.
• Accepting tasks unrelated to the qualification without telling the school.
• Neglecting punctuality and attitude: serious pupils are remembered.
• Leaving the logbook to be filled in at the last minute.
• Failing to tell both the company and the school about an absence.

In agricultural education, work-based periods follow specific instructions and agreements from the ministry responsible for agriculture. Pupils with disabilities can receive adjustments, which should be prepared in advance with the school team. Pupils can also complete part of their periods abroad, in a mobility scheme overseen by the school.

Finally, if your plan is to continue into an apprenticeship, use the PFMP as a test: you will learn what you like about the company and can talk about it in your applications.