Greening apprenticeships: France

This article is part of a series developed by Cedefop community of apprenticeship experts. It was drafted by Romain Pigeaud, Community expert for France, and revised by Cedefop staff.

Apprenticeships offered by the French Tennis Federation (FFT) are an example of the expansion of apprenticeships to new sectors, including sports, which has contributed to the sharp increase of apprentices since the last apprenticeship reform in France (by +15% in 2019, +42% in 2020 and +39% in 2021). 

Three years ago, the FFT created an online training module on environmental responsibility. The module includes feedback on the application of environmental practices, and is complemented by a set or resources that remind of, and help apply such practices on a daily basis. The goal is to reduce the environmental impact of the sport activity through organisation of ecologically responsible events with lower carbon footprint (for example, by avoiding distribution of single-use plastic bottles, using the existing drinking water network, using reusable containers and covers, reducing the environmental impact of transport, optimising resources, and recovering waste).  Practical application of the skills acquired by apprentices in the organisation of sports events and the operation of sport clubs has direct positive environmental impact. 

The initiative intends to work on the environmental impact of the sport activity and raise awareness of the entire ecosystem of the sports federation. The initiative is in line with the FFT’s policy of corporate social responsibility (CSR) of 2008, which has placed sustainable development at the heart of its strategy, as validated by its executive committee in January 2014. In 2018, the FFT joined in its creation the Sports for Climate Action movement, initiated by the UNFCCC (United Nations for Climate Action) and the IOC (International Olympic Committee).  

This initiative can be also seen as part of State's environmental objectives, such as the framework of the AGEC law (‘Anti-waste for a circular economy’) which aims to fight against waste, the production of waste and to limit plastic pollution (regulations of 2020 and 2021), or the charter of the 15 eco-responsible commitments for 2024 created by the Ministry of Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games for eco-responsible organisers and managers, in cooperation with the WWF. Since 2017, the FFT has been a signing member of the charter of 15 commitments.  

As the Federation promotes, organises and develops tennis and its associated disciplines in the whole country, the initiative concerns the entire sports federation and its members nationwide.  

Apprenticeship training centres (CFAs) related to the FFT can deliver the new training module as part of the apprenticeship programmes usually offered at ISCED level 5. These qualifications (DEJEPS - Diplôme d'Etat de la Jeunesse, de l'Éducation Populaire et du Sport) are State diplomas and are registered in the National Directory of Professional Certifications (RNCP). Although the module is not yet mandatory, it is usually part of the programme, also because it helps address the mission and requirements of CFAs to promote knowledge of the techniques for implementing and maintaining renewable energy sources, as well as energy efficiency, repair and recycling systems in line with the Education Law of 2019.  

Environmental skills acquired during the training module are not yet formally recognised. However, the intention is to integrate all the relevant aspects into the (compulsory) competence blocks of the reference framework (referential) of the corresponding certification. 

The initiative was managed by the FTT’s CSR department and financed entirely from the FTT’s own funds. The CSR department worked with the federation's national training centre to develop the new training module.