CCCA-BTP 2025 Barometers: apprenticeships in the construction industry, explained by those who experience it every day

These surveys offer a unique perspective on the reality of apprenticeships in the construction industry in France, through key data on motivations and perceptions of training, collected and analyzed by this trio of stakeholders who experience apprenticeships on a daily basis. In these challenging times for construction professionals, the results of this new edition are a source of pride in light of the efforts made in recent years to support and accelerate apprenticeships, as well as an encouragement to continue them.

By providing a reliable, clear, objective and quantified vision for the construction and public works sectors, these three barometers are also part of the CCCA-BTP's approach to analyzing trends in construction apprenticeships, to support the major structural changes in vocational training and the construction sector. In a constantly changing environment, it is more necessary than ever for construction training organizations to have a systemic vision of their environment and respond to short- and medium-term development challenges in their region.

The Apprentice Life Barometer (BVA): a record satisfaction rate among apprentices

157 CFA responded to the BVA survey, sharing the link with their apprentices to complete the survey: 30.620 responses were collected, representing 30% of apprentices preparing for training in a construction trade. Conducted in 2024, this is the 8th edition of this survey and the third conducted annually, in order to provide training organizations in the construction trades with more regular information as part of their Qualiopi audits.

The most salient results

• 90% of apprentices say that the apprenticeship met their expectations.
• 89,8% would recommend their training to a loved one.
• 88,1% say they were well received at the CFA.
• 87,1% are satisfied with their CFA training.
• 93,1% say they were well received when they arrived at the company.
• 84,3% believe that it is up to their generation to bring innovation to the construction sector.
• 82% believe that environmental protection will be important in their profession in five to ten years.
• 57% consider their CFA’s practices to be innovative.
• 88,4% believe that innovation is useful for businesses.
• 90% say they do what is necessary to work safely in the workplace, including 57% often and 33% from time to time, an increase of 5,5 points in ten years.
• 45% of apprentices affected by disability identified the disability contact person at the CFA.

For the majority of apprentices, apprenticeship training is a way to enter the workforce and earn a salary. They also appreciate the way the training is organized, which alternates between work and training centers.

They provide generally positive feedback on their daily lives at the CFA, and their satisfaction with their training remains one of the BVA's key learning points. If apprentices appreciate their training, it's mainly because it's increasingly well-structured between their host company and the CFA, with room for improvement.

They also highlight the role of construction companies in preserving the environment and confirm their apprenticeship supervisor's commitment to improving the environmental impact of construction sites. Sensitive to environmental issues and aware of their responsibility, they believe that the issue will increasingly influence their professional practices.

On a daily basis, digital tools confirm their anchoring in the profession, with half of the apprentices saying they have been trained in collaborative solutions for site monitoring and management, both at the CFA and in the workplace. And when it comes to health and safety at work, the majority of apprentices indicate that their apprenticeship supervisor has them analyze work-related risks.

The Business Life Barometer (BVE): strengthened coordination between the CFA and the company for the benefit of apprentices, particularly regarding their monitoring

Conducted in 2024 with the support of 180 CFA (French Association of French Vocational Training Centres), the BVE survey collected information on apprentice training companies. Nearly 8.800 responses were collected, 75% of which came from the managers themselves. This is the 7th edition of this survey and the third to be conducted annually.

The most salient results

• 90,3% of companies have a positive image of the CFA where their apprentice was trained.
• 69% of companies supported by the CFA during the recruitment phase are satisfied or very satisfied.
• 76% say they received good support from the CFA during the apprentice's training.
• 8 out of 10 companies plan to train a new apprentice with the same CFA.
• 94% of managers consider the behavioral skills of their employees at least as important as their technical skills.
• 75% of host companies had already recruited an apprentice before, a sign of a long-term training policy.
• 97,2% of apprenticeship masters believe that construction companies will play a decisive role in preserving the environment in the years to come.
• 29% of companies use bio-sourced or low-carbon materials, a figure up 3,5 points over one year.
• 73,2% say they are satisfied with the health and safety training provided at the CFA.

The commitment of construction companies is to be commended. In an increasingly uncertain market, they continue to welcome and train apprentices on a massive scale, aware that passing on know-how and the excellence of their professions is part of their mission. While they encourage their apprentices to continue their training, companies also want to develop the skills of their employees. With a natural partner in this strategy: the CFA (Training Center for Professional Development).

Companies say they are generally satisfied with their apprenticeship experience and have a positive view of the construction training organizations they work with. They are also maintaining their focus on the digital and environmental transition of the construction industry. In this evolution, they are also counting on apprentices to drive innovation in the construction industry, whether in terms of methods or materials used. They also train and support apprentices towards successful socio-professional integration, committing to more innovative and environmentally sustainable practices through their CSR approach.

The Barometer of Life of Training Organizations (BVOF): growing involvement in serving businesses to accelerate educational, environmental and responsible innovation

Conducted in 2024, this study was sent to 460 training establishments offering at least one training course in construction trades through apprenticeships. 180 responses were collected from establishments together hosting 63% of the construction apprenticeship workforce in 2022/2023. This is the 7th edition of the Training Organization Life Barometer.

The most salient results

• 42% of training organizations say they are optimistic about the construction sector over the next six months, down more than 23 points over the past year.
• 44% of them plan to raise awareness among their apprentices about the uses of AI and 4,2% are already doing so.
• 78% of management places the performance of their CFA in terms of productivity, profitability or organization among their priorities, an increase of 7,5 points over one year.
• 67% believe they need support in providing continuing training to companies.
• 90% of training organizations believe that their CSR approach concerns their employees.
• 63% cite human resources management and societal issues as one of their priorities.
• 2 out of 3 organizations say they have responded to calls for projects and/or applications from the CCCA-BTP.
• 64% make the development of continuing education one of their priorities.
• 6 out of 10 training organizations are considering offering new courses.
• 83% want training that is more suited to the jobs of tomorrow.

Having been committed to diversifying their training offerings for several years, training organizations are increasingly turning to continuing education, seen as a coherent means of development given the skills and equipment at their disposal. However, they are not forgetting their core business, with two priority areas of work: creating genuine training paths to take CAP-qualified apprentices to higher levels and seeking formats more suited to audiences and businesses.

Construction industry training organizations have also successfully adapted their training offerings to meet market expectations regarding the digital transition, environmental issues, and the skills development of construction industry employees. This latest edition highlights an additional dimension of their commitment: CSR. Through their training and professional integration initiatives, and by welcoming increasingly diverse audiences, including school dropouts, migrants, and adults seeking career change, they already fulfill essential missions for society.

And the vast majority of them have already taken initiatives to improve the quality of life and working conditions of their employees, reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint, and improve their relationships with the local economy. Behind them, the hope is to engage learners and partner companies in a responsible vision of their professions and their projects.

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For Christophe Possémé, President of CCCA-BTP: "This year, even more than in previous editions, our surveys show a record level of satisfaction among both apprentices and training companies in our construction sector regarding the training provided by the CFAs. The results also reveal clear progress in providing information to apprentices and companies before they start training. They thus highlight better coordination between CFAs and companies at the various stages of training and a shared commitment to developing the skills of future construction professionals. At a time when CSR is emerging as a priority, companies and training centers in our professions train and support tens of thousands of apprentices every day towards successful socio-professional integration. They are also committed to more innovative and sustainable practices for the planet. The CCCA-BTP supports their long-term commitment to making apprenticeships the path to excellence and success for young people who choose our professions, but also to making apprenticeships the sector of major transitions in the construction industry. It is an investment for the future, because it is the young people trained today who will take over tomorrow and be the new driving forces of our sector."

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.