Apprenticeships: Sabrina Roubache calls on companies to recruit young people

"Invest in our youth!"

While many young people have found their training but have not managed to sign a contract with a company, Sabrina Roubache is calling on employers to continue their apprenticeship recruitment.

"Currently, there are thousands of young people who have found their training but not their companies. I am therefore appealing to employers: invest in our youth!", the junior minister declared in an interview with the daily newspaper Le Parisien.

The minister acknowledges the economic concerns that may hinder hiring, but assures that funding dedicated to apprenticeships will be maintained.

"I know their economic anxieties, but they should be reassured: apprenticeship funding has been protected (...) This guarantees them stability and visibility," she says.

The aid is now adjusted according to the company and the diploma.

Sabrina Roubache acknowledges that public subsidies paid to employers of apprentices have decreased. According to her, this reduction "only affected large companies, which now receive a grant of 2.000 euros instead of 5.000."

The scale applicable since March 8, 2026, is more detailed: the amount depends on both the company's workforce and the level of the qualification being pursued. For companies with at least 250 employees, the exceptional aid can reach €2.000 for level 3 or 4 training, €1.500 for level 5, and €750 for levels 6 and 7.

In companies with fewer than 250 employees, a one-time grant can reach €5.000 for preparing for a diploma up to the baccalaureate level. Exceptional aid amounts to €4.500 for a level 5 diploma and €2.000 for levels 6 and 7. A maximum grant of €6.000 remains available for hiring an apprentice with a recognized disability, regardless of company size.

"Smaller businesses have been spared, and (...) there will be no further cuts," the minister promised, while acknowledging that "permanent life support cannot continue."

A social leasing project for rural apprentices

The government is also planning measures to address the mobility and accommodation difficulties faced by some young people.

Sabrina Roubache announced the launch of a "social leasing program so that apprentices in rural areas can benefit from cars that don't require a driver's license," as well as the opening of additional places in boarding schools. The details, timeline, and eligibility requirements for these programs are still to be determined.

Youth unemployment reaches 21,6%

These announcements come as the unemployment rate for workers aged 15 to 24 reached 21,6% in the second quarter of 2026. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee), it increased by 0,4 points over a quarter and by 2,5 points over a year.

“Youth unemployment is not inevitable,” says Sabrina Roubache.

The minister also believes that "apprentices are less represented in the public sector, which indeed needs to recruit more."

A council dedicated to the attractiveness of vocational training

Sabrina Roubache plans to convene a National Council for Reform (CNR) in October 2026, dedicated to the attractiveness of vocational training. This body is intended to bring together "families, young people, unions, teachers, and business leaders."

The minister also highlighted the recruitment needs that the French economy will have to meet in the coming years.

“Today, more than 400.000 jobs are unfilled and we will have to create an additional 600.000 in the personal services sector by 2036,” adds Sabrina Roubache.