CPF: the government wants to verify the consistency of training courses with the professional project

The government wishes to modify the terms of use of the Personal Training Account (CPF) in order to better direct funding towards professional development, access to employment and skills adaptation.

Before exercising their rights, each eligible individual should be asked to describe their career plan through a short automated questionnaire. The system would then verify the consistency between this plan and the requested training.

"The CPF represents a major step forward by giving everyone the freedom to choose their training. This freedom is preserved," assured the Ministry of Labour.

The ministry believes, however, that not all expenditures financed by the CPF sufficiently meet the initial objective of the scheme, which is to promote professional development, access to employment and skills adaptation.

A questionnaire before each use of the CPF (Personal Training Account)

The questionnaire should allow us to propose training courses corresponding to the project declared by the user and to verify that the selected training course fits into this approach.

In case of inconsistency, the holder could request a career development advisor (CEP) in order to clarify their project and be directed towards more suitable training.

The ministry has not yet indicated whether a detected inconsistency would directly prevent the purchase of the training or if it would only trigger an offer of support. The implementation timeline and the criteria used in the questionnaire also remain to be defined.

The role of the employer and advisors remains to be defined

In an interview with Les Échos , the Minister of Labour and Solidarity, Jean-Pierre Farandou, had mentioned prior control carried out by the employer when the training takes place during working hours, or by a career development advisor in other situations.

Before each use of the CPF, "it will be necessary to verify either by the employer if the training takes place during working hours, or by a trusted third party, namely career development advisors," explained Jean-Pierre Farandou, Minister of Labour and Solidarity.

The minister justified this approach by the need to improve the efficiency of public spending, stating that "this is not the time for abundance, it is the time for the efficiency of public spending."

The presentation subsequently made by the ministry, which is based primarily on an automated questionnaire and only involves an advisor in case of inconsistency, appears less restrictive. The precise relationship between these two scenarios will therefore need to be clarified.

The unions fear a challenge to free choice

The proposed reform could alter the balance established by the law of September 5, 2018, on freedom to choose one's professional future. This law allows employees and job seekers to view their entitlements, choose eligible training, and finance it directly through the Mon Compte Formation platform.

The French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT) fears that the CPF will gradually be refocused on the immediate needs of employers.

The CFDT warned that the CPF "cannot become a tool serving exclusively the needs of businesses" .

The union specifically opposes the use of employee-acquired rights to fund training programs under the skills development plan, which remains the employer's responsibility. It also believes that such a significant change would require an amendment to the law.

The General Confederation of Labour (CGT) also defends the individual nature of the scheme.

The individual right to training constitutes "a great achievement" and should allow the employee to "choose training that is not solely that which his employer wants him to do for adaptation to the job," said Denis Gravouil, representative of the CGT.

A strengthening of the Qualiopi certification has been announced.

The Ministry of Labour also plans to strengthen the requirements of the Qualiopi certification by decree. Mandatory for organizations wishing to receive public or pooled funding, this certification focuses on the quality of the processes implemented by training providers.

The content of the future decree, the new requirements imposed on training organizations and its effective date have not yet been communicated.

Image illustrating the article via Depositphotos.com.