Vocational Training in France and Britain: Mechanical and Electrical Craftsmen

Introduction having declined by 7 per cent till 1986, and risen by The rise of microcomputer technology in the last 5 per cent in 1987.(2) This difference in performance decade has introduced changes in the way tasks are suggests that the relevant standards and provision of carried out at both the technical and the organisengineering training and the stocks and deployment ational level in manufacturing industry, with conseof skills within the industries of the two countries quential changes in the need for skills and training for deserve examination. both mechanical and electrical craftsmen. Both in The two main sections of this paper compare, first, Britain and in France the relevance of traditional and the training of engineering craftsmen in Britain and narrow concepts of skill (the craftsman highly skilled France (including the training of motor mechanics) in one set of operations) is being questioned, and in and, second, the training of electrical and electronic both countries changes are taking place in the way craftsmen. A third section summarises points arising young people are prepared for mechanical and elecfrom our visits and discussions in both countries, and trical work. a final section presents our conclusions. In this article we shall use the recognised nomenclature 'craft' and 'technician' to describe and 1 ■ Mechanical craftsmen compare existing nationally recognised levels of Training based on apprenticeship is the normal route training in the two countries. This is not to deny the followed by those aiming for a craft qualification in need for change and development of training at this Britain; in France, apprenticeship has now become level but to recognise that what has traditionally been the exception, and most engineering training is car termed our 'craft' level in both electrical work and ried out in full-time vocational schools. The number mechanical engineering corresponds closely to the receiving training in Britain as engineering and elec minimum level of technical and vocational comtrical craftsmen has fallen dramatically in the last five petence recognised by France, Germany and other years (1982-7). The French number, on the other European countries. In other words, whatever hand, has increased slightly in the same period. One changes (broader courses, higher levels of technical °f our main aims in this study must be to examine the competence) may need to be made to 'craft' courses, effects of the contrasting French and British methods it remains helpful in examining the present stage of of providing and financing engineering training with development to base our discussion on this estabrespect to numbers trained and the quality and type lished level of competence—which remains the norm of training provided, for our European competitors. This study is based on national statistics of stocks General characteristics of the training systems and flows of qualified individuals, on discussions with As with the training of young persons for other occu those concerned with education and training in both pations in France (training for the building trades, for countries in technical and vocational colleges, on clerical and secretarial employment and for the retail detailed comparisons (with the help of technical sector were described in our previous studies), experts) of the qualifying vocational examinations, almost all engineering craft training in France takes and on visits made to six large manufacturing plants, place at ages 14-18 in full-time vocational secondary three in each country, matched as far as possible for schools known as Lycees Professionnels (LP; before number of employees and type of product. The object 1986, Lycees d'Enseignement Professionnel—or of the visits to manufacturing plants was to assess LEP). Only 15 per cent of those achieving a craft differences in the way the stock of skills at the disqualification (CAP) in engineering do so by part-time posai of the plants in each country was deployed on study combined with apprenticeship; numbers in maintenance and production; and to assess differengineering apprenticeships have remained stable enees between the countries in the perceived needs over the past decade.'31 The qualifications awarded in for different types and levels of training in response to recognition of successful completion of craft engin current technical changes.'11 eering courses have the same general title as In France the output of the engineering industry specialised courses in other occupations: the CAP increased by 36 per cent between 1970 and 1987; in (Certificat d'Aptitude Professionnel) constitutes the Britain output in 1987 was much the same as in 1970, most basic level of training officially recognised by