1st step for employment project

Young people of the 1st step for employment projet during the graduation

Set up in November 2012, 1st step is a training programme launched by APRIL in association with the French Job Centre, the Missions Locales (local organisations supporting young people) and AGEFOS (offering training and employment advice) as part of the national "Operational Employment Preparation" programme for young people facing professional integration difficulties.

It offers training leading to a diploma (level 2 professional capacity) for young people with few or no qualifications, divided into three parts: insurance techniques, customer service and products. Once trained and qualified, the young people from the 1st step programme join the group in one of the five APRIL subsidiaries taking part in this programme.

Outcomes of the first two programmes: 25 young people have been recruited, trained and hired within APRIL companies, as agency sales representatives or customer service officers. 75% of them completed their contracts and 3 young people have just signed permanent contracts.

Bolstered by this experience, APRIL has launched a new programme in 2015, with 18 young people training to become Customer service officers, Production administrators and in-store Sales representatives. The young people taking part in the 2015 1st step programme will receive their diplomas and take up their positions in October 2015 in those subsidiaries within the group which are taking part in the initiative.