Apprenticeships and disabilities: a new training program at IPAG
Are you a student with a disability? Apprenticeships can open doors to civil service careers. The Institut de Préparation à l’Administration Générale (IPAG) in Montpellier now offers a direct path to employment.
Is work-study the shortest route to employment? This is also true for students with disabilities. “We receive numerous requests from public services for apprenticeship contracts for people disabled, explains Etienne Douat. For employers, the challenge is twofold: “meet the legal obligation to employ disabled workers[1], but also to take the utmost care in their recruitment: they are looking for competent people who have received solid training. continues the director of IPAG in Montpellier.
Paid contract
The appeal of this program lies in the fact that it is a win-win situation. Apprentices receive paid training—the contract pays €1,000 per month—and the work-study program puts them in an ideal position to be hired. For employers, the scheme offers the guarantee of training a fully operational employee by the end of the contract.
Since September 2016, IPAG has been offering students with disabilities a work-study program in the civil service, with the support of the Handiversité service at the University of Montpellier. Upon completion, there are many career opportunities...
"Local authorities, hospitals, ministries, customs services—a wide variety of careers are open to you everywhere. It's impossible to imagine the number of specialties that the administration may need: human resources, budgeting, psychology, law, or even business—the possibilities are endless," explains Etienne Douat.
Tailored training
In order to facilitate the integration of people with disabilities into the civil service, a special recruitment process is offered to them. Thanks to the partnership between IPAG and the UM's Handiversité service, candidates also benefit from training tailored to the competitive examinations. "Our mission is to enable students to overcome the difficulties they may encounter in their university studies due to their disability," explains Isabelle Pecquenard. " In concrete terms, we support them in their studies while helping them to become more independent. Each case is unique," says the student support manager, " so the first step is to assess the student's specific needs. We are also there to inform teachers and help them adapt their courses when necessary."
Various forms of assistance are also available, including adapted teaching materials, equipment loans, and even day-to-day support. The Handiversité service also liaises with the disability advisor or correspondent at the host institution to ensure that the workstation is adapted as needed.
- More info
- Contact: Rachel Légère, +33 (0)4 34 43 23 04
[1] As in the private sector, all public employers with at least 20 employees are required to employ people with disabilities in proportion to 6% of their total workforce (Article L.323-2 of the Labor Code). It should be noted that the status of disabled worker is recognized by the Commission for the Rights and Autonomy of People with Disabilities (CDAPH). For more information, contact the Departmental House for People with Disabilities (MDPH).