High School: Everything You Need To Know About The Mandatory Internship At The End Of 10th Grade
In June 2024, around 500,000 tenth-grade students are required to complete an observation internship in a professional environment. Whether you have found a company or organization to host you or not, here is everything you need to know about this new mandatory internship at the end of tenth grade.
The mandatory internship at the end of the sophomore year consists of...
The mandatory internship at the end of the sophomore year was established from the 2023-2024 school year and is scheduled to take place for the first time from June 17 to June 28, 2024. It is a two-week observation internship in a professional environment, which should allow high school students to discover the world of work.
Each student can choose to spend two weeks within the same organization or one week each within two different organizations.
This requirement concerns the 560,000 students of general and technological second grade, enrolled in public and private high schools in France. The goal of this measure is to help students make better choices regarding their future direction.
Students will be able to share this experience at the beginning of the school year in eleventh grade. A report on the internship may also be requested by their school, but it is not mandatory.
How to find a hosting structure?
The mandatory internship at the end of the tenth grade can be carried out within a company, an administration, or an association.
Since March 6, 2024, these various structures have been able to post internship offers for tenth-grade students on the 1jeune1solution website. Each offer details the activities carried out during the internship, the working hours, and the number of interns that can be accommodated.
High school students have been able to consult the offers on the same platform since Monday, March 25. In practice, to search for an internship offer, you simply need to go to the homepage stagedeseconde.1jeune1solution.gouv.fr (link below) and click on the Students section. A search bar allows you to look for internships in the profession or field of activity you would like to discover.
If an offer interests you, simply click on the "Apply" button and create an account to send your application. To increase your chances of finding an end-of-tenth-grade internship, it is advisable to apply to several offers.
If your application is accepted by multiple structures, you will only need to confirm your presence with the one that interests you the most. This simple step will notify the structure that you have accepted the internship and cancel all your other applications, thus freeing up space for other students.
Note: if you do not find any internship before June 17, 2024, you will be welcomed at your high school and you will carry out documentary research to clarify your orientation project.
Do you need to sign an internship agreement?
To complete the mandatory internship at the end of tenth grade, the student or their parents if they are a minor must sign an internship agreement with the head of the institution and the person responsible for the host organization.
This document is essential as it details the conditions of supervision and monitoring of the student during their internship. A standard internship agreement will soon be available in the appendix of the circular relating to this mandatory observation internship.
Moreover, the student must provide a certificate of insurance covering their civil liability for any damages they may cause or suffer during this professional immersion.
What activities are offered during the internship?
Despite its name, this internship may not be limited to just observing other employees. During the mandatory internship at the end of the tenth grade, the student may engage in activities and demonstrations within the company, under the supervision of an internship tutor.
However, the high school intern should not handle machinery or production tools that could be dangerous for non-professionals.
Note: for an internship lasting less than 2 months, payment to the intern is not mandatory. However, the host organization may choose to provide a stipend.
In what cases can one be exempted from the end-of-year internship in tenth grade?
The observation internship at the end of the second year is optional for students in the hospitality and catering technology series (STHR) because their curriculum already includes a 4-week introductory or applied internship in a professional environment.
In other tracks, exemptions are provided for second-year students who undertake:
• a mission of general interest or a cohesion stay as part of the universal national service or SNU.
• a European or international mobility for a minimum duration of 2 weeks.
• a school trip organized by their institution during the second half of June.
However, doing an internship in July-August, such as the practical training of the BAFA or an intensive language course, or even having a summer job does not exempt the student from completing their observation internship in a professional environment at the end of the second year.
