Banlieues numériques: digital technology, an opportunity for young people in working-class neighbourhoods
Q: On November 21, Syntec Numérique is partnering “banlieues numériques”, the 1st national forum for active, creative and innovative suburbs. Are digital professions of interest to young people from working-class neighborhoods?
Guy Mamou-Mani: For our companies, when it comes to recruitment, there’s a problem of matching supply and demand: in both cases, it’s not the same profiles. Of course, we’re well aware of the importance of the digital sector in the recruitment of young engineering graduates, i.e. 2 out of 3 young graduates. But there is also a growing supply of emerging professions, such as those in the Web or software testing, which are designed to welcome profiles with a baccalaureate to bac +3.
The digital sector is a model for embracing diversity in career paths and training, because it has no cultural or social barriers. Today, all young people are passionate about digital technology, whether they’re playing video games, surfing the Internet or on the move. Unfortunately, they are unaware that the era of the Industrial Internet, which will connect objects, organizations and people, and inject digital technology into all professions, is a source of professional opportunities for them. That’s why Syntec Numérique has joined the “Banlieues numériques” initiative. Digital technology is an opportunity for young people in working-class neighborhoods.
Olivier LEPICK: Although most of our recruitment needs are for high value-added profiles at Bac +4 or Bac +5 level, our companies are still finding it hard to recruit. That’s why the sector’s recruitment practices are evolving and adapting, to allow the integration of young people who are returning to school after an initial failure, notably through work-study programs.
Indeed, a number of initiatives aimed at “school dropouts” are now enabling them to follow a sandwich course leading to an apprenticeship or professionalization contract and the award of a Bac+2 level qualification. For example, these courses are ideally suited to jobs in high demand, such as Software Developer.
Q: What are the main obstacles you see to the development of this type of initiative?
Olivier LEPICK: They are primarily financial. In fact, initiatives to support and certify dropout populations are hybrid formulas between initial training and vocational training, and don’t always enable training to be funded by OPCAs. This is a real concern for the sustainability of the initiatives identified, which need the resources to continue along this path.
By way of example, a 2-year “Developer” course only allows for work-study in the 2nd year, the 1st being devoted to intensive theoretical courses. Schools working in these fields therefore need to be equally rigorous in their selection of candidates, insisting on the key to success in this type of scheme: motivation and commitment.
Guy MAMOU-MANI: The discussions now getting underway on the future vocational training reform bill are an opportunity for the sector to put forward proposals to the government and national representatives. At Syntec Numérique, we are campaigning to ensure that a favorable framework is in place to enable our initiatives aimed at “drop-out” groups to connect with job offers in the sector, and thus find new outlets.
Q: Not all school dropouts are academic failures. Are there other solutions to consider, particularly for jobseekers?
Guy Mamou-Mani: Absolutely, and we’re working along these lines with the industry’s social partners. As far as jobseekers are concerned, the priority must be to enable them to train in the latest technological developments, throughout their careers, so as to keep in step with the needs of the sector. For Syntec Numérique, it is important to enable employees in the sector to enjoy a consistently high level of employability. A problem common to most Syntec Numérique companies, whether ESNs or software publishers, is the existence of a shortage of resources that coexists with endemic unemployment in the profession.
Olivier LEPICK: We’re working with the industry and our OPCA, FAFIEC, to develop the “Préparation Opérationnelle à l’Emploi” (POE) scheme, which enables people registered with Pôle Emploi to access training before returning to work. It is also a potential framework for professional retraining for employees from other branches.
It should also be noted that allocations from the Fonds Paritaire de Sécurisation des Parcours Professionnels (FPSPP), to which all companies contribute financially, are targeted primarily at jobseekers and people with no recognized professional qualifications.
