Schools and higher education establishments are increasingly incorporating training placements (internships) into their educational programmes. It enables pupils or students to discover professional working environments and to acquire their first experience of the world of work.

The work to be performed during a traineeship is predominantly educational in nature.

Who is concerned

The training contract or agreement is signed by:

• the employer or the training supervisor that will assist the trainee within the host company;
• the trainee wishing to do a traineeship as part of their school programme or a voluntary traineeship outside of school;
• where applicable, the tutor – i.e. the teacher monitoring the student's progress throughout the traineeship, based at the school or higher education establishment .

How to proceed

Preconditions

Before starting their traineeship, the pupil or student must first have signed:

• a training agreement if the traineeship is part of their school programme;
• a training contract if it is a voluntary traineeship outside the framework of a teaching establishment.

Pay

There is no obligation to pay the trainee, and any remuneration is at the employer's discretion. There is no minimum or maximum legal amount.

Social protection

The trainee must be covered for accident risk. The procedures for enrolment in health insurance, in order to qualify for benefits in kind, reimbursement for medication or coverage of hospitalisation expenses depend on the type of traineeship and the trainee's personal situation.