In France, the attractiveness of public employment has declined over the past decades due to decreased interest among younger generations in public sector careers, highly selective entrance exams and salary gaps compared to the private sector. The lack of a unified communication strategy from the State as an employer has generated an impression in public opinion that the government is not actively recruiting, although it recruits around 40 000 civil servants each year. A significant decline in the number of candidates participating in public sector entrance exams has been observed since the mid-1990s, dropping from 16 candidates per post in 1997 to six candidates in 2023. France developed three initiatives to maintain its appeal and attract skilled individuals: the creation of the employer brand “Choose Public Service” (Choisir le Service Public), the “Public Service Talent” plan (Talent du service public) and the apprenticeship and internship programme in the public sector.
Initiatives for strengthening the public sector workforce – France
Abstract
The Choisir le Service Public programme aims to establish a transversal identity for the public sector as an employer, including through the creation of a dedicated website that consolidates all relevant information on entry into the public service. Moreover, through educational content, it allows young people and those unfamiliar with the public service to access comprehensive information on recruitment processes and career opportunities within this sector. The Talent du service public plan is designed to enhance diversity within the public sector and to promote access to equal opportunities. The plan includes four main initiatives aimed at attracting young people and diversifying recruitment to the public service. The “Public Service Co-ordination” (Les Cordées du service public) initiative seeks to establish partnerships between high schools and “public service schools” (Écoles de service public) to inspire higher academic aspirations among young people, overcome self-censorship and guide them towards training for competitive exams in the public sector. The “Talent Preparatory Classes” (Prépas Talents) are preparatory courses for competitive exams designed for students from disadvantaged economic backgrounds, complemented by “Talent scholarships” through which financial support is provided. Lastly, the “Talent Exams” (Concours Talents) offers a specific recruitment process with specially allocated places to those participating in the Prépas Talents. To further enhance the attractiveness of the public sector, France implemented apprenticeships and internships for people aged 16-29. The dedicated website “Apprenticeship and Internship Platform” (PASS – Place de l’apprentissage et des stages) lists all internship offers for greater ease of use and accessibility. The circular issued by the Minister of Transformation and the Public Service on 21 May 2021, aims to mobilise ministerial departments to welcome a growing number of interns.
These initiatives have resulted in a growing interest for the public sector among young people. The Choisir le Service Public platform saw an increase in the number of offers and a positive dynamic in terms of registrations on the site, with a 34.5% increase. Furthermore, for 2021-22, out of 507 students who were able to register, 250 took part in at least one of the Concours Talents equating to a participation rate of 49%. The success rates of young people taking the exam are encouraging and have been rising since the creation of the Prépas Talents. Moreover, apprenticeships and internships provide young people with the opportunity to gain access to the public sector and benefit from remuneration. According to the “Department of Research Animation, Studies and Statistics” (Direction de l’Animation de la Recherche, des Études et des Statistiques), in 2021, of the 20 800 new contracts, 31% of apprentices were recruited in the “State Civil Service” (Fonction Publique d’Etat), 63% in the “Territorial Civil Service” (Fonction Publique Territoriale) and 6% in the “Hospital Civil Service” (Fonction Publique Hospitalière). Moreover, in 2021, 40 476 interns were recruited in the various ministerial departments.
Further reading
Ministère de la Transformation et de la Fonction Publiques (n.d.), Découvrez la carte de France des Prépas Talents du service public près de chez vous; Ministère de la Transformation et de la Fonction Publiques (n.d.), Place de l’apprentissage et des stages; République Française (n.d.), Choisir le Service Public.
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