In-Company Training in Luxembourg

Training companies offering apprenticeship positions must be in possession of a training authorisation awarded by the competent Employer’s chamber in accordance with the Employees chamber. It is subject to a certain number of requirements relating among others to the age and qualification of the company’s holder and training tutors. Apprenticeship advisors are responsible for supervising the apprenticeship in companies and to mediate in the case of litigations between the company and the apprentice.

Training companies (organismes de formation), offering internship or apprenticeship positions, must be in possession of a training authorisation (droit de former) which is awarded by the competent Employer’s chamber in accordance with the Employee’s chamber. The delivery of this authorisation is subject to a certain number of requirements. It obliges the training company to fulfill the obligations defined by an apprenticeship contract and to ensure training for the apprentice in the respective trade or profession as prescribed by the curricula and assessment frameworks of the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth. The leader of a company offering an apprenticeship or internship position, needs to be at least 21 years of age and is required to be in possession of a qualification equivalent to a DAP (vocational aptitude diploma). In some trades and professions, the leader also needs to be in possession of a master craftsperson certificate, while the tutors in charge of the apprentice needs to have a certification equivalent to a DAP. However, company leaders or tutors who are not in possession of a craftsperson certificate need to attend a Train-the-Trainer course of a minimum duration of three days where their pedagogical competences and role as a tutor are developed. A decree fixes the maximum number of apprentices a company is authorised to train.

Official IVET and CVET programmes in the dual track system are organised under the disposals of an apprenticeship contract which conforms to the regulations set by the code of labour law. Having signed an apprenticeship contract with a training company is a prerequisite for apprentices in order to be authorised to enrol at a private or public school to follow the school-based part of the vocational programme. Contracts must be concluded at the latest by the 1st of November. Hence it is not allowed to sign up for the current year at a school or a training centre after this date.

Sharing an apprentice is possible and is applied if a company cannot train an apprentice in a specific part of a module, due to a lack of technical knowhow or facilities. Consequently, the apprentice can be sent to another company for that part. Therefore, a sub-contract has to be elaborated for that specific training period in the other company.

The apprenticeship counsellors (conseillers à l’apprentissage) are subject to the authority of the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth. Their task is to supervise the apprentice’s development in the training company and to mediate between both parties, i.e. they assist and advise both sides if they encounter issues or questions, and conciliate in case of a litigation. If this conciliation fails, the case will be transmitted to a commission of litigation. The apprenticeship counsellor also represents the company leader or tutor at the class council, taking place at the end of each semester in the technical secondary schools.

Companies offering positions for adult apprenticeship also underlie the rules of the training authorisation and must be holder of a ministerial authorisation. The authorisation to work as a “manager of a continuing vocational training body” is strictly personal. It is issued nominatively both for capital companies (legal entities) and partnerships (natural persons) by the Ministry of Economy (Ministère de l'Economie), following the recommendation of the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth. Each body must comply with the conditions for worthiness and qualifications required, in order to practise that particular business activity. Furthermore, the instructor/trainer has to accomplish a Train-the-Trainer course and follow continuous trainings.