Apprentices from the CFA Cannes in full practical exercise (Illustration) -

L. Boukaya / Faculty of Trades - Hotel School of Cannes

  • The Côte d'Azur has the second largest hotel capacity in France.

  • With one sector at a standstill, the training programs adapt to create almost real conditions for their students.

  • For some apprentices in the hotel and catering industry at the CFA de Cannes, working in high school is the only way to continue working.

The Côte d'Azur, which has the second largest hotel capacity in France behind the Paris region, is rich in recognized training in the field.

In one of them, at the apprenticeship training center (CFA) in Cannes, 200 of the 800 students are in the hotel-catering branch, a sector currently at a standstill.

So for this establishment which recorded 87% of professional integration, it is time for adaptation.

“We had to review our workshops so that young people could continue to practice because without anyone at the application restaurant, it was complicated,” says Dominique Pons, the director of the establishment.

“For example, cooks make products that they then eat themselves.

For room service, apprentices practice setting up the service.

There is also dressage.

We try to create almost real conditions ”.

"Nothing beats practice"

The problem is that in this type of training, two-thirds of the learning time takes place in a company.

“Our students are deprived of something essential for their profession.

You can feel a certain impatience with them because nothing beats practice, ”says the director.

“On the other hand, we're lucky.

Companies played the game and kept their apprentice, even if he or she had to be on short-time work.

".

This is the case of Marion, 19, in her third year of training.

“I only have lessons at the CFA because the hotel I worked in is closed,” she says.

Two out of three weeks, I am confined to the house, doing nothing ”.

The young woman apprehends the return to normal life: “We are losing habits.

Even if we train a little at home, we will not have the rush of the service ”.

Despite certain questions, she sees "her future in the kitchen".

“It's going to start again.

Hoping that the new forms of restoration will not predominate over the rest ”.

Lucas, 17, also in third grade, confirms.

“The school adapted quickly but it's in companies that it's complicated.

I've always wanted to be a cook.

But it was for the connection with people.

There, we only do take-away sales and we lose motivation a little.

I admit that I am a little afraid for the future ”.

"Train to insert"

Concerned students as well as their principal.

He develops: “We train to integrate professionally.

When entering CAP, young people sometimes stay for up to four years in a work-study program [while continuing with a professional certificate].

This means that usually 87% of our apprentices are professionally integrated at the end of their training.

We hope to be able to ensure it this year even if we are in great uncertainty ”.

There are those who are at the end of the course but there are also those who have just returned.

"It is tragic since these young people enter a training course where they cannot test themselves", affirms the person in charge of the establishment.

“I remain optimistic because I think that we are built in adversity and that it will reboost those who really want to succeed.

This is why we do everything possible at the CFA to make them work and support them as much as possible ”.

“The positive point, concludes Dominique Pons, is that it has made it possible to strengthen and perpetuate certain practices such as disinfection or cleaning of utensils!

"

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  • Cannes

  • Hotel

  • Learning

  • Cfa

  • Restaurant

  • Nice