Job shadowing
Job shadowing programmes in France
Give your students and staff the chance to observe professionals in action across France — a structured, low-barrier introduction to international mobility funded under Erasmus+ KA1.
300+ shadowing flows delivered across the group — for VET schools, universities and staff in 20+ French cities.
Duration
3 to 10 days on-site, with structured pre-departure briefing and post-mobility reflection.
Format
Individual or small group (2–12 participants), each shadowing 1–3 French hosts per flow with daily debriefs.
Audience
VET students, HEI students, teachers, trainers, international-office staff and curriculum designers.
What is a job shadowing programme in France?
A job shadowing programme is a short-term mobility activity where participants observe and follow professionals in a real French workplace. Unlike internships or traineeships, job shadowing does not involve hands-on work — participants learn through structured observation, Q&A sessions and guided workplace exposure. These programmes are funded under Erasmus+ KA1 and recognised through Europass Mobility. Observation objectives are mapped against ESCO occupation codes so the activity remains audit-ready in the Beneficiary Module. Job shadowing is the right format for first-time mobility, career exploration, staff professional development, and de-risking host relationships before committing to longer placements in France.
Who this format serves best
Ideal for staff observation visits and structured peer learning where access, agenda design and local moderation matter more than placement volume.
VET schools
Vocational institutions looking for short-term, low-barrier mobility to France for students.
Universities
Higher education institutions organising observation-based mobility for students or staff in France.
Staff & teachers
Educators seeking professional development through workplace observation in France.
What is a job shadowing programme in France?
Scoping (week 0–2)
Kickoff call: observation objectives, ESCO mapping, sectors, group profile, dates and French city. Output: scoping doc, indicative pricing, draft observation agreement.
Host selection (week 2–5)
Sourcing and confirmation of 1–3 French hosts per participant, validated against observation objectives. Named host contacts and observation slots locked.
Programme design (week 5–7)
Daily schedule with observation slots, structured Q&A blocks, reflection prompts, optional cultural programme. Pre-departure briefing pack delivered.
Execution & closure
On-site coordination, daily check-ins, host evaluations collected, Europass certificates issued and final coordinator log delivered for the Beneficiary Module.
How this programme is shaped
Workload
3–4 observation slots per day + one structured Q&A + reflection prompt — designed against the Erasmus+ Quality Standards.
Recognition
Europass Mobility, signed observation agreement, host evaluation. ECTS recognition possible for HEI staff case-by-case.
Funding
Eligible under Erasmus+ KA121 and KA122 staff-mobility and learner-mobility actions.
Available across France
How delivery unfolds
Scoping (week 0–2)
Kickoff call: observation objectives, ESCO mapping, sectors, group profile, dates and French city. Output: scoping doc, indicative pricing, draft observation agreement.
Host selection (week 2–5)
Sourcing and confirmation of 1–3 French hosts per participant, validated against observation objectives. Named host contacts and observation slots locked.
Programme design (week 5–7)
Daily schedule with observation slots, structured Q&A blocks, reflection prompts, optional cultural programme. Pre-departure briefing pack delivered.
Execution & closure
On-site coordination, daily check-ins, host evaluations collected, Europass certificates issued and final coordinator log delivered for the Beneficiary Module.
Why institutions choose this model
- Documented observation evidence mapped to ESCO codes — usable in Europass Mobility and curriculum-update worksheets.
- Curriculum updates for VET teachers grounded in real French workplace practices, not desk research.
- International-office staff: comparative IT, OLA-T and Beneficiary Module workflows from peer French HEIs, with concrete process changes back at home.
- Students: career-decision evidence (preferred sector, role, French city) before committing to a longer internship.
- Sending institution: a vetted French host shortlist for future internship pipelines (≈30–40% of shadowing hosts become internship hosts within 12 months).
- Cross-cultural professional communication observed in context (meetings, handovers, customer interaction) rather than role-played.
Questions coordinators usually ask
Plan a job shadowing flow in France
Tell us about your audience, observation goals and target sector. We come back within 48 hours with a French city recommendation and host shortlist.