Life Maintenance Assistant: Integration through Training

How to support people distanced from employment towards our sector? By experimenting with the specific certification 'Life Maintenance Assistant' aimed at this audience, the professional branch of the private employers and home employment sector is innovating in favor of integration. The mission was delegated to IPERIA, with 58 learners participating across France. A focus on the experiment conducted in Lorient, in partnership with France Travail and the training organization Agora Services.

On Thursday, December 12th, in Lorient, at the premises of the training organization Agora Services, learners, trainers, partners, representatives from IPERIA and France Travail gathered to conclude two months of training for the Level 2 certificate "Life Maintenance Assistant" (AECV). This training is part of an experiment conducted throughout France, made possible by the commitment and involvement of the private employers and home employment sector. The ultimate goal is to have this certification registered with the RNCP through France Compétences. Thanks to intra-sector pathways, orientation towards the three professional qualifications and five complementary skills certificates will be possible.

The challenge also lies in providing a solution to the tensions in the home employment sector. For example, in Brittany, nearly 40,000 positions will need to be filled by 2030. At the same time, the region currently has about 250,000 job seekers with low qualifications.

By offering this specific certification, the sector targets the most vulnerable or those in insertion, creating an opportunity to enter the field through targeted, high-quality support.

In Lorient, the candidates were primarily "recruited" by France Travail, as well as by support programs such as Route de l'emploi, Prépa clés (Brittany Region), a medico-social center, and an insertion project, among others. After preliminary evaluations, training, and a presentation before a jury, 5 candidates obtained their certification. Nearly all of them had limited resources (RSA, ARE) or no resources at all. Most of these individuals live in isolation with one or more children. As Christine Stangacciu from France Travail emphasized, "The economic aspect is essential" for this audience, and as such, the training was contracted.

Before the experiment, the engineering and pedagogical teams at IPERIA and the University of Domicile (UDD) designed and implemented a certification training pathway so that AECV would become a foundational profession in the homecare sector. Life Maintenance Assistants are intended to be professionals who perform two main tasks (home maintenance and laundry care) by following the instructions and responsibilities provided by their employer(s). The training is accessible in terms of both hours and learning, and a significant emphasis is placed on individualized learning pathways. Among the modules taught to trainees are: laundry care protocols, drying and ironing clothes, and, in the theoretical part, job interviews, work hazards, and postures. The training alternates between theory and practice, group and individual sessions.

The use of digital tools was also part of the program, particularly for evaluations. This was a new experience for most of the trainees in the Lorient area, but many became more adept with digital tools. "I was very apprehensive; it was the hardest part, but that's when I gained confidence," Dehbia shared with us.

Another key discovery was the job dating event held at the end of October, which was a great success, with "more internship offers than trainees," as highlighted by Sophie Pannetier, Director of Training and Employment at Agora Services. This exercise of presenting oneself and one’s skills was a challenge for the learners. For Sophia Ben Zitoun, the trainer for the "professional skills" part, this job dating was "a great training exercise, which reassured them and put them in a truly professional posture."

The internship in a partner organization was another crucial step. It was a revelation and a success for Dehbia, who concluded this practical experience by securing a permanent contract. "My life has completely changed; I am very moved," she explained during the certification presentation, under the supportive gaze of her training partners.