Pampering your career

Management, communication, finance, insurance… No domain has been overlooked by the Centre National de la Formation. This major player in the sector of adult training offers over 600 programmes. “You can find general offers on law, personal development or communications, as well as much more specific training courses on medical vocabulary, building security or fire management,” illustrates Renaud Baudier, Head of the Centre.
Thanks to this broad panel of training programmes, the CNF-CE works with clients from diverse backgrounds. “We collaborate with companies with staff varying from two to several thousands of employees. These are employees who wish either to acquire knowledge to change positions, or to develop complementary skills to reinforce their expertise,” he adds. No prerequisites are necessary. Management, quality procedures and telemarketing are the major fields covered by CNF-CE courses. Certain domains such as catering require particular skills, so project managers specialising in specific sectors are recruited.
The course content offered by the CNF-CE takes into account the client’s pedagogical objectives and time constraints. The standard length of a training course varies from 14 to 21 hours. “Before the start of sessions, forms are sent out to learners to better ascertain their levels of knowledge and skills as well as the objectives they wish to meet,” specifies the Manager. The Droit Individuel à la Formation, a French law allowing workers to request vocational training of their choice, represents a legal framework that is extremely interesting for the CNF-CE. “Even if the law is still undergoing some difficulties in its application, it offers promising prospects for the renewal of skills,” considers Renaud Baudier. “One of our specificities is that we work only with senior trainers with a wealth of professional experience, systematically related to the training they offer. This type of profile is a guarantee for clients,” says the Centre’s Manager. For example, at CNF-CE, training missions in telemarketing are always carried out by trainers with solid skills in both law and telemarketing. As well as university studies that turn trainers into key speakers.
“We also place importance on working with the same people. The majority of our trainers has worked with us since the organisation was born,” says M. Baudier. Competition in this domain is fierce. Almost 40,000 similar training centres can be found in France. The Centre Head maintains that beyond competitive prices and the quality of teaching, reactivity is a core element. “We can draw up a quote in less than 48 hours, while others in our business may take up to 2 weeks,” he adds.
Follow-up is another essential aspect of CNF-CE. This is why the company has enlarged itself by adding a consultancy division to complement its training activities, providing concrete support for specific operations. “A client who works in mass retailing may need help with writing up general sales conditions. It is up to us to help, beyond theoretical training, by offering precise answers adapted to the situation.” Consultancy, as an extension of training, is in line with this vision. In 2008, the group’s turnover exceeded 700,000 euros. “2009 is full of promise. Our services are above all addressed to France, but overseas requests are becoming more and more frequent. This is why we also choose trainers for their willingness to travel.”